Atwood 10 gal water heater

[Dsrtrider]

My 10 gal Atwood water heater will start up when turned on and heat the water then as i am doing other things i notice red pilot out lite is on. It just stays on forever. If i turn it off and back on it will start back up and run. I have not timed or pin pointed when it goes into lockout. It does have a new circuit board and thermostats and flame sensor and everything has been cleaned. Tryig to igure out whats causing it .It used to work and cycle on and off and I never saw a red lite,

[Kahoona]

I have one and my pilot light does that too. I thnk it is normal and lets you know it is working. If the heater was running constantly the pressure relief valve would pop.

[Old-Biscuit]

Your profile shows a 2007 Winnebago so the Atwood water heater is the 4E Version (uses DC for control of electric and gas)
No 'pilot light'----it is a FAULT Light



Atwood RED FAULT Light only comes on when there has been a 'malfunction'
2 things cause the Fault Light to be triggered
On Gas:
*Flame failing to light or prove it lite (spark electrode is used to sense flame ---flame produces an AC current which is rectrified into a DC current which circuit board senses via spark electrode.)
* ECO (Energy Cut Off---High Temp T-stat) OPENING. Loss of DC due to ECO opening causes FAULT Light



On Electric
*ECO Opening (millivolt signal is sent by circuit board to/thru ECO so that ECO is in the 'control loop' when using electric element.
If millivolt signal is lost......Fault light comes on




Water heater NOT comeing back on after initial heating cycle is typically due to 'circuit board' issue


You stated it has a NEW circuit Board, new set of T-stats and electrode
You stated it USED to work OK.......so why the new components?


Need to check ALL connections...have to be clean and TIGHT
Spade connectors for t-stat terminals
Multipin connections onto circuit board edge contacts


You can also do continuity tests on circuit board (OEM boards)
Disconnect and remove circuit board for tests


Power Track
Multimeter set to Ohms
Place negative lead of the multi-meter to ground (greenwire) track of edge connection and positive lead of themulti-meter to top power (brown wire) track of edgeconnection. If no continuity, board is defective


Valve Track
Multimeter set to Ohms
Place negative lead of the multi-meter to ground (greenwire) track of edge connection and positive lead of themulti-meter to valve (red wire) track of edge connection.If no continuity, this indicates a blown valve track.



How does it heat using electric......does it heat/reheat ---cycle OK or get FAULT Light on electric also???
That would point to ECO/ECO circuit


Works OK on electric......only get Fault Light/Lockout on GAS
That points to Flame Signal, Circuit Board, Gas delivery

Could be BAD Ground---circuit board or electrode assembly

Could be due to alignement of burner tube (gas MUST flow down center of burner tube ---if not aligned gas can 'bounce' off sidewall and not properly mix with air causing intermittent flames
Could be due to burner tube 'spreader' plate NOT being parallel with end of burner tube.....again intermittent flames
Could be circuit board Edge Contact/Multipin connection

[Dsrtrider]

Biscuit.... it was working fine then all of a sudden stop working. I changed the thermostats same situation then i changed the board same situation. Maybe i should have got a Dinosaur circuit board?

[Old-Biscuit]

Before 'throwing parts' at it..........do some testing and check the other items I listed

[Dsrtrider]

ok will do

[patterbery]

Hi Old Biscuit. Your detailed description of the Atwood GC10A Water Heater troubleshooting (t/s) was very helpful. I'm having an issue with mine right now. Was the info gleaned from experience or an Atwood document? I don't doubt your conclusions, I just want to add a link to my library if said link exists. I couldn't find a t/s web site on my own.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by patterbery

Hi Old Biscuit. Your detailed description of the Atwood GC10A Water Heater troubleshooting (t/s) was very helpful. I'm having an issue with mine right now. Was the info gleaned from experience or an Atwood document? I don't doubt your conclusions, I just want to add a link to my library if said link exists. I couldn't find a t/s web site on my own.

Hands on experience........and Atwood Service Manual
Here is a link for the Water Heaters
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/Atwo...ice-manual.pdf

[patterbery]

The link you provided was exactly what I was looking for. TY