Water heater question

[Silver_Star]

Yesterday at the RV park something happened to my hot water system. It worked fine in the AM, but in the evening we had no hot water. The ignition light on the switch doesn't light. I have removed and cleaned the electrical connectors to no avail. If the red light doesn't light at all, what should I try to effect repairs.

Thanks in advance,

Silver Star

[A W Warn]

My water heater lost the ground connection due to corrosion at the thermostats and did the same as yours. Try wiggling those around.

[Skater]

Check your circuit breakers, too. (In my '95, they're behind the front couch, and I'm guessing yours would be the same.)

[Silver_Star]

I have tried to clean all terminals and have tightened all grounds. The breakers are fine. 1995 Excella 1000 34' front kitchen.

There is a fuse in the line, but cannot be viewed to see if it has blown.

I don't want to start replacing parts without knowing what parts to replace.

Silver Star

[A W Warn]

Test to see if you have 12v power at the WH unit. If you do the fuse is good.

[blkmagikca]

Been there, done that. See http://www.airforums.com/forums/f44/...fix-94601.html

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by Silver_Star

I have tried to clean all terminals and have tightened all grounds. The breakers are fine. 1995 Excella 1000 34' front kitchen.

There is a fuse in the line, but cannot be viewed to see if it has blown.

I don't want to start replacing parts without knowing what parts to replace.

Silver Star

Hi, if you are talking about the thermistor, in a clear plastic tube, and connected to a brown wire, you can by-pass it for a test. If spiders or whatever have partially blocked the flame tube, the heat will blow the thermistor. I always carry a few spares. On mine, after the flame had blown the thermistor, it also cleared the flame tube.

[nilesrob]

I had the same situation with no red light - turned out to be a bad fuse (in clear plastic), even though it looked fine.

Now my issue is that the red light comes on, it sparks for a second or two, and then does not ignite and the red light comes back on. Assuming it may be a spider web or something. Any suggestions on cleaning it out?

[lewster]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, if you are talking about the thermistor, in a clear plastic tube, and connected to a brown wire, you can by-pass it for a test. If spiders or whatever have partially blocked the flame tube, the heat will blow the thermistor. I always carry a few spares. On mine, after the flame had blown the thermistor, it also cleared the flame tube.

Bob,

That little gizmo in the plastic sheathing is actually called a 'thermal cut off' and is there to detect a blow-back from the LP burner. It is a safety device designed to melt so that it will cut the continuity of the ignition circuit, closing the gas valve and turning off the LP burner.

Be sure to have this device in place AT ALL TIMES! You can test it for continuity to see if it is operable.