Community Forums

descour · 04-12-2021, 06:26 PM

My Atwood HW heater stopped working on electric recently (still works on propane). I watched a few videos and saw it was a wet, dirty, and uncomfortably hard to get to job (under the rig through a tiny door...), so I had a mobile technician check it out and he confirmed it was the element.

Circumstances prevented him from doing it in a timely manner (he had a month, and didn't have "the tool").

He did leave me the element and I bought the special hex wrench tool, so the next guy wouldn't have an excuse not to do it.

Now I'm in New England and mobile RV repair guys are few and far between, so I've decided to attempt to fix it myself.

The access door is bigger than I first thought, and it seems that the one things someone did right was use some standard plumbing sink supply lines, which is good because at least one of the lines drips whenever I touch it, so they're easily replaced.

The videos I've seen imply just unscrewing the 3 electrical connections, unscrew the element, replace and reconnect and bob's-your-uncle.

In my case, the electrical connections seem to be smothered in some black rubber goop, and I'd like to be able to see what I'm unscrewing before I unscrew anything.

Also, the wires are REALLY REALLY short.

Any advise (or the name of a mobile guy near Bellingham, MA) would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Skip426 · 04-13-2021, 11:31 AM

I had " The Tool " and it bent on first use .
I now have a 1 1/2" six point 1/2" drive socket ( Auto Zone $8 when I got it ).
Don't know what goop you have , but, turn of the propane control switch, drain the tank , disconnect shore power , and clean as much goop as you have to, to see what your doing and " get her done."

Next RV look for one with a Suburban water heater . At least you wouldn't be under the RV to change the element.

Roy1 · 04-13-2021, 03:33 PM

Negative things I found with suburban is it requires an anode rod and with some water it tends to smell like sulfur Atwood doesn’t need an anode rod and no sulfur smell.?

descour · 04-16-2021, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip426

I had " The Tool " and it bent on first use .
I now have a 1 1/2" six point 1/2" drive socket ( Auto Zone $8 when I got it ).
Don't know what goop you have , but, turn of the propane control switch, drain the tank , disconnect shore power , and clean as much goop as you have to, to see what your doing and " get her done."

Next RV look for one with a Suburban water heater . At least you wouldn't be under the RV to change the element.

The "goop" seems to be similar to that Flex Seal stuff. Maybe they just wanted to keep water off it. It does seem to roll off using my thumb.

Thanks for the tip on the tool. If it bends I know what to get to replace it.

Now I just have to wait for it to stop raining (I hate working under the rig in the rain).

Old-Biscuit · 04-19-2021, 09:49 PM

Mobile Tech didn't have the 'tool'........

Under that protective cover where element is will also be a DC Relay
So make sure the DC to Water Heater is OFF along with the AC Circuit Breaker for water heater

Yellow Wire on Relay is DC from Circuit Board
Green wire on Relay is ground
2 Black wires on Relay
*1 is 120VAC to realy
*1 is 120VAC from relay to Element

Element has 2 wires on it
*Black wire is 120VAC from the Relay
*White wire is 120VAC Neutral from element to Main AC Panel Neutral Buss bar

Make sure new element has a new gasket.....do not use old one ---it will leak

descour · 04-26-2021, 03:20 PM

I took the advise of Skip426, and got a 1.5" six point socket (both Amazon and Home Depot refunded me the $$ from the STUPID specialized tool that just bends under pressure, and doesn't provide the torque where it's needed). It worked great!

The "goop" I mentioned was very old and melted electrical tape.

Too bad the element was fine (albeit covered in barnacles).

I put the new element in (because I had it) and it has to either be the relay of the control board.

I've ordered the relay because that was only $10, while the control board is $130~.

Thanks to Skip426 & Old-Biscuit.

Stay tuned!

Old-Biscuit · 04-28-2021, 09:11 PM

With water cool and AC Switch turned on:
Check that you have 12VDC on Yellow Wire that goes from circuit board to the DC Relay

Yes...DC on Yellow wire then DC Relay bad (Black Wires on RELAY is 120VAC from circuit breaker. AC To Relay/DC Closes Relay/AC goes to Element)
NO....DC on Yellow wire the circuit board is issue

iowaone · 04-28-2021, 10:57 PM

Make sure the relay is grounded. Ny element stopped working and I thought it was the relay. Instead I found two ground wires coming from the relay. One of those grounds had curoaded lose from the tank and the other one was fine. I didn’t notice the loose one at first so I bought a relay and noticed the loose ground wire to the tank.