Community Forums

swamphog · 08-24-2010, 05:51 AM

Okay so we were in Viroqua, wi. this weekend and turn the DSI for the hot water to get hot, hearing the click click, pilot lite was on a few seconds, then went out, try again same thing, on sunday morning, turn it on stay on but then went out.
I need help to figure out what I need to do? maybe it got some dirt in the tip or something if its that how do one clean it?? or is a starter of some sort, its my '88 superchief

The Beaver · 08-24-2010, 05:58 AM

I had the same thing happen to me once. Finally figured that I had no water in the tank as the by-pass valve was turned off not allowing water into the tank. Hopefully, it is something simple.

Hitchhiker · 08-24-2010, 06:02 AM

Spiders love to spin webs in the gas tubes, mud daubers like that area too. Check it closely and clean if required.

swamphog · 08-24-2010, 06:15 AM

would these creatures get into the tip ( little ole hole for the propane), cause at the campgrd, I did open it up and see if there was any little critters trying to add there family with my family, but didn't see any.

Hitchhiker · 08-24-2010, 06:31 AM

Generally I wouldn't think they'd get into the orifice (tip) but you could unscrew it and give it a puff of compressed air to make sure it's open.

Maybe some compressed air in the tube might help. Also, lightly sand the tip end of the thermopile where the flame heats it, sometimes they get a little scale on them and the heat doesn't get through to generate enough millivolts to open the gas valve.

swamphog · 08-24-2010, 06:47 AM

ok will try this, thanks

1ciderdog · 08-27-2010, 03:28 PM

If that doesn't resolve your problem you might find a solution checking out this website: Bryantrv.com

swamphog · 08-28-2010, 06:34 AM

So this is what I did, I turn my air compressor to a low setting, blow out the flues some black flakes came out then took a soft bristal brush and scraped the tip of the propane outlet, also took lite sand paper lightly sand the two wires that create a spark , blow everything with air and put it together, went inside flip the switch, it worked, my DW will be happy.
Once again thanks every one for the help one day again I hope I can help some out.

dajudge · 09-06-2010, 05:16 PM

I had the same problem in my former mh. When I pulled in to the cg, the wh would just spark but not light. The repairman said the problem was spiders laying eggs in the orifice, something about the smell of the propane attracted them. When the eggs hatched, baby spiders clogged it up. He removed the orifice, blew it out and it worked as good as new.