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Old 12-30-2009, 01:52 PM   #1
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Attwood Water Heater... Trouble Shoot...

I have just spent a good hour reading different posts about why an Attwood water heater will run for five minutes and kick out. I have gas and electric but only use gas. Here is what I have tried with my heater, which is only 2 years old. I went out and took my air gun and blew out all the soot. I was told that it was loaded with carbon. It was loaded alright. I blew a cloud of junk that would have gagged a rat. I fired it up and I still get the same thing happening. Is there another way to get in there and clean it better? Any ideas? I would think it has to be simple. It has only been used for about 8 camping trips.

Brian
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Old 12-30-2009, 02:04 PM   #2
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I have just spent a good hour reading different posts about why an Attwood water heater will run for five minutes and kick out. I have gas and electric but only use gas. Here is what I have tried with my heater, which is only 2 years old. I went out and took my air gun and blew out all the soot. I was told that it was loaded with carbon. It was loaded alright. I blew a cloud of junk that would have gagged a rat. I fired it up and I still get the same thing happening. Is there another way to get in there and clean it better? Any ideas? I would think it has to be simple. It has only been used for about 8 camping trips.

Brian
Brian.

Check the "EXACT" location of the thermocouple.

If it's in the wrong place, the burner flame can can draw enough air that pushes the pilot light flame away from the thermocouple, just enough, to make the water heater quit.

Also, if you have a water heater bypass valve, make sure it's open.

It's also very uncommon, to have a bunch of junk in the burner chamber, with the minimum use that you have had.

Andy
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Old 12-30-2009, 02:14 PM   #3
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Andy:

What would and example be for being in the wrong place be. Does the thermocoupler need to be pushed in farther? Bent towards the flame more? The Thermocoupler does sit over the flame, but the pilot is more of a yellow flame then a blue flame. Is that OK?

Brian
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Old 12-30-2009, 02:39 PM   #4
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Andy:

What would and example be for being in the wrong place be. Does the thermocoupler need to be pushed in farther? Bent towards the flame more? The Thermocoupler does sit over the flame, but the pilot is more of a yellow flame then a blue flame. Is that OK?

Brian
Brian.

The yellow flame is a no-no. That could be the problem, itself.

A yellow pilot light flame, is not very hot. It's tiny orifice could have a partial blockage.

Take the orifice out, and clean it in a ultra sonic jewelry cleaner, or soak it in Limeaway for 2 or 3 days.

The yellow pilot light flame, that's not hot enough, will further cool a little bit, when the main burner is on. That will make the system shut down.

If the main burner is yellow, that's another matter.

Andy
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Old 12-30-2009, 03:12 PM   #5
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Andy:

I will go out tomorrow and try to clean everything really well and hopefully that will work.

Brian
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Old 12-30-2009, 05:15 PM   #6
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Brian,

Do you know how to adjust the air/fuel ratio? That is how you get the flame to the proper color.

Forgive me if you already know, but all you do is loosen the set screw holding the slotted outer tube over the solid inner burner tube. You can move it with your fingers and see what it does to the flame. Move it until you get the proper blue flame, then retighten the setscrew, and you're done.

The gas flow is pretty much constant. But by adjusting the slotted "air vent outer tube", you can control the amount of air getting to the fire; and thus control the fuel/air ratio. Give it a whirl and it may solve your problems.

best of luck!
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Old 12-30-2009, 06:39 PM   #7
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WE got that adjusted. It is the pilot which is yellow. It burns like a match. The burner works well. It is just frustrating when you spend that kind of money and within two years it is not working properly. The hot water heater works for five minutes then the whole thing shuts down.

Brian
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Old 12-30-2009, 08:03 PM   #8
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WE got that adjusted. It is the pilot which is yellow. It burns like a match. The burner works well. It is just frustrating when you spend that kind of money and within two years it is not working properly. The hot water heater works for five minutes then the whole thing shuts down.

Brian
Brian.

Glad to see your making progress.

But, there is no such thing as a hot water heater!!!!!!! Airstream has never used them.

You do, however, have one of those far out appliances for your water system, that is called a "cold" water heater.

We heat cold water, but we never heat hot water.

Have a great New Year.

Andy
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Old 12-31-2009, 11:21 AM   #9
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Andy:

I did what you told me and everything is back to working order.

Thanks a bunch.

Brian
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Old 12-31-2009, 12:22 PM   #10
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Andy:

I did what you told me and everything is back to working order.

Thanks a bunch.

Brian
Great.

Andy
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