Atwood water heater thermostat issue

[Bloodyhell]

My Atwood gas/electric water heater is acting up. It heats up (water gets really hot) then the light come on on the control panel and it stops heating until I turn it off then on again. According to the manual this is pretty clearly an issue with the thermostat and it suggests making sure it is making good contact with the tank. I'm not sure how to check this since it appears to be covered up by a foam-like panel. The wires just disappear through the foam. Do I just tear into it? Is there something else to check?

In your experience is this sort of thing usually an easy fix?

Charlie

[Quaddinmad40]

What light is coming on? Is it the one indicating that the pilot light is out?


97 Bounder 36S 460. Pulling as many quads as I can fit on the trailer or get started!

[Bloodyhell]

Originally Posted by Quaddinmad40

What light is coming on? Is it the one indicating that the pilot light is out?

No. It's the light between the electric and the gas switches on the inside panel. I'm currently using electric only, but I suspect the symptoms would be the same with gas.

Charlie

[Bloodyhell]

So here's an update, maybe it's fixed. The pressure relief valve had been sputtering, I had assumed because the water had gotten so hot, and it had been dripping on the wiring for the thermostat. I poked the valve to get it to stop dripping, then I dried off the connectors and fiddled with them a little bit -- and now it's working again.

I can't be sure that was actually the cause but, for now at least, the problem appears to be solved.

Charlie

[wildtoad]

I don't have an atwood but my brand new wh would drip through the relief valve near the end of the heating cycle. I tried what the book said in regards to assuring a proper air pocket but did no good. So as I had to take the mh in for other service had them check it. Turns out the thermostat was not properly seated against the tank so it was overheating and the relief valve was in fact doing its job.


Your fiddling with the wires may have force the thermostat to seat better. Let us know. But I do believe your thermostat which is a flat disk is under that foam stuff.

[Bloodyhell]

Originally Posted by wildtoad

I do believe your thermostat ... is a flat disk is under that foam stuff.

This is good to know and it sounds like something I should check. It looks like I have to destroy the foam to get at it, though.

Charlie