Community Forums

bibarnes · 03-23-2012, 01:42 PM

I have a 2003 Challenger and I live in Mexico south of Guadalajara. Everything was going fine and I went out the other day to run some hot water through the system and the hotwater heater will not come on. When I flip the switch on the control panel in the hall I get no light. Can't find a fuse for this at all. No chance of an RV savy tech so it is do it myself. Any ideas? I do have plenty of LP gas

Just an FYI. Things are not as bad down here as the news makes it out. Most of the violence is drug on drug. People travel and camp in caravans and are ignored by bad people. 4 years and no problems.

I did find out one great thing about windshields. They are made right here in Guadalajara. I can replace the cracked one on the right side for about $8,000mxp or $640usd including all new seals on both sides.

Jim_HiTek · 03-23-2012, 01:52 PM

12V fuses are hidden all over these rigs. But, assuming you have checked 12V at the brown wire in the outside compartment when the switch is closed, then the fuse is good.

It would help if you let us know what brand of tank (Atwood?), size, and whether or not you have the manual?

I would check for continuity at the high limit switch, the thermal cut-off, & the fixed temp control thermostat. All 3 should be closed when the tank is cold.

bibarnes · 03-23-2012, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim_HiTek

12V fuses are hidden all over these rigs. But, assuming you have checked 12V at the brown wire in the outside compartment when the switch is closed, then the fuse is good.

It would help if you let us know what brand of tank (Atwood?), size, and whether or not you have the manual?

I would check for continuity at the high limit switch, the thermal cut-off, & the fixed temp control thermostat. All 3 should be closed when the tank is cold.

It is an Atwood Cg8-AE. There is 12v at the brown wire going into what I think is the thermal cutoff. There is 0 on the other side. I am assuming that it is blown since the plastic covering is a tad brown and crinkly. I am going to the Atwood site and see how to order a new one. Again I assume that bypassing it would not be a good idea.

trackman · 03-23-2012, 05:21 PM

You can check that easily.Unplug the fuse link and plug the brown wire back in.

bibarnes · 03-23-2012, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trackman

You can check that easily.Unplug the fuse link and plug the brown wire back in.

I did that and the unit sort of works. There is some cleaning needed. We have a big problem down here with mud dawbers I have a yellow flame with no pressure. Atwood is very proud of their thermo coples $29.99. Oh well. I do appreciate the great help. Living here in Mexico has advantages, but there are some challenges also. RV repair is on that list. But gas is under $3.00 per gallon.

Again thanks for the help.

TXiceman · 03-23-2012, 09:25 PM

bibarnes, I have more than one Mexican nationals that work here in professional fields and they will not go back over the border and home to Monterrey. They say along the border and Monterrey, the drug thugs do not distinguish between good guys, citizens, other druggies. They openly go in an challenge the police and will attack travelers.

I will keep my American dollars on this side of the border.

Ken

bibarnes · 03-24-2012, 07:54 AM

The borders and certain cities are bad. The state of Jalisco where I live has had some problems but always up in Guadalajara. There are the normal robberies and such here but not many. I forgot and left a cooler and 4 beach chairs in my truck bed while we went to the movies. They were still there 2 hours later.

Jim_HiTek · 03-24-2012, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bibarnes

It is an Atwood Cg8-AE. There is 12v at the brown wire going into what I think is the thermal cutoff. There is 0 on the other side. I am assuming that it is blown since the plastic covering is a tad brown and crinkly. I am going to the Atwood site and see how to order a new one. Again I assume that bypassing it would not be a good idea.

If you're talking about that small cylindrical device inside the plastic sleeve, that is a thermal fuse. Radio Shack carries them for around $2. They sort of look like a diode. With a magnifier, you can read it's temperature rating on the case. Get one that has a temp rating as close to yours as possible, or higher.

Meanwhile, you could just jumper it out of the circuit and run the heater only when you're up and around.

These thermal fuses fail regularly just from normal usage. It's the first thing we techs look at when they're in the circuit.

bibarnes · 03-26-2012, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim_HiTek

If you're talking about that small cylindrical device inside the plastic sleeve, that is a thermal fuse. Radio Shack carries them for around $2. They sort of look like a diode. With a magnifier, you can read it's temperature rating on the case. Get one that has a temp rating as close to yours as possible, or higher.

Meanwhile, you could just jumper it out of the circuit and run the heater only when you're up and around.

These thermal fuses fail regularly just from normal usage. It's the first thing we techs look at when they're in the circuit.

We do have Radio shacks down here. It never ceases to amaze me how some things are designed. Fuses placed where you can't reach them. Oil filler tubes where you can't reach them. Desin engineers should be forced to work as repair techs for at least 6 months first. Then every once in a while put them out in the field again.

Thanks for the info.
I just looked at it and it is a Microtec. I also saw 098C which I assume is 98 degrees C. Thank God for magnifying glasses.

Jim_HiTek · 03-26-2012, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bibarnes

We do have Radio shacks down here. It never ceases to amaze me how some things are designed. Fuses placed where you can't reach them. Oil filler tubes where you can't reach them. Desin engineers should be forced to work as repair techs for at least 6 months first. Then every once in a while put them out in the field again.

Thanks for the info.
I just looked at it and it is a Microtec. I also saw 098C which I assume is 98 degrees C. Thank God for magnifying glasses.

Yes, that's 98°C. Remember that if you can't find one at RS...they only carry 3 temps of that device in the bigger stores...you can just jump it out. If you do that, then just be a little more careful. And perhaps only run the heater while you're up and about. I turn mine on 10 minutes before needing it, then shut it off.

The safety police will howl at that but it's better then going w/o hot water.