no hot water

jbinnh · 02-27-2013, 03:11 PM

We pulled out of NH Monday and drove for two days thru snow, rain and sleet (no hail) to SC where we pulled into a sunny dry campground this afternoon. Now I dewinterize the T1950, do the plumbing and try to heat water but none to be had. I first tried the elec as I am hooked up and nothing. Then the propane and nothing. The Atwood, 6g electronic ignition water heater has always worked on both modes and every time.
We have been using the refrig and furnace for two days and they worked fine. Refrig went off this afternoon so I flipped lever to other tank and fridge came back on line. The breaker for water htr is on and frankly, I don't know where to start. There might be something in the archives but I could not link to it with the search feature. Anyway, if anyone can offer suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank,
John, Polly and lab Henry

EMD_Driver · 02-27-2013, 03:57 PM

My first thought would be did you flip the WH bypass, when you de-winterized? If the tank is still bypassed, you won't get any hot water... You will also need to stop by the nearest hardware store and pick up a new WH element.. Turning the unit on electric, with no water in it, will destroy the element.

If you do need to change the element, make sure you get an element wrench. It makes the process MUCH easier. Also be sure to disconnect the trailer from shore power, prior to any work being done. Better safe, than sorry!

jbinnh · 02-27-2013, 04:51 PM

When I was "charging" the system, I did make sure the water heater was full of water. I carry the Sunline manual with all info on the appliances and have read over the Atwood stuff and still not sure where to start. Guess I will try to get in under the bed and make sure there is 110v power to the unit on the back side next.
Thanks for your observation.'
John

jbinnh · 02-27-2013, 05:01 PM

OK, I feel really stupid for my panic and cry for help because the water heater just started working. A few minutes ago I turned the elec switch on to try one more time and already the water is warm. The first two tries I left it on for 20 minutes and nothing. Since I was on a roll, I tried the gas again (learned in the manual you can run both at once) and heard the propane fire up. My wife feels so much better now, as do I.
I have no idea what is up other than I did wiggle every wire outside just in case. Whether it was that or just extra time, I don't know.
Humbly reporting,
John

**JohnB** · 02-27-2013, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbinnh

I have no idea what is up other than I did wiggle every wire outside just in case. Whether it was that or just extra time, I don't know.

John

You found the root cause, you just did not know it... You did not say what year camper you have but you did say gas and electric both did not work, you wiggle a bunch of wires and then both work. This points to a 2004 or newer Atwood HW heater as both LP and electric use the same control board.

It is common... that over the winter or sometimes between campouts even that oxidation builds up on the connections. And it seems the ECO and the T stat ones are sort of the worst 2.

To save yourself some frustration the next time, go to the auto parts store and get a tube of Dielectric Grease. Power is off ad unplug every connection, except the high voltage ignition wire and put some of that grease on after you make sure each is clean and no corrosion. Clean as needed

A tell tail sign of it being an electrical problem is to listen for clicks and clunks. Flip on the switch for gas mode. You should hear clunk, the gas valve opening followed by click click click. If there is no clunk or click click click then the control board is not active and is held out on saftey or the main control board is not getting power. Most times it is a slight oxidized connections.

Hope this helps and good luck

John

jbinnh · 02-27-2013, 05:47 PM

Will get some grease and do that in the next few days. What a great help this club is and has been! My camper is from Jan, 04 so you are right on.
Thank you so much,
John

mainah · 02-27-2013, 06:01 PM

Your electric element will not heat the water near as fast as propane will.

jbinnh · 02-27-2013, 07:08 PM

Agreed, propane is faster but when in a campground and paying for hookups, elec is the way to go I think. I was very surprised to learn you can run both simultaneously for quick recovery if needed. Focusing on cleaning and greasing contacts will now be on my annual to do list.
John

hburkholder · 02-28-2013, 06:09 AM

John, Where is the electric switch? I didn't realize till a couple weeks ago the T1950 has gas and electric hot water heater. Just bought mine last year and only used it 3 times, but far as I know it was on gas. Hoping to get mine out of the barn in a few weeks. First trip planned for April.
How's the weather down there?

