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Old 09-21-2017, 05:28 PM   #1
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atwood 10 gallon elec/gas water heater

I need a wiring diagram and or suggestions to get some hot water on electric mode of operation. I made sure that I have an air pocket, I changed the thermostats, I checked the 2amp fuse. Is there supposed to be a light shining when power is turned on (outside access located on the circuit board)? I don't have a light shining. Also could the heating element be bad, how the heck do you get to it?
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Old 09-21-2017, 05:55 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 46490 View Post
I need a wiring diagram and or suggestions to get some hot water on electric mode of operation. I made sure that I have an air pocket, I changed the thermostats, I checked the 2amp fuse. Is there supposed to be a light shining when power is turned on (outside access located on the circuit board)? I don't have a light shining. Also could the heating element be bad, how the heck do you get to it?
you may have a blown thermal cutoff which looks like this:



it acts as a fail-safe in case of a flash back of flames from the burner tube. if you have a VOM (volt ohm meter or multi-meter) you can check it for continuity. gently pull the brown wire from the right end of the device and then gently pull the left end from the mounting board. if you have a continuity setting on your VOM use it otherwise just set your dial to any of the OHM or resistance positions. place the tip of one probe to each end of the device. if it's not blown you'll hear either a beep (if your VOM supports audible alarms) or the digital meter will show something other than zeros.

if it's good then replace it and your problem lies elsewhere. if it's bad it will need to be replaced. many RV supply outlets will have them and they are available online. cost should be somewhere $5 +/- each. if it is bad you can bypass by attaching the brown wire to the connector on the board labeled BRN. if it is bad I'd replace it ASAP.

good luck.
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Old 09-21-2017, 06:02 PM   #3
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Try this one.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Atwood-Water-Heater-Service.pdf (981.0 KB, 227 views)
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Old 09-21-2017, 06:47 PM   #4
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Changing heating element

How do you safely remove and replace the heating element? I would assume that the tank needs to be dry, power turned off - any other things I am missing? I used my VOM and had .0006 reading when probing the green and white connections together - to me this would mean a bad heating element. When I touch the white connection and the steel tank I get 122V - so again I think the heating element is bad. Am I missing something?
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Old 09-21-2017, 06:49 PM   #5
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The wire is good, but I did replace it along with both thermostats. How can you tell if its the heating element?
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Old 09-22-2017, 02:32 PM   #6
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The wire is good, but I did replace it along with both thermostats. How can you tell if its the heating element?
Looks like the heating element is good, the wh works on gas - not electric mode, the circuit board might be bad -how do you check it to make sure that it is bad?
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Old 09-22-2017, 03:03 PM   #7
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Your Atwood electric/gas WH uses the SAME set of t-stat/ECO for both along with that thermal fuse.
SO gas works..those components are good
Same goes for that 2A fuse on circuit board


Electric element is located on backside of WH Tank under protective cover
The 120V AC to element is 'triggered' by a DC Relay---also under that protective cover

12V DC power goes to both electric & gas ON/OFF switches and from switches when ON to circuit board.
Electric System
DC to circuit board via the WHITE wire when switch is turned ON
Then thru BROWN wires (Thermal fuse/t-stat) then RED wire to/thru ECO (milivolt signal only)

When that circuit makes up DC goes to Relay to trigger 120V AC via YELLOW wire

DC Relay makes up..120V AC goes to element via BLACK wire...thru element and then back to AC Panel via WHITE wire

Turn Electric switch ON
Check/Verify 12V DC on WHITE wire
Check/verify 12V DC on BROWN wires
Check/Verify 12V DC on YELLOW wire
(RED wire to ECO/gas valve must have milivolt signal or YELLOW will not have DC Voltage)

Got DC Voltage.......

With Electric Switch ON
Check for 120V AC across the element terminals (Black to White)
No 120V AC then check for tripped AC Circuit Breaker/bad wiring

Got 120V AC across terminals
Turn Electric switch OFF!!!

Check for continuity....
Between the element 2 terminals (Black to White)....should have continuity.
IF NO continuity---element is bad

Between White wire (common) terminal and flange of element
Should NOT be any continuity.....otherwise element is shorted

Verify Ground (Green) wire has good clean/tight connection


Element is a 1400W Screw in type.....takes a 1 1/2" 6 point socket


Atwood 2004 and newer electric/gas wiring
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Old 09-22-2017, 03:21 PM   #8
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Sort of along those lines, mine is getting wimpy heating from the electric side of the WH. Gas side gets water hot quick. Do the elements scale up losing performance or is it just weak with age? Would removing and cleaning likely have any positive effect?
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Old 09-22-2017, 10:27 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drwwicks View Post
Sort of along those lines, mine is getting wimpy heating from the electric side of the WH. Gas side gets water hot quick. Do the elements scale up losing performance or is it just weak with age? Would removing and cleaning likely have any positive effect?
Electric heat elements (resistive heating) work or don't....no in between

How often do you drain/flush/rinse your water heater?

