Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 09-18-2015, 01:05 PM   #1
3 Rivet Member
 
hopmonster's Avatar
 
2019 25' Flying Cloud
Toronto’s Basement , Ontario-Canada
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 111
Images: 7
No Gas at water heater

We just purchased a 1977 Sovereign and are just getting it all sorted. This is our first airstream and can't express how excited we are to get it out. It's generally in fantastic shape and only a few minor issues.

I am however not able to get water heater to fire up. I'm not hearing any gas at the pilot and can't smell anything. Both valves are open and lp tank is full.

Any thoughts on first steps for troubleshooting?

Thanks
Mike
hopmonster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2015, 01:11 PM   #2
Rivet Master
 
1955 22' Safari
Laredo , Texas
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,342
Are you getting LP elsewhere (stove is usually easiest to check)?
55AS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2015, 01:24 PM   #3
Rivet Master
 
1981 31' Excella II
New Market , Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 6,145
I second that. Also some trailers have shutoff valves at each appliance. I had the rubber hose between the regulator and the copper tubing swell to the point it would not let gas pass through.

Perry
perryg114 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2015, 05:05 PM   #4
3 Rivet Member
 
hopmonster's Avatar
 
2019 25' Flying Cloud
Toronto’s Basement , Ontario-Canada
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 111
Images: 7
LP is flowing to stove and valve at WH is open. Was reading to owners manual and it mentioned opening hot water tap in washroom to fill tank. Maybe there is a fail safe where if tank is empty it won't let heater ignite. Going to try in AM and see if that does it.
hopmonster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2015, 05:35 PM   #5
3 Rivet Member
 
1968 24' Tradewind
1967 17' Caravel
Northborough , Massachusetts
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 136
12v

The secondary safety valve won't open without 12V... How are your batteries?
Is a fuse blown? Is the WH switch on? Etc... You are not finished checking yet.
There is an over temp switch that will shut it down if it gets too hot, there may also be an over pressure switch. Check for 12V getting to the gas flow control.

Chuck
cwbiii is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2015, 09:00 PM   #6
3 Rivet Member
 
1968 24' Tradewind
1967 17' Caravel
Northborough , Massachusetts
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 136
Solenoid...

The flow control "solenoid" needs a 12v supply to operate. Dead or low battery voltage will nix the flow of gas into any appliance that has this kind of valve... Fridge, Water Heater, Furnace. Stove will work fine without 12v so it is fine to check for gas but not for the rest of the possibilities. There should be a switch that turns on the appliance... mine has 2, one for gas the other for 110v electricity, I can use either or both... but gas will not work if there is no 12v.
There generally needs to be a reasonable battery in the circuit... the 12v charger may not be a "good" enough source of power for it to be happy.
If your battery voltage gets too low it will cease to function... a full battery reads around 12.8v, a empty battery reads around 12.2v. Both of these numbers are for a battery that is not supplying power to anything (load), under load the number for full/empty depends heavily on how much power is being supplied... and will be between those 2 numbers. So the operational range for battery voltage is pretty narrow.

Check at the appliance for a source of 12v, then turn on the demand switch and there should be a click from the solenoid to allow the flow of gas. This may require 2 people to troubleshoot... one to turn on and one to listen at the appliance's solenoid.

Solenoid's and control valves do fail so this is a possibility as well.
No "click" ? Troubleshoot the 12v supply through the control circuit... or seek professional help if this is not your cup of tea.

Any part could be the fault.

No gas...
No 12v..
Low 12v...
Power switch not on...
Blown fuse...
Bad control board...
Bad/stuck solenoid...
etc...

Chuck
cwbiii is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2015, 10:44 PM   #7
Rivet Master
 
1974 31' Sovereign
1979 23' Safari
Wayland , New York
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,632
Images: 3
"Valve at the WH is open"

Is that the one under the trailer? There's a valve (or should be)under the trailer in the line feeding the water heater. If it's closed the 'handle' will be perpindicular to the gas line. If it's tough to open spray with a little pb blaster or wd40 and let soak for a minute.

To check gas to the WH you can loosen the gas connection and use soapy water to check for bubbles to indicate pressure.

If it's a manual pilot, probable on a '77, the 12v is moot.
HiJoeSilver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2015, 10:24 PM   #8
New Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 1
I have a 1976 Caravanner which had the same issue, no gas at the pilot. Turned out to be an obstruction of the pilots orifice. Easy to disassemble and check. Used a needle to carefully clear what appeared to be rust. Be
careful not to enlarge the diameter of the hole.

