Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Sunline RV Forum
Sunline User Photos

Go Back   Sunline Coach Owner's Club > Technical Forums > Repairs and Maintenance
Click Here to Login

Join Sunline Club Forums Today


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 08-27-2013, 04:47 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
OldGrayMare's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Georgia
Posts: 10
SUN #5470
OldGrayMare is an unknown quantity at this point
Water Heater-Atwood G6A 3 6.2 gal

Purchased 87 Sunline Saturn recently and doing some renovations.

Can't get the hot water heater pilot to light. It's an ATWOOD G6A 3.
Have removed the air shutter and cleaned off the gas valve with fine sandpaper as recommended but I don't think any gas is coming into the gas valve. I don't smell any and the pilot doesn't light.

Any experiences with this type of water heater and other things I can check?
Yes, I have gas in the tank & it's on.

I'm familiar with the lighting procedures of heaters that have a thermal coupling so I know to hold the control in the 'pilot' position while trying to light it.

Thanks for serious suggestions.
__________________

__________________
The Old Gray Mare....she ain't what she used to be

1987 Sunline Saturn 17'
OldGrayMare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2013, 04:58 PM   #2
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 76
SUN #1949
joe8grouse is an unknown quantity at this point
Hi,

Could be the regulator on the propane tanks. I just replaced mine as I could only get the water heater to fire for only a few seconds at a time. Didn't have a manometer to measure LP pressure so I just spent the money for the new regulator. Fixed my problem instantly. All of my other gas appliances worked fine, but the hot water heater. The propane has to travel a long way in our TT to get back to the unit. Having the correct LP pressure is important as the distance gets farther away from the tanks. Hope this helps.

Joe & Tina
__________________

__________________
Joe & Angele
In the market
2000 T-2653
1998 T-2363
1994 T-2251
2011 Tundra Crew Max Limited
joe8grouse is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2013, 07:11 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 182
SUN #5443
krazedave is an unknown quantity at this point
The first thing they taught us in RV tech school was to light all burners on the cook top before trying to fire up the fridge, furnace and water heater. That can sometimes take up to a minute depending on its location. Then fire up everything else. It could still take longer than expected to light the pilot. But give it a try. If you are into DIY invest in a manometer and multimeter. First will help you with LP problems and the second with electric problems.
__________________
krazedave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2013, 07:26 AM   #4
Junior Member
 
OldGrayMare's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Georgia
Posts: 10
SUN #5470
OldGrayMare is an unknown quantity at this point
Thanks for the suggestions!

It has a regulator and I'll try to post image here. (can't get image to post) It's a Marshall Brass Co. Model 260 Two Stage.

I also took off the pilot nozzle and made sure it wasn't clogged.
I lit the stove top as suggested and tried to light the pilot...waited...waited...waited...
Even if the pressure was low I should still be able to smell gas coming out of the pilot nozzle wouldn't I?

I have read there is an adjustment you can make to the regulator....anyone familiar with a Marshall Brass Co., Model 260 Two Stage?
__________________
The Old Gray Mare....she ain't what she used to be

1987 Sunline Saturn 17'
OldGrayMare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2013, 07:40 AM   #5
Junior Member
 
OldGrayMare's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Georgia
Posts: 10
SUN #5470
OldGrayMare is an unknown quantity at this point
http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/me...albums410.html

I was able to get pics to load to My Album.
__________________
The Old Gray Mare....she ain't what she used to be

1987 Sunline Saturn 17'
OldGrayMare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2013, 11:30 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Gene's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 1,515
SUN #768
Gene is an unknown quantity at this point
Well, to start with, Marshall Brass and it's various incarnations is now out of business. The final bankruptcy ended in December of 2012 and they closed for good.

That regulator can be adjusted BUT I would not do it unless you have a manommeter which is really simple to build. The pressure needs to be equal to 11 inches of water column. I just went through this with my fridge but haven't posted pictures yet. Cost me under $12 at Home Depot for the parts.

If you unscrew the plastic piece just above the word "vent" in this picture you will see either a screwdriver slot or a plastic disk with a hex slot (allen wrench) Turning it to the right (clockwise) will increase the pressure.



I would think that if the stove burners burners work but you are not even getting a wiff of gas from the water heater valve then the valve itself is bad. The only way to be sure is to disconnect the gas line to the input side of the valve and turn on the tank. THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS, please have a second person at the tank if you try this.
__________________

Gene & DW Ginny
2002 Sunline T-2363
2008 Toyota 4-runner 4wd 4.7L V-8
Reese Dual Cam straightline - P3 Brake controller
Gene is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2013, 11:38 AM   #7
Junior Member
 
OldGrayMare's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Georgia
Posts: 10
SUN #5470
OldGrayMare is an unknown quantity at this point
UPDATE: IT WORKS! I took the regulator off to determine if it was blocked, took the gas nozzle off and it was clear, took the thermal coupling assembly out and 'looked' at it....cleaned it off a bit but really didn't know what I was looking for and put it back in. My next effort was going to be the control knob, but I couldn't get the screw loose that holds it on and didn't want to force it and strip the threading so I left it alone. Put everything back together. Burned a few fingers holding the match up long enough to try to light it...didn't have a fireplace lighter so I taped a birthday candle on a stick and DING DING DING....we have fire! The heater fired up when I put the control to heat....good blue flame with a bit of yellow/orange.
I'll know in a day or so it it actually heats the water since I now have the water off while working on the bathroom shower.

Whew! That was really a task and I'll have to admit I did lose my cool a few times but always came back to my friend 'Google" to look up things to try, and talked with a real nice man at a local plumbing supply store ( local- NOT big box) that gave me a list of 'elimination' things to do.
__________________
The Old Gray Mare....she ain't what she used to be

1987 Sunline Saturn 17'
OldGrayMare is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-28-2013, 03:35 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,357
SUN #2097
mainah is an unknown quantity at this point
I have had a couple that did the same thing I just replaced the whole deal thermocouple and pilot jet as one assembly they are any where for $15 to $30 depending on where you get them.
__________________

__________________
mainah is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
atwood g6a 3, gas lines, hot water, water heater


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Atwood water heater jnoble Repairs and Maintenance 4 04-01-2013 06:10 PM
Atwood Water Heater Jay Repairs and Maintenance 1 10-11-2012 05:43 AM
Atwood Water heater soudabaycr1 Repairs and Maintenance 2 09-19-2011 07:54 AM
atwood water heater help rich2500 Repairs and Maintenance 5 05-10-2010 09:18 PM
Atwood water heater water hose connections problems Sunline1 Repairs and Maintenance 17 08-31-2008 01:01 PM


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sunline RV or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:40 AM.


×