Lighting Water Tank

[LisaChris]

We're trying to light the hot water tank for our first time on our 2001 Sunline T-1950. We have water. We have propane. There's no clicking sound and no gas smell. What are we doing wrong?

[Tinstaafl]

I've never posted anyone outside to listen for a clicking sound when lighting the heater in my 1999 T-1950, but I can tell you that if it hasn't been run for a while, it takes forever for the propane to make it all the way back there. You have to keep cycling the switch on and off, as much as 20+ times, until it lights.

Not sure if it will automatically retry periodically if you just turn it on and walk away--I haven't had the patience to try that.

[LisaChris]

We'll give that a try. Thanks!

[Janalee]

Turn your stove burners on for a minute or two until you have bled all the air from the pipes..then try to light it. Same thing for your fridge and furnace..make sure your propane tank is turned on.t

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by LisaChris

We're trying to light the hot water tank for our first time on our 2001 Sunline T-1950. We have water. We have propane. There's no clicking sound and no gas smell. What are we doing wrong?

LisaChris,

Did you get the water heater to fire off?

You stated, "There's no clicking sound". If you had someone outside, and you flip on the gas button/switch inside to start the heater, then this is what you should of heard.

After a second or two from flipping the switch for gas to on, this should happen next for a 2001 Atwood direct spark ignition heater.

1. You will hear a semi load "clunk". That is the gas valve opening.

2. Right after the "clunk" you should hear, "click, click, click". It is the snapping sound of the igniter trying to start the gas. The clicks will be for a 6 to 8 second time period, then stop.

3. After the first set of clicks timed out, the gas valve will shut, (clunk again), a timer starts and waits for any unburned gas to float away. Then it will repeat steps 1 & 2 again.

4. After 3 failed attempts to light the gas, the system shuts down on safety and will turn on a little red light inside indicting DSI fault. (Direct Spark Ignition ) Note: the red light changed over the years if it was a red light or a red switch light that went on and off.

5. To reset the fault, turn the heater off, and turn it back on. You will get 3 more attempts to start the heater.

This all starts with step 1 and 2. If you turned the gas button on inside, and did not get any clunks or clicks, there is an electrical problem. The above sequence does not require the gas to be turned on. No clicks or clunks it will never fire off, even when the gas has been purged out. If you hear clunks, then the gas valve opening and it will start to purge the air. Like the other have said, sometimes if the heater is far away from the LP tanks, it may take a few fault cycles to purge the air out. But first, the gas valve has to open.

Sometimes you can hear the clicks and clunks inside the camper depending how far away the heater is and noise level inside and out. Other times you have to go outside and listen.

If you did not have any clicks or clunks, odds are first, corrosion on the wiring of the circuit board connection or the ECO/T stat/Thermal cut off fuse connections. Also check the DC fuses are all OK as the heater needs 12 volts DC to work.

Let us know how you made out or need more help.

John

[LisaChris]

Thank you! We will try it this weekend and let you know how it works.

[homesteader]

Everything works on the trailer I bought in June. 2004 t2553. But tested everything because I intend to sell it. Moved from a motorhome to this. Anyway, wanted to try the water heater since the system has water. Ran the stove burners. Gas didn't start the water heater right away. Switched to electric. A couple minutes- nothing. Tried the gas again and walked away. Maybe 5 minutes later, heard the "poof", and with a feeling of relief, the water heater fired up and was running. So it's nothing like instantaneous.

SamG.