Element can scale up from minerals in water (calcium, magnesium) and if heavily scaled the heat transfer WILL be diminished so it will take MUCH longer to heat water hot enough to satisfy t-stat set point
(Atwood is 140*F & Suburban is 130*F)

Heat recovery is roughly 6 gallons per hour on electric heat (initial startup cold water)
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Old 09-23-2017, 08:46 AM   #10
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Circuit board test

Quote:
Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit View Post
Your Atwood electric/gas WH uses the SAME set of t-stat/ECO for both along with that thermal fuse.
SO gas works..those components are good
Same goes for that 2A fuse on circuit board


Electric element is located on backside of WH Tank under protective cover
The 120V AC to element is 'triggered' by a DC Relay---also under that protective cover

12V DC power goes to both electric & gas ON/OFF switches and from switches when ON to circuit board.
Electric System
DC to circuit board via the WHITE wire when switch is turned ON
Then thru BROWN wires (Thermal fuse/t-stat) then RED wire to/thru ECO (milivolt signal only)

When that circuit makes up DC goes to Relay to trigger 120V AC via YELLOW wire

DC Relay makes up..120V AC goes to element via BLACK wire...thru element and then back to AC Panel via WHITE wire

Turn Electric switch ON
Check/Verify 12V DC on WHITE wire
Check/verify 12V DC on BROWN wires
Check/Verify 12V DC on YELLOW wire
(RED wire to ECO/gas valve must have milivolt signal or YELLOW will not have DC Voltage)

Got DC Voltage.......

With Electric Switch ON
Check for 120V AC across the element terminals (Black to White)
No 120V AC then check for tripped AC Circuit Breaker/bad wiring

Got 120V AC across terminals
Turn Electric switch OFF!!!

Check for continuity....
Between the element 2 terminals (Black to White)....should have continuity.
IF NO continuity---element is bad

Between White wire (common) terminal and flange of element
Should NOT be any continuity.....otherwise element is shorted

Verify Ground (Green) wire has good clean/tight connection


Element is a 1400W Screw in type.....takes a 1 1/2" 6 point socket


Atwood 2004 and newer electric/gas wiring
How can determine if the circuit board is bad? The gas side of the circuit board is good. The element is good, the white and black wires to the element show 122 v. the element has 10 ohms of resistance. anything I am missing?
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Old 09-23-2017, 09:40 AM   #11
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found burnt wire

Quote:
Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit View Post
Your Atwood electric/gas WH uses the SAME set of t-stat/ECO for both along with that thermal fuse.
SO gas works..those components are good
Same goes for that 2A fuse on circuit board


Electric element is located on backside of WH Tank under protective cover
The 120V AC to element is 'triggered' by a DC Relay---also under that protective cover

12V DC power goes to both electric & gas ON/OFF switches and from switches when ON to circuit board.
Electric System
DC to circuit board via the WHITE wire when switch is turned ON
Then thru BROWN wires (Thermal fuse/t-stat) then RED wire to/thru ECO (milivolt signal only)

When that circuit makes up DC goes to Relay to trigger 120V AC via YELLOW wire

DC Relay makes up..120V AC goes to element via BLACK wire...thru element and then back to AC Panel via WHITE wire

Turn Electric switch ON
Check/Verify 12V DC on WHITE wire
Check/verify 12V DC on BROWN wires
Check/Verify 12V DC on YELLOW wire
(RED wire to ECO/gas valve must have milivolt signal or YELLOW will not have DC Voltage)

Got DC Voltage.......

With Electric Switch ON
Check for 120V AC across the element terminals (Black to White)
No 120V AC then check for tripped AC Circuit Breaker/bad wiring

Got 120V AC across terminals
Turn Electric switch OFF!!!

Check for continuity....
Between the element 2 terminals (Black to White)....should have continuity.
IF NO continuity---element is bad

Between White wire (common) terminal and flange of element
Should NOT be any continuity.....otherwise element is shorted

Verify Ground (Green) wire has good clean/tight connection


Element is a 1400W Screw in type.....takes a 1 1/2" 6 point socket


Atwood 2004 and newer electric/gas wiring
I just checked the white and black wires to the heating element - no voltage. I found that the white wire was burnt through at the wire splice. What could of caused this? Also the dc voltage was good. So do I just get the proper gauge wire and splice it in. Do I need a fuse-able link? What could of caused the burnt wire?
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Old 09-23-2017, 04:49 PM   #12
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Atwood 10 gal. Heater

Gas pilot will not light. Spark probe does not spark as it cycles. 2 amp fuse is good. Getting 12 volt to all terminals on wiring harness. Both grounds are good. I can light it with a stick lighter as it cycles and it lights for about 3 seconds and then the solenoid valve shuts. Flu is clean, water in tank. Could it be the circuit board? 2008 Winnebago Vectra 40TD. New water heater installed in January 2014. Any suggestions?
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Old 09-23-2017, 05:04 PM   #13
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10 gal Atwood water heater. Spark probe does not spark. I can light it when it cycles with a stick lighter but it only started lit for about 3 seconds then valve solenoid shuts off coarse turning it off. Flu if clean. 12 volt to all terminals on harness. Any suggestions? I'm thinking circuit board.
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Old 09-24-2017, 10:57 AM   #14
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My Atwood water heater started acting up just yesterday runs fine on gas but will not run on electric
Model number GCH10A-4E
Have checked fuses and cleaned all connections I suspect it is the circuit board.
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