Water Heater Woes

[Pappion]

Old-Biscuit, I find it odd that there is no information on expected or maximum 12vdc current or Watts. Just some blurb about 18awg or better. My RV is wiring has a 0.5v drop to the control board. Dinosaur board has a 5 amp fuse vs oem 2 amp. So I wrote to Dinosaur asking for numbers.

[Old-Biscuit]

Atwood Manual
CHECK THE VOLTAGE TO THE VALVE.
Make sure that the voltage to the gas solenoid valve is between 10.5 and 13.5 volts DC.

AC Ripple ---- 6VAC MAX on DC Circuit

2a on OEM board......board is potted channel (epoxy resin etc)


5a on Dino Boards. Open circuit board --- needs protective cover
*Fuse protection
Replaceable 5 Amp automotive fuse to protect the board from short circuits on the Valve and NC terminals.
Helps protect against short circuits in the gas valve AND AC relay circuity

[Pappion]

Your telling me what I already know.
I want information that helps planing for normal operation. I care about wiring vdrop for normal operation. Don't care about 2-3v vdrop due to external short blowing fuse.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by Pappion

Your telling me what I already know.
I want information that helps planing for normal operation. I care about wiring vdrop for normal operation. Don't care about 2-3v vdrop due to external short blowing fuse.

RV MFG wired it
Atwood supplied it
Your WH Circuit board failed

What else ???

WAY overthinking it.....just like an engineer

I can NOT help you
Bye-bye!

[Pappion]

Valve track failure at 3yrs is shoddy design. No surprise information is shoddy too. Makes the wiring shoddy too. RV mfg wired it badly. Gauge too small for length. 0.5v drop is not good for running off the battery.
Now I do have those voltage boost boards, rated 5 amps. Do I trust Chinese specs? NO! Do the chips look like familiar knockoffs? Yes! What is the typical control board current, minus the valve or ac relay?

Also I could cut the original wires and place a second control panel in the vanity close by. Easier than taking the trailer apart.

[Pappion]

OEM Atwood 91346 controller label on hidden side:
Input: 12VDC 0.3A Max,
Output: 12VDC 1.0A Max


Measured 13.22VDC current heating:
Electric 0.24A, Gas 0.99A, Both 1.05A,
Standby Hot Both 0.01A


Dinosaur UIB-64
Measured 13.22VDC current heating:
Electric 0.11A, Gas 0.66, Both 0.75
Gas Solenoid Valve 10.3V.
I might just return it.

[Pappion]

Atwood Water Heater Service Manual
"• Gas Valve
The dual solenoid valve that opens and sends gas to electrodes when a minimum of 10.5 VDC is applied to it."


FALSE.

Ran battery down. 12v on orange wire, 9.35 on red wire to gas solenoid. Heats OK. Pull Dino board and put in OEM. 10v on red wire. Also Heats OK.


IMHO: It should have read: ...minimum of 10.5 VDC is applied to control board.


Rant On: In my career I have wanted to get some technical writers fired. Seems they like writing more than facts. Can't be bothered to look at the material you gave them. Also companies can't be bothered to update documents either. Follow on products have out of date info. :Rant Off.

[Old-Biscuit]

Per Atwood
CHECK THE VOLTAGE TO THE VALVE.
Make sure that the voltage to the gas solenoid valve is between 10.5 and 13.5 volts DC. Voltage

That is the DC Voltage range for consistent/reliable operation of gas valve solenoids and spark electrode transformer

Simple...easy to understand requirement
DONE

[Pappion]

That red wire is the voltage to the valve. It is not going to be boosted by ECO switch. I have been reading schematics since I was 7 years old. The data is clear as day, ATWOOD IS WRONG!! Somebody goofed, it happens. Get over it.

[Old-Biscuit]

I never was in a tit....
Nor did I ever state ECO would 'boost' DC Voltage
Don't know where you engineered that concept from
You seem to want to re-engineer something that isn't an issue

Solution looking for a problem

Consistent/reliable operation....10.5VDC to 13.5VDC
Good DC Voltage to circuit board with Low DC Voltage to Gas Valve is bad wiring connection on RED wires Or Bad Circuit Board
Not a difficult thing to grasp for most folks
Simple...

[Pappion]

A new Dinosaur control board was low right out of the box. The 3 year old OEM board is also low. They both work. It's not a coincidence.
Maybe you should measure yours as your battery voltage drops.

[Old-Biscuit]

I turn switch ON
Propane lights off
Water gets hot
And it's all original except for one change out of T-stat years ago
13 yrs

Who cares.......as long as it works
Simple --- no engineering degree required

[Pappion]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

I turn switch ON
Propane lights off
Water gets hot
And it's all original except for one change out of T-stat years ago
13 yrs

Who cares.......as long as it works
Simple --- no engineering degree required

The guy who spent $120 to replace a control board cares. Better advice would have saved me the time and trouble.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by Pappion

The guy who spent $120 to replace a control board cares. Better advice would have saved me the time and trouble.

Better advice

You're the engineer that provided the symptoms and diagnosis