Water Heater Reset Light

[Milkman2]

Water Heater Problem: Atwood GE 16 EXT

Have replaced thermostat on front of water heater. I thought that was the problem. Reset light is coming on now quickly when either on electric or gas.

How about the relay in the back of the water heater?

[Milkman2]

The water heater starting working now, no quick reset light coming on, I am currently running it on gas, to see how that works for it.

[Workshop]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milkman2 Water Heater Problem: Atwood GE 16 EXT Have replaced thermostat on front of water heater. I thought that was the problem. Reset light is coming on now quickly when either on electric or gas. How about the relay in the back of the water heater?

Haven't had to work on my water heater....so.

Here is a circuit layout of an Atwood gas/electric, not your model but should apply for what we are looking at.....




The relay in question appears to me as a control for the 'electric heating element'. When 12vdc is a applied to the circuit, using the remote switch, it applies the voltage to the relay, which is normally open, and closes it applying 115vac to the heating element for electric operation.

It would appear to me that the E.C.O. switch is used on the gas side as a means to shut off the gas operation is the temps get to high.

The Thermal cut-off is also on the gas side and is a fuse link that will stop gas operations if there is a flame out of the burner tube.

The fixed temp T-stat sets the operating temp for the unit.

If the unit is going out quickly using both gas and electric....I would check all the connections and ensure that the Tstat and ECO are making good contack with the tank surface.

Might check and ensure you have good 12vdc at the switches as both gas and electric using it for control/operation.

If the unit is going out quickly, before the temps have a chance to get up to temperature...then one has to assume that high temps isn't the cause of the problem. If it is happens on both at startup it could be an intermittent problem with the circuit board or connection. That's one of the tihings I see that is common to both operations. 12vdc, circuit board, TSTAT...

Hope something helped.


workhorse

[Milkman2]

The problem seems to be, that the reset lights comes on after the water is up to temperature, then when it cools off ( about an hour or two ) it will reheat backup, but also light the reset light up. I was thinking the electric relay is sticking closed. What do you think is wrong?