Red light on water heater!

[J-Dog]

Originally Posted by Lag323

Do you get any hot water at all for any period of time? My light seemed to turn on if left on for too long. I simply shut the switch off and if I needed hot water again, I'd turn it on.

It may have just been coincidence but I figured I throw it out there.

I had a similar issue. It would turn on get hot then after a period of time the red light would come on. If we just turned it on and used it when it warmed up everything was fine (until the light would come on).
The fix was that the over temp sensor was either incorrectly installed or the sensor somehow managed to unfasten itself from sitting flush with the water heater tank. You might want to give it a quick look, it will involve pulling back some insulation if my memory is correct. But once installed correctly we have never had another issue with it.

[Flamer]

1. Turn heater on wait for a red light to be solid turn off then back on do this at least three or four times to ensure there’s no air in the propane line.
2. Go out in open water heater door have someone inside turn on water heater switch you should hear a click click sound of it trying to light if you do not hear that, the igniter or your control board most likely has gone bad.
3. To decide which, you have to be a little brave with a small hand propane lighter put it where the flame usually is have the person turn the switch on it may light at that point if so your igniter has somehow gone bad and the module is OK if it does not lite, it is probably the module but could be the gas valve itself. Note did like it will stay lit until it reaches temperature and shuts off and will not reload itself.
3. If you know how to use a voltmeter you can troubleshoot a gas valve and one other small possibility is there are two types of thermostats on the water heater one is the temperature shut off and the second is high temp shut off there’s a wire from the module that goes to the two temp and to the gas valve with a volt meter you can check that voltage (12vdc) is leaving the module goes through the two temp to the gas valve with voltage on the gas valve still does not light with the propane lighter it’s the gas valve unusual for it to go bad but anything can happen.

[Shads Shack]

You seem to have found the cause for your problem.


The same symptom, constant red light ON, may be caused by an improper neutral wire ground. Corrosion. Unscrew the connection and clean with sandpaper. Reassemble.

[malinois38]

Just to follow up as I am the OP. I replaced the spark electrode purchased off Amazon for $9.90. Bingo! It fired up on the first try as the red light went out shortly after pressing the hot water button in the bathroom.
The install was simple & took all of 5 minutes.

Just to clarify as some posters seemed to think I was referring to the propane light under the refrigerator. I was talking about the hot water button located in the bathroom that turns red momentarily until the unit fires up, then goes out.

Thank you to all who contributed!

Glacier here I come...

[GCinSC2]

Drive safe and enjoy.

Congrats