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Old 05-13-2021, 04:33 PM   #1
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Unhappy Water Heater Won't Start

My wife and I are the proud second owners of a T2475 that was lovingly owned, used, and cared for by a couple on Cape Cod. I winterized it last fall and this spring when I opened it up and filled the potable water tank I turned on the hot water heater without opening the valves to the hot water tank and filling it. It sounded like it ignited but I"m not sure. I realized the hot water tank was empty and flipped the valves to fill it. Now it won't come on at all. It is propane, not electric. Have I done irreparable damage to the hot water heater? Any suggestions would help a lot!
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Old 05-14-2021, 05:21 PM   #2
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What year is the heater and what model number? There is a model number sticker outside that can be seen when the cover is flipped down. Assuming it is not deteriorated. If there is no sticker, posting a pic of the outside with the cover down will show us what vintage it is.

How many minutes did you have it running on gas with no water in the heater?

Once you filled the heater, did it still keep running for the 30 plus minutes to come up to temperature? Trying to figure out how long it actually ran for with water in it, and did it shut down or did you shut it down?

We can help more if we know which vintage heater you have. The gas only heater had a few vintages of them and the controls were different.

Your running the heater with no water in it for a short length of time may or may not have affected something. You may have some other issues. But we need more info to help better.

Hope this helps

John
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Old 05-18-2021, 03:53 PM   #3
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Regardless gas or electric there is an over heat sensor some where. Sounds like you have cooked it or it's tripped out. RV Water heaters that glow in the dark are not a good thing.
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Old 05-19-2021, 02:01 PM   #4
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If you look below the pressure relief valve there is a rectangle rubber piece with 4 connections. There is fuse looking thing called a thermal cutoff. Check and see if it is ok. It will look burnt and the wire will have a gap if is bad. It is a easy to replace if that is the problem.
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Old 05-19-2021, 03:30 PM   #5
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Even if it is not electric the controls are DC powered (battery) so another possibility, it may have blown a fuse for the heater. That may explain why nothing happens.
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Old 05-20-2021, 10:16 AM   #6
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Hi John,
Our Heater is gas only, I think. Model # GC6AA-8E
Spec # 141126
Serial # 96141077907
I'm not even sure the thing actually ignited but it wasn't too long before I turned it off, maybe an hour or so.
Hope this is good info so you can guide me on getting her up and running again.
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Old 05-20-2021, 07:07 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shelleybill View Post
Hi John,
Our Heater is gas only, I think. Model # GC6AA-8E
Spec # 141126
Serial # 96141077907
I'm not even sure the thing actually ignited but it wasn't too long before I turned it off, maybe an hour or so.
Hope this is good info so you can guide me on getting her up and running again.
By your model number,

You have a combo gas and electric water heater, 6 gallon with electronic ignition rev no 8.

If the gas burner was actually on, for a full hour or so with no water in the tank, that is not good. But, you said it may not have even lit.

At this point, lets start with the basics and hoping you did not melt something apart. Assuming the heater is filled with water and holding full camper water pressure, then the system is at least not leaking.

Lets start with the LP gas controls as you can see and hear them. The 120 VAC electric element you cannot hear anything, and if was on for more then a few minutes and no water in the heater, then the element is most likely burnt out. But hold that thought for now and let's see if you can get the gas side to do something.

Corrosion on the terminals is a common issue with water heaters. Since yours has electronic ignition, when you flip switch to turn on the water heater for LP gas, within a few seconds you should hear a "clunk" outside (the gas valve opening, ) and real soon "click, click click" the ignition trying to start.

If you do not hear any of those noises, (be outside looking and listening with the cover down and someone in inside flip the switch) then that is problem 1.

Assuming you hear nothing, lets start with the basics.

1. Are any fuses blown in the power converter? The heater needs 12 VDC to operate.

At this point you do not even need the LP gas on, it can be, does not have to me.

2. Assuming no fuses are blown, the battery is charged and hooked up, then when you flip the heater on gas, the clunk and clicking should start within a few seconds. If nothing happens, the first thing is to check the wiring connections for corrosion.

Turn the heater off. Turn the battery off and no shore line power on so there is no 12 volts DC going to the heater.

On the black control PC board, on the top left, unplug the wire harness of the PC board (there are 2 plugs) and clean up the terminals. Even pushing the connector on a few times helps clean it up. If you see corrosion, then emery paper or fine sand paper the terminals and clean then after before plugging back in.

This pic is of a newer rev then yours, but we can talk to it. If yours looks nothing like it, we need a pic of yours. Sorry for the rotated pics, I'll have to fix that later.





Above the gas burner is the T Stat and ECO sensors. And there is the dirty clear thermal fuse krazedave was talking about connected to the T stat.

Those wires have push on terminals and they are notorious for getting corroded and not making contact. You need to unplug each, clean them up, and put them back on.

Be careful, use needle nose pliers to grip the wire terminal while holding the center of the T stat and or ECO switch "in" with a screw driver or other round ended punch etc. The thermal fuse is delicate, take extra care in unhooking that and look up close to see if it is burnt out.

Clean up the wire connections on both ends of the thermal fuse.

When all terminals are cleaned and back on, turn the power on and try again. If you here the clunk and clicking, you are gaining. Then go turn on the LP gas if is not on and the heater may run. If you hear nothing, then do you have a volt meter or 12 volt test light? will explain that if it comes to be.

If you get the clunk and clicks and nothing lights, then come back for more too.

Here is what the ECO and T stat look like behind the foam holding it on





The sensor being removed

You have to hold the center of the ECO and T stat when unplugging the wires our you may damage the sensor. The wire terminals can come off hard sometimes. Wiggle and pull at the same time.

What year is your camper?

Hope this helps

John

Once past the gas burner working, we can talk about the electric element.
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