Girard on-demand just stopped working

[s1000pre]

I have propane, great water pressure, and power. During a shower, the water heater just stopped producing hot water. I have attempted turning on and off by both the controller and unit switch.

When I turn on hot water, the controller does not illuminate, or sense any water flow. No error code

Has anyone else experienced this?

[ScottnAZ]

I’m reluctant to ask, because I know you did, but did you check the fuses?

Our water heater stopped working during a trip, and the service center diagnosed it as a pinched propane line to the water heater. Honestly, I didn’t ask any further questions because it was our 1st or 2nd trip with the new trailer, and I just figured in was a mistake in initial manufacturing.

[s1000pre]

After removing and reinstalling the flow sensor, the water heater briefly showed flow on the controller with no/failed flame ignition. I turned the faucet off, then back on again without the flow turning on the controller. I once again, removed and re-installed the flow sensor. I then opened the faucet with success, water flow turned on the controller with flame ignition and hot water. I turned off the faucet and opened back up with another successful ignition. Does it sound like i have a bad flow sensor? Do electronic flow sensors stick?

[Tyler2you]

Originally Posted by s1000pre

After removing and reinstalling the flow sensor, the water heater briefly showed flow on the controller with no/failed flame ignition. I turned the faucet off, then back on again without the flow turning on the controller. I once again, removed and re-installed the flow sensor. I then opened the faucet with success, water flow turned on the controller with flame ignition and hot water. I turned off the faucet and opened back up with another successful ignition. Does it sound like i have a bad flow sensor? Do electronic flow sensors stick?

Sure sounds like it's the flow sensor. In the manual, it says "if the flow meter fails it will not generate a fault code. The water heater will simply not turn on."

https://www.rvupgradestore.com/v/vsp...e%20Manual.pdf

I could see how the fins/impeller could get blocked/restricted by debris or maybe hard water deposits. Perhaps your removal/reinstallation freed things up? Maybe a soak in vinegar would get things back to normal?

[s1000pre]

Originally Posted by Tyler2you

Sure sounds like it's the flow sensor. In the manual, it says "if the flow meter fails it will not generate a fault code. The water heater will simply not turn on."

https://www.rvupgradestore.com/v/vsp...e%20Manual.pdf

I could see how the fins/impeller could get blocked/restricted by debris or maybe hard water deposits. Perhaps your removal/reinstallation freed things up? Maybe a soak in vinegar would get things back to normal?

I didn’t remove anything with an impeller. I unscrewed an electronic sensor from the surface of the flow sensor body. I think it’s an electromagnetic flow sensor. I’ll call Monday to verify.

[Tyler2you]

Originally Posted by s1000pre

I didn’t remove anything with an impeller. I unscrewed an electronic sensor from the surface of the flow sensor body. I think it’s an electromagnetic flow sensor.

Gotcha. That must be the "reed switch" they refer to in the manual that's mounted to the side of the flow meter and senses the rotation of the impeller.

So, it sounds like either the reed switch is intermittent/faulty or during the removal/reinstallation, the movement freed up something inside the body of the flow meter.

Just checked the manual again and it looks like there is a voltage test you can perform on the meter to verify it's working properly. But, it sounds like you may want to have a spare on-hand in the event it fails again.

[s1000pre]

Thanks Tyler! I must be missing that manual. All I have is the manual with all of the codes listed under troubleshooting, which as you already mentioned, doesn’t show a code if it’s the flow sensor.

[Tyler2you]

Glad it helped! It's actually one of the best troubleshooting manuals I've come across for any of the AS systems. Not sure why they didn't include it, but I'd recommend that anyone with one of the Girards print a copy to have in the trailer.

[BoatNutG2]

Has anybody installed a recirculating pump to preheat the hot water line before taking a shower?

[Tyler2you]

Originally Posted by BoatNutG2

Has anybody installed a recirculating pump to preheat the hot water line before taking a shower?

If you search for Showermiser, you'll come across many threads like this one:

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f44...er-229422.html

[Life is a Highway]

It’s called replace it with a Truma unit when you save up.

Originally Posted by BoatNutG2

Has anybody installed a recirculating pump to preheat the hot water line before taking a shower?

[foobar]

Originally Posted by Life is a Highway

It’s called replace it with a Truma unit when you save up.

LOL, yeah. That's the path we took. The Truma tankless has a built in hot water buffer tank (yeah, it's a tankless heater that has a tank :-)). The Truma has a recirculation pump to pre-heat the small buffer tank (it holds around a liter or so).

Due to the existence of the pre-heated hot water tank, you can trickle hot water out of any faucet because there is effectively no minimum flow required in order to activate the tankless function since hot water is initially served from the small buffer tank. Once the buffer tank begins mix in cold water to replace what you are using, it triggers the recirculation pump and the tankless heating function again to warm up the contents of the hot water buffer tank.

A Truma is well worth putting a penny jar on the table and saving up to get one. The cost is around $2K to have an authorized installer put one in for you. It's nearly a drop in replacement for the Girard.

[Life is a Highway]

I’m halfway there. For April fools day my wife wants to post Girad has been fixed no more cold and show off here new wet suit !

Thanks for your feedback

Originally Posted by foobar

LOL, yeah. That's the path we took. The Truma tankless has a built in hot water buffer tank (yeah, it's a tankless heater that has a tank :-)). The Truma has a recirculation pump to pre-heat the small buffer tank (it holds around a liter or so).

Due to the existence of the pre-heated hot water tank, you can trickle hot water out of any faucet because there is effectively no minimum flow required in order to activate the tankless function since hot water is initially served from the small buffer tank. Once the buffer tank begins mix in cold water to replace what you are using, it triggers the recirculation pump and the tankless heating function again to warm up the contents of the hot water buffer tank.

A Truma is well worth putting a penny jar on the table and saving up to get one. The cost is around $2K to have an authorized installer put one in for you. It's nearly a drop in replacement for the Girard.

[Tankstream]

Originally Posted by Life is a Highway

It’s called replace it with a Truma unit when you save up.

We had our Girard “on demand” (in theory) replaced on this last Friday at the Truma Service Center in Elkhart. I LOVE this new Aqua Go. It’s responsive, steady temp, and most importantly for us, MUCH more efficient on water usage. No water wasted as it was in the past trying to get the Girard to first recognize the call for hot water, second deliver the hot water, and then repeat.

Service at Truma was awesome too. And very accommodating.

I do not understand why these aren’t OEM for Airstreams.

[DeltaRon]

Response to comment “don’t understand why Truma is not OEM in Airstreams”. Easy answer: Girard is owned by THOR.

[Life is a Highway]

Thanks for that update, did the replace the Girard control in the bathroom with the Truma. I was wondering if it covered the original install by Airstream