Community Forums

lhill · 06-26-2008, 03:42 AM

My Atwood Water Heater works fine on electric, but on gas it will light for just a few seconds and then go out. After 3 tries to remain lit, it will give up the ghost. Would appreciate any troubleshooting tips from anyone. Thanks!

lhill · 06-26-2008, 03:42 AM

My Atwood Water Heater works fine on electric, but on gas it will light for just a few seconds and then go out. After 3 tries to remain lit, it will give up the ghost. Would appreciate any troubleshooting tips from anyone. Thanks!

jmerritt · 06-26-2008, 03:47 AM

Clean all of the 12v connections since corrosion is a common problem in the WH 12v circuit. Also, be sure that the ground connection is also clean and tight and be sure to pull the board connection as well. I would pull each connection off and on a few times and then coat the connection with dielectric grease to help with the corrosion. Also, make sure the ignition/sense wire connection is also clean and tight.

John

full-timer · 06-26-2008, 05:41 AM

Try cleaning and adjusting the thermocouple.

Joe

Ding-a-ling · 06-26-2008, 05:57 AM

Well, if it lights at all, there must be gas and there is spark for ignition.

What color is the flame? Yellow? Should be a nice stong blue.

Clean out the large round tube where the gas and air are mixed - could be spider web in there.

Ted III · 06-26-2008, 01:27 PM

Try cleaning the orifice in the heater. Very possibly you have spider webs.

Ted

SargeW · 06-26-2008, 06:47 PM

Or sometimes it is just starving for air inside the cabinet. Do a search on water heaters and read some of the threads. Folks have done some custom mods on the WH doors to fix the same problem you are having.

Sarge

Dsouthw524 · 06-27-2008, 02:40 AM

Let me make your life simpler. First, try to light the heater, let it go through the 3 cycles if it wants. Turn the switch off and wait a few seconds and try it again. I have had the problem and use this method frequently. If it still will not work, the advice given is good.

My WH has been that way since new and some days it lights right away and the next I folow the procedure above.

Good Luck

David K · 06-28-2008, 04:42 PM

All of the following applies to the 10 gallon Atwood heater in my MH.

The 3 strikes and you are out is a safety built into the lighting system. when you turn off the switch inside, it resets the trys back to three. I had the same problems of it lighting and then slowly but surely "dying." It was not getting enough air so, I made some of the modifications that others have talked about. I cut slits in the bottom sides of the water heater door, sprung the door out a little at the bottom and removed the rubber gasket there. I have also cut a hole in the door and protected it by using some of the eve closures (like under the eves of your house)-- I cut them to size and riveted to each side of the door to let in air but, not bugs. I have also added a small computer case fan in the compartment to aid in the circulation of air -- now I don't have the problems. It basically is a poor design as far as allowing air to the flame when the door is closed and the Winnebago door is closed over the top of the heater door.