Water heater trouble

[biker art]

Help,I'm having trouble with my water heater in my 1989 mobile traveler 30' class A.Its an american appliance .that is the only mfg tag I can find.When it goes on it will shut off three times then maybe it will start and keep working.sometimes I have to turn it off and start it over again and then it will keep going .Also the flame is sputtering and nothing I do will make a steady flame.It is a 6 gallon tank and the water is very hot.Thanks

[ronspradley]

My water heater did something like that. I took off and cleaned the spider cobwebs out of the burner tube. That fixed mine. Hope this helps.

ronspradley

[biker art]

My heater is clean and the nozzle hole is clear .I'm thinking maybe the regulator valve?

[wa8yxm]

I assume it is a Direct Spark Ignition type (As opposed to a pilot light type) What you describe is a flame sensor issue.

There is a rod, that is heated by the flame, Depending on the control system it may also be one of the ignition "points" inside the burner assembly.

If the burner is actually lighting (you feel hot exhaust) then shutting off it means the control board is not detecting the heat (Flame) via the thermocouple.

This could be due to dirt build up on the Thermocouple insulating it to the point where it does not get hot enough fast enough (Or so I'm told)

It may be due to a poor electrical connection, either ground or between the sensor and the control board.

On my furnace it was the board.

IF... It turns out to be the board... Contact Dinosaur Boards, IF, and that's a big IF, they make a boad for your unit (And you can identify it well enough for them to figure out which one it is) They make very good, very well buit boards. Lower cost too, kind of poofs the "Made in china is cheeper" folks since thy make here in USA far as I know.

When I say cheaper. Think 100/250ths. (That's Their price/Attwood's on the board I needed when I needed it. Prices subject to change or differences depending on the board you need.

[biker art]

Thanks I will check it out .I'm going to remove the burner and check the igniter for corrosion .If its dirty i'll wire brush it clean also I'll check for ground

[biker art]

All fixed.All I had to do was remove the burner and wire brush the thermocouple and igniter .Made sure it was good and clean ,put it back in and it is working first time with no interuption.It stays on untin the water is hot and shuts off.Great and Thanks