I posted here, because toyhaulers dry camp more often than hooking up and using the electrical side of our heater.There is propane running through the line and out the flame tube. I have no ignition and shuts off after a few seconds. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. The hot water heater is still under factory warranty.

Do you hear the igniter clicking and see a spark? Can you light it with a match? The pilot lights first, then once it senses the heat from the pilot via the thermocouple the main burner opens and fires the heater.

nayther wrote:Do you hear the igniter clicking and see a spark? Can you light it with a match? The pilot lights first, then once it senses the heat from the pilot via the thermocouple the main burner opens and fires the heater.I can hear the igniter click and smell propane. I was able to light with a bic lighter. It shuts off after a few seconds. I only get it to flow the propane after I run water a few seconds, almost sensing low water to reheat again.

I think there are only two possible problems, the igniter itself is bad or the igniter board is bad. The metal tip of the igniter should be about 1/8" from the burner and you should be able to see and hear it when the gas starts flowing. Excessive space and the spark won't jump the gap or maybe a loose connection from the board to the igniter. The board itself could be bad. There is a tester for the board and seeing as how it is under warranty, I'd take it to the dealer. Testing is a 30 second thing with replacement of BO parts a little longer.The procedure the heater will follow and trouble shooting instruction are probably in the manual.Shutting down after a few seconds of no ignition is a built in safety feature, same as the FAU heater.

What Brand/Model?If it is DSI (Direct Spark Ignition) then gas valve solenoid and Spark electrode are energized at same time.Spark electrode fires (Click, click, click) while gas flows to burner ---spark ignites flame and then 'flame proving' signal is sensed by circuit board and holds dc on gas valve/stops it to spark electrode.No spark....Wrong gap ----should be 1/8"--3/16"Bad wire connection from board to electrode...loose/dirtyBad wire thru ceramic...replace electrodeBad ground connection....electrode mounting screw provides ground....clean/tightBad circuit board....spark circuit/high voltage transformer etcWater temp has to be down below 100*F/110*F (Brand/Model) in order for t-stat to close and call for heating. Otherwise no reason to heat.

D.E.Bishop wrote:I think there are only two possible problems, the igniter itself is bad or the igniter board is bad. The metal tip of the igniter should be about 1/8" from the burner and you should be able to see and hear it when the gas starts flowing. Excessive space and the spark won't jump the gap or maybe a loose connection from the board to the igniter. The board itself could be bad. There is a tester for the board and seeing as how it is under warranty, I'd take it to the dealer. Testing is a 30 second thing with replacement of BO parts a little longer.The procedure the heater will follow and trouble shooting instruction are probably in the manual.Shutting down after a few seconds of no ignition is a built in safety feature, same as the FAU heater.I've been reading the manual, there is no troubleshooting section.

Hot water heater propane not igniting and staying kit

nayther
Explorer
Sep 25, 2018
check the burner tube for spider webs. Since you've not used the LP much there's a possibility of a nest or web in either the pilot or main burner tubes.
sin_cal_hd
Explorer
Sep 25, 2018
Old-Biscuit wrote:
Direct Ignition Section---Pg 10 - 15
Read how/why and what

Suburban Water Heater Service Manual

This would've been nice to have with the coach. Definitely not the manual that came with the hw heater.

Thanks for the find.
Ralph_Cramden
Explorer II
Sep 25, 2018
After a hard wind driven rain, water can blow inside the heater through the vents and cause a short between the electrode and ground. It does not take much. It will throw the DSI fault LED on and require a reset.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Sep 25, 2018
Direct Ignition Section---Pg 10 - 15
Read how/why and what

Suburban Water Heater Service Manual
D_E_Bishop
Explorer
Sep 25, 2018
I've been reading the manual, there is no troubleshooting section.

Well I did say, probably.
sin_cal_hd
Explorer
Sep 25, 2018
donn0128 wrote:
On Suburban water heaters the igniter board also controls the gas valve. If its not working, and you have proved 12VDC at the board, then the board is faulty.

I'm starting to think it's this. The HW is still under mfg warranty. Phone call to be made tomorrow I guess.
donn0128
Explorer II
Sep 24, 2018
On Suburban water heaters the igniter board also controls the gas valve. If its not working, and you have proved 12VDC at the board, then the board is faulty.
sin_cal_hd
Explorer
Sep 24, 2018
nayther wrote:
you said the burner stays on if you turn on the hot water? If that's the case then it's something in the thermostat circuit would be my guess. Need a volt meter and wiring diagram for proper diagnosis. When you hear the spark do you SEE a spark?

I run the hot for a few seconds and shut off. You can hear "something" click. No spark. But you can smell propane coming out of the pin hole. I can manually light it with a lighter. It will run for a quick second or 2. Then shuts off.

I have looked at the thermocoupler,and it looks to be in place. Nothing seems to have caused it to move. We've only used the propane side to heat 2 times now. We've always been hooked to electricity while camping.

I've been asking around and some say it could be a temp sensor or electrical board.
nayther
Explorer
Sep 24, 2018
you said the burner stays on if you turn on the hot water? If that's the case then it's something in the thermostat circuit would be my guess. Need a volt meter and wiring diagram for proper diagnosis. When you hear the spark do you SEE a spark?
donn0128
Explorer II
Sep 24, 2018
Likely cause. You have air in the line that needs to be purged. Fail to fire. Shut off, wait a minute or so and try again. Some times it may take three tries. If that fails to work, look closely at the thermalcouple, igniter. Is it close enough to the gas to fire?