Atwood water heater problem, propane

[Hemi]

I have the GC10A-3E 10 gal gas/electric w/electronic ignition in a 2002 Holiday Rambler Vacationer, class A.

The electric heater part works fine; the problem is with the propane system. Here is what happens or does not happen:

1. When I turn on the switch (on panel) inside the coach, the water heater furnace (propane) hardly ever fires up. "Hardly" because usually in the morning the furnace will fire up but will run only for about a minute and then it flames out and I can't get it to start all day..but again the next morning it will fire up and run for about 1 minute.

2. I removed the thermal fuse and made a direct connection to the ECO. (Some have suggested a faulty thermal fuse.) This had no effect, that is the furnace would not fire up. It went through the 2 attempts with clicks etc coming from the furnance area and nothing happened, just a solid red light at the panel. At the furnace I could smell propane so it appears that that the solenoid gas valve is working.

3. My propane gas is about 1/4 full; however fridge and gas coach furnace (for heat) works fine. Would a full tank of propane make any difference?

Can anyone help/suggest a solution to this problem; is the problem:

a) in the circuit board--is there a need to replace the circuit board
b) in the gas solenoid valve...somehow it is shutting off after a minute, should it be replaced, or
c) a faulty electronic ignition (I doubt if this is the problem because I can get the unit to run for about 1 minute, usually in the morning...then it does not fire up again even using the start on/off switch in the coach.
d) replace the ECO, are there some electronics in the ECO part of the unit?
e) ..? etc

I hope I have given you enough information, and I look forward to hearing from anyone, Hemi

[Hemi]

I have the GC10A-3E 10 gal gas/electric w/electronic ignition in a 2002 Holiday Rambler Vacationer, class A.

The electric heater part works fine; the problem is with the propane system. Here is what happens or does not happen:

1. When I turn on the switch (on panel) inside the coach, the water heater furnace (propane) hardly ever fires up. "Hardly" because usually in the morning the furnace will fire up but will run only for about a minute and then it flames out and I can't get it to start all day..but again the next morning it will fire up and run for about 1 minute.

2. I removed the thermal fuse and made a direct connection to the ECO. (Some have suggested a faulty thermal fuse.) This had no effect, that is the furnace would not fire up. It went through the 2 attempts with clicks etc coming from the furnance area and nothing happened, just a solid red light at the panel. At the furnace I could smell propane so it appears that that the solenoid gas valve is working.

3. My propane gas is about 1/4 full; however fridge and gas coach furnace (for heat) works fine. Would a full tank of propane make any difference?

Can anyone help/suggest a solution to this problem; is the problem:

a) in the circuit board--is there a need to replace the circuit board
b) in the gas solenoid valve...somehow it is shutting off after a minute, should it be replaced, or
c) a faulty electronic ignition (I doubt if this is the problem because I can get the unit to run for about 1 minute, usually in the morning...then it does not fire up again even using the start on/off switch in the coach.
d) replace the ECO, are there some electronics in the ECO part of the unit?
e) ..? etc

I hope I have given you enough information, and I look forward to hearing from anyone, Hemi

["007"]

You may just have to clean the spark igntion rod and the heat sensing prode right next to it.
Carbon will build up and they have to be cleaned at times. The thermal fuse will look burnt if its faulty.
The simple things will cause most of your problems.

[Hemi]

007, many thanks.

Since my last post I discovered that my truck camper (Bigfoot) has almost the same Atwood water heater except that the Bigfoot Atwood heater is smaller capacity (5-6 gallon) and only has propane as an energy source. So tonight, in fact about 5 minutes ago, I askrd my wife to turn on the water heater switch inside the Bigfoot while I looked in darkness toward the combustion chamber. After I told her to "turn on", there was a steady stream of arcing (like a spark plug)...in a few seconds the gas burner came on. Also, there were some light emitting diodes (or similar) on the circuit board blinking very rapidly.

Now back to the motor home (2002 holiday rambler, class a): when I turn on the inside switch there is no observable arcing like I saw in the Bigfoot water heater; also there is no blinking on the circuit board box.

So I must conclude that the problem is somewhere in the spark ignition rod/heat sensing probe and the circuit board. Tomorrow I will clean the spark ignition rod and sensing probe as you suggest. The thermal fuse is not the problem because I removed it and then connected the brown lead directly on the clip on the ECO.

I will report again tomorrow. HEMI

[RV Wizard]

Hemi, be sure to check the high tension wire itself. Listen for "tinging " noise on the control board if you can. Check connections as this is the problem most of the time. If the high tension wire has a cut in it, it may short out before it gets to the electrode itself. Let us know what you find.

[Hemi]

Problem solved!

It is a defective circuit board. My Bigfoot truck camper uses the same water heater with electronic ignition as is in my motorhome (motorhome is 10 gal, however).

First I swapped the ignition probe; did not solve the problem. Next I swapped the circuit board: the furnace fired up immediately...ran until water was hot.

Thanks to OO7 and RV Wizard.

I am going down to a local RV service shop to pick up a new circuit board.

["007"]

Thanks for the follow up Hemi I guess I'll have to get a Bigfoot camper in my yard.

[Hemi]

Yes, comes in handy in many ways...we use Bigfoot when we travel to remote areas or to our sons place ... he can not accommodate a large class A in his driveway....

MH is used for longtrips, several weeks.

HEMI