Quill
Redquill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2015, 10:50 PM   #9
Rivet Master
 
1974 31' Sovereign
1979 23' Safari
Wayland , New York
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,632
Images: 3
Orifice is definitely another possibility. I think you'd be surprised how full of crap the propane lines that old would be. The additives and impurities on the propane build up over the many years of use.
HiJoeSilver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2015, 03:51 PM   #10
3 Rivet Member
 
hopmonster's Avatar
 
2019 25' Flying Cloud
Toronto’s Basement , Ontario-Canada
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 111
Images: 7
Thanks all for the help. I just got home from a 2 night tent camping trip (reminded me why I hate sleeping on the ground) and I had a chance to check the gas flow using the soapy water suggestion from @hijosilver and found that gas was being supplied. Tightened the connection back up and tried lighting the pilot again...sputtered then lit. Took 2 attempts but the heater eventually fired up. Wonder if I dislodged something while opening the gas fitting. At any rate it's back to life and now I can move on to sealing since the Parbond I ordered just arrived. Thanks all again for your help.
hopmonster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2015, 04:32 PM   #11
cwf
Rivet Master
 
cwf's Avatar
 
1999 34' Excella
Currently Looking...
Hillsboro , Texas
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 6,406
Images: 2
Blog Entries: 2
Probably purged lines finally.
__________________
Peace and Blessings..
Channing
WBCCI# 30676
cwf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2015, 04:45 PM   #12
Rivet Master
 
Lumatic's Avatar
 
1971 25' Tradewind
1993 34' Excella
Currently Looking...
Estancia , New Mexico
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,742
Images: 16
Blog Entries: 1
When was the last time the water heater fired up?
Was there an interruption in gas supply which would let air in the line?
Is it the original almost 40 year old water heater?
__________________
Sail on silver girl. Sail on by. Your time has come to shine.
Lumatic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-22-2015, 06:56 PM   #13
Rivet Master
 
1974 31' Sovereign
1979 23' Safari
Wayland , New York
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,632
Images: 3
Glad she's up and running.

Waking up freezing in a tent in Yellowstone. I'm too old for this freezing sleeping on the ground stuff. The AS is a nice shiny comfy tent you can keep simple if you want.
HiJoeSilver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2015, 05:51 PM   #14
2 Rivet Member
 
1989 32' Excella
Sharon Springs , New York
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 75
Have a 1989 Excella with a Newtec Gas Detection Unit's alarm that won't shut off unless I turn the switch off. Will that affect the LP gas flow to the furnace, water heater or fridge? The stove works ok but I haven't tried the other stuff on lp as its winterized now. I know I need to replace the detector anyway, will it matter which brand I use because Newtec is out of business I believe. The unit is a 2-wire, flush-mount, 12 volt set-up and looks pretty standard. My lp tanks have wires coming off
them, but I think they are for the fuel level monitoring system, could be wrong though. Any experience with replacing the gas detector would be appreciated.
Regards,
James
Easyrider06 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2015, 04:27 PM   #15
3 Rivet Member
 
1968 24' Tradewind
1967 17' Caravel
Northborough , Massachusetts
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 136
Just a monitor...

That system is just a monitor ... it does not control the gas delivery.
Just pull the battery or the wire if it is hardwired. Of course if you have a poor sense of smell, then get someone whose sense of smell is good do a smell check to be sure you aren't replacing a working detector.
You can buy a battery powered replacement on-line quite inexpensively.
Make sure it does both gas and carbon monoxide for better protection... or add a separate carbon monoxide detector.

Chuck
cwbiii is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2015, 06:09 PM   #16
Rivet Master
 
TG Twinkie's Avatar
 
1974 Argosy 26
Morrill , Nebraska
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,014
Images: 2
Blog Entries: 5
Buy a new detector, install it. If it sounds the alarm. Start looking for leaks. Don't depend on your nose or anyone else.


Sent from my iPod touch using Airstream Forums
TG Twinkie is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Gas Water Heater - Main burner releasing gas without pilot Gasgano1979 Water Heaters, Filters & Pumps 14 01-25-2015 11:45 AM
Bowen water heater door with newer suburban water heater durans54 Water Heaters, Filters & Pumps 37 11-19-2008 07:17 AM
Trouble hooking gas line to water heater 63air Water Heaters, Filters & Pumps 8 09-06-2005 09:56 PM
gas line to water heater bken Water Heaters, Filters & Pumps 0 05-03-2003 08:11 PM
It take 5 minutes to get the gas flowing to my fridge, water heater, etc. TBKP's Overlander LP Gas, Piping, Tanks & Regulators 8 04-15-2003 10:00 PM


Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:10 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.