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06-25-2014, 01:42 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Centennial, CO
Posts: 406
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Water Heater on Fire!
My son had our trailer this weekend and the second night his neighbor came over and told him he should turn off his gas as the water heater was blazing up the side of the trailer. He shut it down and when he got it back home I checked it out, expecting something in the heat tube, but found nothing and it ran fine all day. Any one have any ideas what could cause that? I have had flame back out at the burner, but this fire was out the exhaust and up the side of the trailer.
TIA!
Tim
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2002 Holiday Rambler 30RKD
2000 F250 diesel extended cab short bed
2014 Demco Autoslide 18K
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06-25-2014, 01:48 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Texas Boomers Club Fleetwood Owners Club Solo Rvers Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Lakin, Ks.
Posts: 3,636
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Mine looked just like that back from a trip a couple of years ago.
The burner tube/air adjustment needed adjusting and needed all the cruddy stuff cleaned out and serviced.
Whem2Fish serviced it and no more soot/smoke!!
I can't imagine what would have caused yours, but something is sure not right. Sorry I can't help more...
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[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Kent: 2015 Fleetwood Bounder 35K
With Ferbie (ShihTzu) Lilly (Pekingese) & Daisy (Yorkie) Memoriam: Katie, Spencer, Zoey, Susie, Angie
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06-26-2014, 05:51 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,232
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It's soot from unburned propane; too little air. It needs a proper cleaning.
Could have been some nest in the exhaust too.
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06-26-2014, 06:29 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,796
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Check your water heater manual. It should describe the color of a correct flame. The burner tube has a feature that allows the amount of air to be adjusted and this should correct your "rich" mixture.
Or, if like mine, your water heater doesn't have an adjustable burner tube, buying a new tube, with a new gas orifice, should solve your problem. It did for me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timay
My son had our trailer this weekend and the second night his neighbor came over and told him he should turn off his gas as the water heater was blazing up the side of the trailer. He shut it down and when he got it back home I checked it out, expecting something in the heat tube, but found nothing and it ran fine all day. Any one have any ideas what could cause that? I have had flame back out at the burner, but this fire was out the exhaust and up the side of the trailer.
TIA!
Tim
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__________________
George Schweikle Lexington, KY
2005 Safari (Monaco)Trek 28RB2, Workhorse W20, 8.1, Allison 1000 5 spd, UltraPower engine & tranny, Track bars & sway bars, KONI FSD, FMCA 190830, Safari Int'l. chapter. 1999 Safari Trek 2830, 1995 Safari Trek 2430, 1983 Winnebago Chieftain, 1976 Midas Mini
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06-26-2014, 06:52 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Gulf Coast, Alabama
Posts: 2,450
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Don't all of them have that diode that cuts gas off if the diode gets too hot (fire)?
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Rick and Sandy
2003 American Eagle, 59K miles
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06-26-2014, 08:17 AM
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 8,777
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bamaboy473
Don't all of them have that diode that cuts gas off if the diode gets too hot (fire)?
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I don't know about a "diode" but an orange SOOTY LP flame is NOT as hot as a properly operating LP flame.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timay
My son had our trailer this weekend and the second night his neighbor came over and told him he should turn off his gas as the water heater was blazing up the side of the trailer. He shut it down and when he got it back home I checked it out, expecting something in the heat tube, but found nothing and it ran fine all day. Any one have any ideas what could cause that?
Tim
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Tim
See: The RV Doctor: Sooty Sidewall
Mel
'96 Safari
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06-26-2014, 06:03 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,232
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bamaboy473
Don't all of them have that diode that cuts gas off if the diode gets too hot (fire)?
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Atwood's do, but it may not have been hot enough.
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06-27-2014, 06:36 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Centennial, CO
Posts: 406
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Thanks for all the replies! I took the burner assembly off and blew out the heat exchanger with a compressor...nothing in there except soot. Took the orifice off and was gonna clean it but it was fine...put it all back together and adjusted the flame and it ran fine. I shut the door of the water heater and shortly after the roar of the flame changed, like it was running too lean. Got it as best as I could and it has been running all day and all night - no more soot.
Oh - the 'diode' is really a thermal switch, just a fuse that melts when it gets hot. Mine went on one of the first trips I took with the rig and I bought 5 for about 5 bux and now have spares. Seems like if this thing is blowing the over-heat devices and sooting, something is amiss! Just finding what it is can be tough!
Tim
__________________
2002 Holiday Rambler 30RKD
2000 F250 diesel extended cab short bed
2014 Demco Autoslide 18K
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06-27-2014, 09:00 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Jayco Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 123
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Mine did that. A spider set up housekeeping in the burner tube. Glad it was an easy fix...
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2015 RAM CC LB DRW CTD 68RFE 3.73
SOLD-'01 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD HO
'04 Jayco 28.5 RKS
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06-27-2014, 09:30 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Clovis, CA, USA
Posts: 13,138
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I'd suggest getting a couple new fire extinguishers.
The one that came with the RV is tiny and old.
Looks to me like you are going to need it.
__________________
2004 Monaco La Palma 36DBD, W22, 8.1, 7.1 MPG
2000 LEXUS RX300 FWD 22MPG 4020 LBS
Criticism is easier than Craftsmanship
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06-27-2014, 09:44 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Centennial, CO
Posts: 406
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arch Hoagland
I'd suggest getting a couple new fire extinguishers.
The one that came with the RV is tiny and old.
Looks to me like you are going to need it.
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LOL! I have a new one and it is bigger...I sure would rather not need it! 
__________________
2002 Holiday Rambler 30RKD
2000 F250 diesel extended cab short bed
2014 Demco Autoslide 18K
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06-27-2014, 11:53 AM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 32
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Mud daubers got into mine, took out the circuit board, solenoid valve and wiring. I had the big cover over the louvers, but now I have the other vent cover on also.
__________________
Steve and Linda
Miami Co. Kansas
2009 Heartland Big Horn 3670RL
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06-27-2014, 07:53 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,232
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SLJKansas
Mud daubers got into mine, took out the circuit board, solenoid valve and wiring. I had the big cover over the louvers, but now I have the other vent cover on also.
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Wow, did they eat wires?
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