Community Forums

Runowskib · 09-04-2017, 05:05 PM

We have a 2005 Journey 36G coach. Ever since we purchased this coach the water heater runs most of the time ok, but at random times, the burner will startup, run for a short time, then shut off. If it does this I think 3 times, It locks out as I know it should. You reset it, and it may do this again or shut off again. I have opened the water heater door in front of the burner and it seems to stay running better?? I have removed and cleaned the burner and pilot pieces because they get rusty. Any ideas?

BFlinn181 · 09-04-2017, 05:38 PM

Have you looked online for a service manual for your make and model of WH? If it's electronic ignition, make sure the wires of the ignitor are clean. They not only spark to light the gas, but also a weak electrical charge is created in the gas flame that tells the control board to keep the gas valve on. You might also remove and clean all connections to the control board, a dirty connection could be the problem. It could be related to gas pressure, if you can, I'd check that with a manometer.

Pelledan · 09-04-2017, 06:38 PM

We have the 2006 version of your unit and I think they are pretty much identical. You probably have an Attwood 10 gallon propane/electric water heater. The igniter is a spark system that gets its power from the control board located in the upper right corner area of you heater. It is easily accessible and pretty much to the right of your brass pressure relief valve. There is a wire coming from that control board that goes down to the burner and there you will see it connect to a ceramic insulated igniter. That igniter rod is also the flame proving feedback device. Once ignition takes place, that rod heats up proving there is a flame and tells the gas valve to remain open. If that rod gets sooted or begins to fail through normal wear, the signal it's providing to the gas valve may be weak enough to cause the valve to close as if the flame went out and eventually placing the system in lock out safety. Try cleaning the rod with triple zero steel wool and see if that helps. If it's still acting up, then most likely that igniter rod will need to be replaced. I assume the heater works well on electric power rather than propane?

Dan

Heating man · 09-04-2017, 09:21 PM

I was at GNR rally in forest city a few years ago and they said some of the class A water heaters that have a bin door over them do not get enough combustion air which can cause what you are taking about. The Atwood person who put on the seminar said to leave the door open a small amount at the bottom and check if this solves the problem that is what is going on.. I don't know why it effect some but not others. I have had two coaches with this design and have had no problem with either one. They said there was no fix except to prop door open at bottom so it could get more combustion air.

kwestcott · 09-04-2017, 09:43 PM

In the past my Dometic hot water heaters, now this was in older coaches middle 90's , seemed to require me to pull the circuit board every once in a while and clean the ground. Now I have a duel heat and run it on electric most of the time. Only use the gas if we need to take back to back showers. About once a month I will kick on the gas to make sure it works. Did have one where I kicked the bottom of the door out and it seemed to help.

Old-Biscuit · 09-04-2017, 10:27 PM

Just clean the spark electrode with emery cloth and make sure the spark electrode assembly mounting screw has a clean/tight contact/connection...it is a ground source.
Also clean/tighten spark electrode high tension wire connection

Transformer on circuit board provides a 2000 DC Voltage for sparking/flame igniton but the milliamp signal generated via flame ionization/rectification can't get thru very much resistance......so clean/tight connections critical

PLUS that spark electrode needs to be ENGULFED in main flame with a 1/8" spark gap

Routine cleaning/adjustments cure many a ignition issue..water heaters, furnaces, fridges

gcamper · 09-05-2017, 01:07 PM

We had this same problem on an older class c we had years ago. We found a spider had crawler up in the flu and made a web. The web blocked the exhaust flow. The flame would lite and then go out. Cleaned out the web and it worked fine.