Atwood Gas water heater won’t light

[Dickandvicki]

Our Atwood gas water heater won’t light and it doesn’t click like it normally does before it lights. Does anyone have any trouble shooting ideas? Attached is a picture, I’m wondering if we are missing a wire?

[A W Warn]

First thing I would do is check the ground. The screw in the upper left corner of the circuit board. Unscrew, clean, reinstall.

Second, check the contacts on the white multi wire plug connector at the circuit board. They are notorious for becoming corroded and not making connection.

Third, take a look a the 5 amp fuse to make sure it is good, check with a multi meter if you have one. It is the tan color object in the circuit board beside the ground wires/screws. It pulls straight out.

[Moflash]

Order a Dinosaur circuit board to replace the substandard board with a high failure rate that comes standard in a Airstream.You will be glad that u did.While u are at it order one for the refrigerator also u will need that one before u know it.After that no more hassle.

[A W Warn]

The circuit board in the photo is not the original Atwood potted circuit board.
To me it looks like a Dinosaur board.... maybe.

ps: Also there is a Dinosaur board for the furnace, when it's time. I used one on my 25'.

[waninae39]

pls search first
there are dozen of threads on this topic already

Order a Dinosaur circuit board to replace the substandard board
that is the only viable long term, working soln

don't waste your time asking dometic for a guaranty refund. they take 6 months if your lucky. AS support will not help either , as they just punt you to dometic

[Backfortyjoe]

Originally Posted by Dickandvicki

Our Atwood gas water heater won’t light and it doesn’t click like it normally does before it lights. Does anyone have any trouble shooting ideas? Attached is a picture, I’m wondering if we are missing a wire?

Looks like you have a Dinosaur Board already installed, You must have gas pressure at the solenoids to have spark. Check the voltage on the solenoids if that is good and you have good ground I would talk to the people at Dinosaur.

[Dickandvicki]

Originally Posted by A W Warn

First thing I would do is check the ground. The screw in the upper left corner of the circuit board. Unscrew, clean, reinstall.

Second, check the contacts on the white multi wire plug connector at the circuit board. They are notorious for becoming corroded and not making connection.

Third, take a look a the 5 amp fuse to make sure it is good, check with a multi meter if you have one. It is the tan color object in the circuit board beside the ground wires/screws. It pulls straight out.

Thanks for the suggestions. We tried them still no light

[Camr]

Does it look like the ground wire is broken off the right side porcelain insulator, or is it just the angle that the photo has been taken. If there is no ground, the spark from the igniter board cannot jump across the gap.

[Tom_T]

.... And while you're in there - check the pilot & gas nozzles & igniter area for spider webs & debris - clean the area.


The 2007 Atwood XT 10 gal 2-way that was put in our 1960 Avion T20 when restored back then, has been pretty reliable, except for the water mixing valve which needs service annually & replacement every few year.



So all this circuit board stuff must be a more recent issue with the Atwoods, & who knows where it will go going forward since Dometic bought them.



I do know that ALL of the excellent support webpages & documents were dropped by Dometic since April/May 2018 when I did the mixing valve replacement, when they switched everything to their new dumbed-down smartphone oriented website.



So all of their info on auto & pilot lighting issues was also dropped - but you may be able to get maintenance documents sent by Dometic emailed in pdf format if you contact Dometic directly.



I think that they had a how-to doc on troubleshooting your issue at the old Atwood website.



Cheers!
Tom
///////

[happy2retire]

What is a Dinosaur board?

[bwoodtx]

Originally Posted by happy2retire

What is a Dinosaur board?

Brand name

[bwoodtx]

Don't have anything constructive to add as far as troubleshooting, however continuos failures like these prompted me to put a plain old light with a match gas/electric water heater in my '97 Excella when the original failed. Life is good. Lights everytime.

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by Dickandvicki

Thanks for the suggestions. We tried them still no light

Have you checked to see that power is actually getting to the water heater. There is a fuse or breaker in the 12v panel.

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by happy2retire

What is a Dinosaur board?

https://www.dinosaurelectronics.com/

[waninae39]

you do have the dinosaur board.

i suggest that you remove all the connections, spray with contact cleaner, use an old tooth brush and plug them in again

sound like a loose connection

[CruizinDux]

Here is a must WH read...assuming you want hot water����
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f445...ml#post2172903

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by CruizinDux

Here is a must WH read...assuming you want hot water����
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f445...ml#post2172903

Not applicable to the OP's water heater.

[TWAshton]

I had the same problem replaced the resistor that is covered by plastic tubing.....bought 2 for 12.00 at local camping world. I full time and no problem since

[JCWDCW]

Airstream manual tells you to check the ground as first step in trouble shooting.
The picture shows an open board. My new Dinosaur board is potted (Sealed). I think yours looks like the one originally on my 1989 Excella.
The usual culprit if it is not a ground is, as mentioned, the multi wire plug-in that gets corrosion on the contacts. Try wiggling it; or tapping the board with a plastic screwdriver handle. If it is a touchy connection, you should then hear the spark. Otherwise start looking for a new board because that open one is subject to dirt and moisture contamination.

JCW

[Dickandvicki]

Thank you all so much for all your help. We finally called out a mobile service to take a take a look (as we are camping our way to visit family in NC) and it turned out to be the propane regulator. I’m so thankful to have my hot water again

Once again, thank you for all your help!