2003 Journey no elec hot water. Gas ok

[Kelm130]

Hi - At the beach and electric half of hot water heater quit working. Wall switch is on. Just wondering if the electric half uses any of the circuit board I see on the front of the heater or is it not that complicated.

Also how do I get to the back of the heater to check the element?

2003 Journey 36DL

Thanks
Ben

[WinnieView]

A few years ago when we purchased our 2003 used we found the element broken and corroded after removing and replacing. Ours was a MH of SOB but the HWH was a standard Atwood 10 gallon and the backside was accessible under the half bath sink.
Typical HWH element wrench, 10 minutes, and maybe $20 was all it took.

The element had corroded to the point of where the majority of it broke off in the tank and that is where it remains today. There was no chance we were going to fish that piece out of the tank.

[rk911]

make/model of the WH?

[Old-Biscuit]

2003 MH and from description you have an ATWOOD (accessing element on backside)


That year model has completely separate controls for AC and Propane
(GC10A-3E I would suspect)


AC is direct circuit...no circuit board (circuit bd for GAS system and is very simple)

120V AC from Circuit Breaker to On/Off Switch *Inside installed by RV Mfg
From Inside On/Off Switch to OEM On/Off Switch *backside of WH Tank on cover over element (wires could be connected between the 2 switches with 'wire nuts')
From the OEM Switch to/thru set of T-stat (HI temp to Normal Temp---Hi temp has manual reset and set of t-stats under the cover on backside)
From T-stats to Element


Accessing backside is critical for any real testing and/or R/R of element/t-stats


Some RV MFG have a removable panel...directly behind WH Tank location, via a side compartment, from underneath RV
Some .have to remove water heater to R/R element/t-stats etc


***RV 'engineers/designers SHOULD have to do repairs/service for 1 yr apprenticeship prior to being allowed to design/engineer ANY RV
Supervisors that approve designs/engineering drawings should have to do 2 yrs ....or get fired for allowing some of the stupid design ideas to go into production

[Ljwt330]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

***RV 'engineers/designers SHOULD have to do repairs/service for 1 yr apprenticeship prior to being allowed to design/engineer ANY RV
Supervisors that approve deigns/engineering drawings should have to do 2 yrs ....or get fired for allowing some of the stupid design ideas to go into production

This is why I love Old-Biscuit^^ (platonically, of course!)

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by Ljwt330

This is why I love Old-Biscuit^^ (platonically, of course!)

Hugs and kisses back at ya

[Kelm130]

Thanks old biscuit!! That’s exactly the info I was looking for. Going home in a few days so I may try to make the gas last if I can’t figure anything out.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by Kelm130

Thanks old biscuit!! That’s exactly the info I was looking for. Going home in a few days so I may try to make the gas last if I can’t figure anything out.

Your Journey has a 39 gal LP Tank


1 gallon of propane has 91,000btu
Your WH has a 10,000btu burner (per hour of burn time)