Poppy & Nana · 02-28-2013, 05:31 PM

I don't think the 04's had electric. A friend of mine had an 04', we had an 06'..she would get upset when we had hot water from inside the TT and she had to go outside to lite the propane....

hburkholder · 02-28-2013, 06:25 PM

Poppy & Nana:
I didn't think so either, but the sheet with the options says it has a 6 gal gas/electric water heater w/auto ignition listed under "Special standard features". I'll double check when I get it out of storage. I don't care either way, but it would be nice....

jim44646 · 02-28-2013, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hburkholder

Poppy & Nana:
I didn't think so either, but the sheet with the options says it has a 6 gal gas/electric water heater w/auto ignition listed under "Special standard features". I'll double check when I get it out of storage. I don't care either way, but it would be nice....

my 2001 has gas/electric 6 gal Atwood. to turn mine on the switch is on back side of heater close to the by pass valves. to access mine there's a hole under the mattress or reach in the rear hatch and around fresh water tank and flip the switch. U can also check your breaker panel to see if u have a breaker marked water heater. it's well hidden. My next mod will be adding a remote switch

**JohnB** · 02-28-2013, 07:54 PM

I have/had 2 2004 Sunlines. Both had gas and electric HW heater elements of the new style control boards.

See this one on our 2004 T310SR born in Nov of 2003. Sunline used the 2 rocker tank panel and a separate electric element switch for the electric HW

This 3 rocker switch/tank panel had the electric element switch in this panel. This was our 2004 T2499 born in May of 2004.

During 2003 time frame, most likely early to mid 2003, Atwood upgraded the controls on the combo gas/electric HW heater. In the 2003 and earlier ones the electric element controls were on the back side of the heater. In a little steel cover box as a seperate T stat and ECO switch along with the electric element. The gas side outside controls were completely separate from the rear side electric. Some times they made you crawl in back there and flip the little black rocker switch on the back of the heater to turn on the electric. Pending the floor plan this was easy or not very easy at all....

Then came the next generation Atwood. They made a combo control board for gas and electric and put a relay in the back of the unit by the electric element. Looks like this.

See black plastic box on the bottom

Now what is inside the black plastic box

The ECO (over temp saftey switch) now just for gas, the T stat and the thermal fuse on the outside is the saftey circuit

The 12 volt relay feature now allows a small rocker switch to be remotely located like up by the tank panels or other more easy location then burried on the back of the heater.

If you have a 2004 unit and no electric switch up by the tank panel, maybe is it a very early 2004 made at least pre Nov 2003. I do not know when the 2004 models started in 04, Sunline Fan may know, but I "think" it was like late May/June time frame. So if you have and early one it might still be the older method with the rocker switch on the back of the heater.

Someone here on the club has pics of that vintage, I have seen them, just cannot remember who...

Hope this helps

John

hburkholder · 03-01-2013, 06:45 AM

John, Mine is one of the first '04 T1950 manufactured, (quality control dated 5/3/03) so I'll check the back of the heater when I get it home.

jbinnh · 03-01-2013, 02:13 PM

Thank you all for the interest and help. Stayed at a state park in Ga last night so didn't have internet access. Will have to look into a hotbox.
To answer one question, my elec switch is just like the 3-rocker in the picture from John. I think I will print out that information and put it in the Sunline looseleaf binder that came with the camper. If anyone needs any info from that I would be happy to share.
John

**JohnB** · 03-01-2013, 06:47 PM

Harold, yes I think I remember Sunline Fan saying May was the model change month as my T2499 was one of the last 2004's before the 05's started running.

hburkholder · 03-01-2013, 07:52 PM

Right John, when I sent the VIN to Sunline Fan, he said my T1950 was one of the first if not the first for '04.

**Sunline Fan** · 03-01-2013, 08:12 PM

Yeah, talk about you two having both ends of the spectrum!

EMD_Driver · 03-01-2013, 08:28 PM

Our T-299SR was also a 2004, with the electric switch on the wall. In this pic, you can see it, to the left of the tank sensor panel...

hburkholder · 03-02-2013, 07:48 AM

Definately no switch on the wall in mine ........