Multiple Relights for Gas Water Heater

[KJRitchie]

2008 Classic 25fb. When the gas has been shut off for a while at the tanks I can understand the water heater trying several times to relight but what about after just from a day of towing?

Went out last weekend. I had brought the AS home on Thursday, filled up the water tank and water heater. I turned on the gas and went to the stove to light up all the burners to get the gas into the pipes. Then I went to the water heater switch in the bathroom turned it on. I can hear it light and there seems to be a flame roar then it shuts off, repeats, shuts off, repeats and shuts off. The red light comes on. I turn of the switch then turn it back on. It lights the first time. The flame looks normal blue with slight orange around the edges. I let it run for a minute then turn off the water heater.

I towed the trailer the next day to the campground and after setting up turned on the gas water heater switch. It went through the 3 attempts, red light then lights the first time. It seems to relight OK when the water temperature gets low.

Do you think my propane pressure is slightly low or I have a leak. Can't smell any propane.

Just wondering.

Kelvin

[Aage]

One thing I have noticed is that spiders seem to take a liking to LP gas. Each and every spring, I have to get a can of compressed air and blow air through the large combustion tube (where the heating flame sits).

If you think you might be collecting spiderwebs in yours like mine does, do NOT get in front of the other end (the exhaust exit, where the hot air comes out) when you use the compressed air, or you will get a fine coating of ash on you.

Do it with the heater turned off, of course.

Good luck!

[afneill]

I have a 2006 25fb and had a somewhat similar problem. It would start and then sound like it was choking down. It would go off, then relight. I finally figured out it was choking down because it was not getting enough air. I adjusted the air intake and it works like it should. You might try that. Good luck.

[KJRitchie]

I looked at my water heater last night. Do you mean the slider on the tube that makes the 90 degree turn into the flame housing? It was set about 1/2 way so I loosened the screw and opened it up a few mm. I'll test this weekend.

Thanks

Kelvin

[dkottum]

A good way to adjust the air intake is to loosen the screw, then slide it until the flame is all blue, no or as little yellow as possible. Tighten the screw.

If you continue having problems with this, range hard to light, or fridge going out, have the pressure at your tank regulator checked and adjusted.

[KJRitchie]

I moved the slider and when I turned on the propane tanks I lit up all the stove top burners and let them run for a minute. Turned them off and tried the water heater and it lit on the first attempt and stayed lit.

Kelvin

[Foiled Again]

Also your exhaust will eventually clog up with soot - propane burns dirty. I didn't know how bad it was until I was having other work done by my local mobile repair guy. I mentioned the water heater in passing, and he asked me to turn it on, then smilingly said to turn it off. He got a dryer lint brush (or something very similar out of his truck, poked around the exhaust for quite a bit, then applied compressed air from the supply side. GOBS of greasy black dirt came flying out. I was very grateful he'd insisted that I move all of my chairs and the picnic table first!

Now it's bi-annual cleaning for me.

Oh, and when it's only a little buildup, you can brush it, then use a wet-dry vacuum to suck out the dirt and not foul the whole area.

Paula