Community Forums

curt603 · 08-11-2018, 01:41 PM

I don't have hot water on electric. On my yellow wire at the board with the ac switch turned on I only have 10.5 volts going to the relay. What should I have and where is the electric element?

Old-Biscuit · 08-11-2018, 10:46 PM

Should have the SAME DC Voltage on that Yellow Wire as you have on DC System
10.5V DC is enough to activate relay which then allows 120V AC to the element

DC Relay and Electric element are on backside of Water Heater Tank at bottom under the protective cover

Check:
120V AC Circuit Breaker not tripped
120V AC wires to/from DC Relay not burnt/melted
120V AC wires tight on element

Ground wire connection clean/tight

If 120V AC wires on DC Relay are GOOD then check:\ with AC Power OFF

Continuity between Black & White wires terminals on element...no continuity element BAD
Continuity between White wire terminal and element flange...have continuity element shorted

curt603 · 08-12-2018, 11:22 AM

after checking what Old-Biscuit suggested:

checked 120ac at breaker and NOT tripped
120V ac wires are not melted and they were tight on element

Continuity is good between black and white wires on element
no continuity between flange and white wire

rechecked voltage on yellow wire and got 0 volts with the ac on but 11 volts when the gas was on

nothermark · 08-12-2018, 12:02 PM

Here is a link to the manual:

http://bryantrv.com/docs2/docs/operating/atwood1.pdf

It appears Atwood uses a brown wire for + 12 VDC on the heater. Supply may be something else getting there. That should turn on and off with the switch on the wall. The 12 VDC passes through the thermal snap switch to set the temperature. You can check that far with a voltmeter. Wall switch on, cold tank, 12VDC on both sides of the snap switch and going to the control board. That should cause the relay to pull in.

If the relay pulls in you should have 120 VAC at the heater element.

Gas is also controlled by the same snap switch. That would seem to indicate that if gas is working and electric is not then it's either a bad element or a bad control board. Could be the relay contacts if you are into cleaning them and they are accessible.

curt603 · 08-12-2018, 12:08 PM

thanks nothermark, I had the board checked at a dealer while in Michigan and he said it worked fine on gas but wasn't sure about electric. Now that I'm home in NH I could take my time looking at it. Maybe I should just replace the board.
Curt

Old-Biscuit · 08-12-2018, 04:17 PM

Pull both connectors off of circuit bd

Check for any bent pins
Clean circuit bd contact surface with a pencil eraser
Reinstall both connectors

Check that you have 12V DC on WHITE wire to circuit bd when Electric Switch is ON
Check that you have 12V DC on BROWN wires from/to circuit bd
Check that you are getting 'millivolt' readings on RED wires at gas valve (This places ECO in control loop when using electric....no millivolts thru ECO no DC on YELLOW wire to DC Relay)

Propane uses 12V DC throughout circuits....ORANGE/BROWN/RED

And IF you are reading 11V DC on YELLOW when Propane is ON...Circuit Bd power track is blown
"rechecked voltage on yellow wire and got 0 volts with the ac on but 11 volts when the gas was on" (11V where??)

nothermark · 08-13-2018, 05:33 AM

Pencil erasures are too abrasive for contact cleaning. The first use cleans off the plating that protects the pins. After that they oxidize faster. You are better off with a spray or a piece of copy paper.

curt603 · 08-13-2018, 04:00 PM

As measured at the board on the white wire 12.2V with switch on
18.3V on brown wire

checked and cleaned terminals

curt603 · 08-14-2018, 04:01 AM

11V measured at board on yellow wire

Old-Biscuit · 08-14-2018, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curt603

As measured at the board on the white wire 12.2V with switch on
18.3V on brown wire

checked and cleaned terminals

18.3V......suspect reading
Nothing to INCREASE voltage

Quote:

Originally Posted by curt603

11V measured at board on yellow wire

11V on Yellow then DC Relay should be active and allow 120V AC to element

Have you checked DC Relay and AC wiring?

curt603 · 08-18-2018, 03:22 PM

New update: I have NO hot water on electric or gas.
with the AC switch on I have 0V readings at the board on the white, yellow, orange, and brown wires. Needless to say i have nothing on the red wires . The propane does not work so I couldnt test it. Im getting frustrated.
With the red wires disconnected from the ECO, should I have continuity?

Old-Biscuit · 08-18-2018, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curt603

New update: I have NO hot water on electric or gas.
with the AC switch on I have 0V readings at the board on the white, yellow, orange, and brown wires. Needless to say i have nothing on the red wires . The propane does not work so I couldnt test it. Im getting frustrated.
With the red wires disconnected from the ECO, should I have continuity?

0V on WHITE with electric ON

Then issue is the MAIN COMMON DC FEED to the electric/propane On/Off Switches

Have to have DC to the switches before it can go to circuit board on WHITE (electric) or ORANGE (propane)

Find DC Feeder FUSE to switches.
It is BLOWN or wire to switches is shorted.

curt603 · 08-18-2018, 05:48 PM

I will look tomorrow. Thanks for the help. I have had a camper for about 20 years but this is my first used. Very upsetting

Old-Biscuit · 08-19-2018, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curt603

I will look tomorrow. Thanks for the help. I have had a camper for about 20 years but this is my first used. Very upsetting

It is a simple DC circuit....DC to the switches....DC to the circuit board (White/Orange) then DC thru control loop (Brown/Red) and for electric DC on Yellow

Follow the DC.........
12V DC on all circuits (except Red when on electric which is then millivolts)