Hott Rod & Lightnin' Rod

[femuse]

We have a Lightnin' Rod in our 1974. When home, we use the water heater only on electric. A few years ago, it stoped working on gas. The pilot wouln't stay lit. Mike read a story that Atwood regulators have a build in safety device: over 180 degrees, it shuts down the gas.
I stumble unto an interesting discussion on the RV Corner Forum: Hot Rodd

Could anybody who had problems with a Hot Rodd style element please comment on that:

"Atwood claims that some of the after market 120V pencil type heater units when screwed into the tank in the drain valve location, are positioned within the tank, to within ½ inch of the ECO sensor. If the electric sensor causes the water temperature to get to or over 180 the ECO blows and you are in for a new valve with new ECO."

Before we decide to do some repair on our tank, we would like to get some feed back on above discussion.

Thanks

[wunderful62]

thanking j canavera ,chantel&mike on the discussion concerning the flame out on propane problem im having on my 99 27ft safari. i know not much about this trailer as it is new to me and not at all like working on things on my 62 globetrotter. it seems that although the water heater once light off the automatic magneto lighter controlled by the inside bathroom area wall switch with a red indicator lite for on off needs to keep being re light after only a few minutes few hours or a day or two depending on how long it keeps light before going out on me. not a huge problem as i can relight it and it dosent take long to heat the water but now that im spending much of the work week in the trailer it is a bit of an inconvenience. in the old globetrotter i would just replace the thermocoupler and be done with it. does any body know what i should do from here? wayne wunder w,b,c,c,i,/v,a,c,#1859 99 safari/62 globetrotter

[jcanavera]

Wayne, I'm not totaly clear about your problem. The water heater is pilotless. The normal mode of operation is you turn on the switch in the bathroom. It will glow red until the heater ignites. At that point the light goes out. Once the water hits the proper temp, the valve shuts off the propane. When the water cools down enough for the thermostat to call again for the burner to ignite, you will notice the red light going on for a short period while the burner ignites.

Now with all that in hand, I'm assuming that you have no restrictions in the burner assembly? Spiders like to get into those tubes.

Jack

[Pick]

Jack, it sounds as though Wayne does not understand the operation of the water heater. From your explanation, I understand that the red light comes one everytime the the ignition circuit is trying to light the main burner? If this is so, than Wayne may not have anything wrong with his heater?

[jcanavera]

Originally posted by Pick
From your explanation, I understand that the red light comes one everytime the the ignition circuit is trying to light the main burner?

Yep that's how it works.

Jack

[wunderful62]

reply to jack and pick, to betterr describe the problem i am experiencing with the water heater, the water heater does light okay a few seconds after flicking the red switch, but then eventually during the night or when i come home from work or for lunch it will have gone out, (no hot water) and the red light will be glowing and will stay that way indefinately until i click it to do a relight. is this normal? im used to my 62 globetrotter where you can camp all week and yes it will always have hot water available till you shut the bowen gas water heater down,no need to do anything each day.i did not know about the water heater being pilot less, what exactly does this mean? i know it is electronic and different than my other one. i also had a small problem with my demand pump for the potable water from the storage tank when operated never shutting off when operated, (it used to sound louder and click a very short couple times and shut rite off providing adequate pressure for the water. sounds like its time for a new one of those demand pumps, toscanos airstream dlr in los banos ca reccomended a hi volume one with 5 yr warranty ithink he said it was a shurflow and it was the best one and sold for around 120.00 and carried a 5 yr warranty which is about where im at mileage wise with the one in there now (trailer being a 99) from what i have seen of j canaveras it looks virtually identical. what a great trailer. it has been very educational and helpful to my trailer living mon-fri near my jobsite as i work very long hours and i am gone 6am to 9 pm daily where it is too late to talk to anyone and buisenesses are closed. i find it very helpful to be able to save these discussions to my favorites for future viewing and in an emergency rather than trying to recall any advise given. the trailer and computer are only months new to me . what a great site and greaaaaat people. thanks again wayne wunder w.b.c.c.i./v.a.c.#1859 62 globetrotter/99 safari

[jcanavera]

In the situation you are in the water heater has failed to ignite and the solid red light is telling you that. Lots of possibilities but if the initial flame looks good after it ignites, I would be considering a problem with the ignition system or the control electronics which I think are on the water heater itself.

Your water heater has no pilot light. It lights by means of a spark ignitor which is activated electronicly at the same time the gas valve opens. This is the same as your furnace which also has a spark ignitor.

As far as your demand water pump goes, it operates on the water pressure in the lines. If you are using a small amount of water it will cycle on and off. If you are using a lot it runs continously. The pump stops once you close the water valve and the pressure builds up within the line.

A pump that runs well after the faucet is closed or cycles on and off and nothing else is open often indicates a leak in the plumbing or a faucet not being closed.

Jack