Water heater

[DrJai]

Hello All,

I stated before in another post. I am working on getting our new (to us) 1985 sunline Saturn in working order to be able to use once this quarantine life is over.

Can someone explain the water heater to me?

Here are a couple pictures..

Thanks!

[jim44646]

Don't know what you need explained. According to photo 1 the control valve. You turn blue knob untill the u cutout area is online so the red button can be pushed down, pilot position. While holding red button down light the pilot, continue holding red button down for about a minute until pilot stays lit. If pilot dosen't stay lit thermocouple needs replaced. If pilot stays lit turn blue knob to on position main burner will kick on. After that it's automatic.
Second photo is the releif valve. If water over heats valve releases pressure.

[JohnB]

Hi DrJai,

Jim helped on how to light your all LP gas water heater.

This pic is of your pressure and temperature safety relief valve.


From the picture, that safety valve looks very corroded. The small lever on top of it, is a release lever that when it is pulled up, the valve will manually open. Do not lift that lever when the water is very hot, it will blast out very hot scalding water out the exhaust port.

With the heater drained or at least cold, you should try and lift the lever to make sure it is not corroded shut. If you cannot lift the lever, you should not heat water with it as there is then no safety for overheating if the gas valve does not shut down. Also be prepared that with heavy corrosion, it may leak afterwards due to heavy sediment in the valve seat.

Given the age and corrosion I would recommend you change the valve. They are approx $25 for the part to change. If you can post the model number of the heater, given the model tag on the heater is still readable, we can look up the correct part number. If there is no readable model number, take a full pic of the blue tag on the valve and the whole heater outside. I was going to link the more standard 1/2 PT safety valve but it looks your yours is rated at 125 psi, most of them are 150 psi and wanted to check by the heater model number what was supposed to be in there.

Hope this helps

John

PS with the model number we can link the Atwood owners instruction manual on it also.

[j52wf]

None of these posts explain how/where to actually light the pilot. I don't think this is auto ignition. I'm not good at posting specific location pictures. That's JohnB's forte. Lol.

[mainah]

You need a BBQ type lighter with a long neck it is not automatic. Hold down the red button, in the tube that extends inside of the tank there is a pilot assembly and the actually burner assembly it's fairly obvious when you look at it. While holding the red button down try to light the pilot it's in the tube once it is lit allow a bit of time release the red button and be sure it's still lit. Turn the blue knob to on and it should come on with a nice big flame.

[Janalee]

To add to mainah's explanation..first be sure your propane line is purged of air by lighting your stove..when it is burning properly turn stove off and then try to light water heater (same purging thing is done with your fridge;this is only necessary after being unused for awhile) may take a few attempts in the beginning. NEVER try to light your water heater unless you have it filled! You will burn it out in an extremely short time.

[Vacallum85]

I had the same issue , I just converted it to electric , an easy install . Takes about 3 hours for full hot water tank

[mainah]

Wow maybe 10 minutes for my propane one!

[j52wf]

Agreed, Mainah. Propane is much faster than electric, but mist short stay campsites have free electricity.

[mainah]

Well you are paying for it one way or another! All though the dang thing sounds like a blast furnace when it's heating once it sits over night the water is actually warmer than it is running with just the pilot flame. If mine whent toes up I would replace it with another. I like the fact I can have hot water wherever I go. I have a tendency to camp in state and Federal parks and most have no hookups.

[Torskdoc423]

My T-2570 has an ATWOOD 6gal gas (CDI ign), while my 1994 Gulfstream innsbruck has a suburban 6 gas/elec(CDI) . The Atwood is quiet enough that I can't hear it light when standing next to it. The Suburban however Does sound like a blast furnace when lighting off. 1st few times I lit off the Atwood I had the door open just to visually verify operation (CDI Ignition), as I couldn't get over how quiet it is, actually quieter than my house Water Heater. Now if was just a wee bit bigger, like 40gal.......