My hot water heater is not working when plugged into shore power. The heater works fine in propane mode. A 20A breaker is tripped on the house breaker panel and it does not allow resetting. It keeps on tripping. There are no identifying labels on any of the breakers. I don't know if this tripped breaker is related to my heater problem.I have downloaded the electrical diagram from Winnebago and it shows the tripped breaker going to a "Relay Breaker" located within the "Module - EMS Control (Load Shedder). A dashed line goes from this Relay Breaker to a "Line 2" breaker. Nothing comes away from the "Line 2 Breaker".Can a malfunctioning heater thermostat cause this tripped breaker?Or, might the tripped 20A breaker be the problem?I have had this thermostat replaced twice in years past. One time, in Alaska, a mobile RV Tech had to disconnect everything and tip the water heater outward to access the thermostat and another time an Alaska dealership had a "small frame" guy who was able to partially get his body in the small compartment and replace the thermostat without removing anything. I don't know how to attach the downloaded electrical drawing.All comments appreciated.

Sounds like the element is bad. There is a switch outside under the water heater cover on some models. If it is there try shutting it off and reset the breaker.

Try going to the back of the heater and UNPLUG the 110 line to it. Doing this takes the heater out of the shore power circuits.Then reset the tripped fuse. If it then stays ON and does not trip OFF I would say you have and element issue within the heater or a short in the wire feeding it.Please let us know the outcome.Thank you.

There is no way that I can reach behind the water heater to remove the power cord; ...me, too large a frame and compartment opening too small.

My Atwood WH has two switches. One is for LP operation of the WH and the other is for 120 volt operation. Does the 20 amp circuit breaker trip with the 120 volt water heater switch turned OFF? If it does not then try resetting the circuit breaker and then switching the water heater to 120 volts and see if it trips. This will at least tell you that the circuit breaker in question is for the WH.

drifterpilot wrote:My hot water heater is not working when plugged into shore power. The heater works fine in propane mode. A 20A breaker is tripped on the house breaker panel and it does not allow resetting. It keeps on tripping. There are no identifying labels on any of the breakers. I don't know if this tripped breaker is related to my heater problem.I have downloaded the electrical diagram from Winnebago and it shows the tripped breaker going to a "Relay Breaker" located within the "Module - EMS Control (Load Shedder). A dashed line goes from this Relay Breaker to a "Line 2" breaker. Nothing comes away from the "Line 2 Breaker".Can a malfunctioning heater thermostat cause this tripped breaker?Or, might the tripped 20A breaker be the problem?I have had this thermostat replaced twice in years past. One time, in Alaska, a mobile RV Tech had to disconnect everything and tip the water heater outward to access the thermostat and another time an Alaska dealership had a "small frame" guy who was able to partially get his body in the small compartment and replace the thermostat without removing anything. I don't know how to attach the downloaded electrical drawing.All comments appreciated.Most likely the circuit breaker reacting to a short circuit, but the question is why and it could be because the element is going to ground. Disconnect the wiring in or near the tank somewhere to see if the breaker will stay on and if that doesn't do it, then disconnect the breaker in the panel itself. If it still trips, then the breaker itself is most likely bad.

Hot Water Heater Not Working - Shore Power | Good Sam Community

rgatijnet1
Explorer III
May 24, 2014
drifterpilot wrote:
Today. I replaced the tripped breaker that wouldn't reset.

Success! Hot water heater is back on line electrically.

Thank you to all that responded with comments. It worked out best way possible. Wasn't looking forward to troubleshooting the water heater itself.

Thanks again.

Fantastic!!! Easy cheap repairs are always the best. :)
drifterpilot
Explorer
May 24, 2014
Today. I replaced the tripped breaker that wouldn't reset.

Success! Hot water heater is back on line electrically.

Thank you to all that responded with comments. It worked out best way possible. Wasn't looking forward to troubleshooting the water heater itself.

Thanks again.
drifterpilot
Explorer
May 24, 2014
I will try to check out the breaker today, however nasty day out there (rain) and may have to put it off for a couple of days as I will be traveling to Junction City KS tomorrow. Presently, heater is doing fine on propane.

Thanks for your comments.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
May 24, 2014
Q: Can a malfunctioning heater Thermostat cause a tripped breaker?
A: Depends on the make and model of the water heater but the most common answer is no.
Q: If it is the odd model where the answer is yes, then how?:
A: internal short to case.

Q:If not the thermostat, then what is the most likely thing on the Water heater to trip the breaker?
A: Shorted heat element,, Likely damaged by being operated dry but other causes possible.

Q: What other causes?
A: Shorted leads, most likely in a junction box, somewhere between breaker and water heater.

Q: Anything else that can keep a breaker from resetting?
A: Yes, IF the breaker is a combination Breaker and GFCI, a ground fault,, And also for all breakers, A defective breaker .

Q: What is "Suspect #1"
A: Shorted heat element, Disconnect heat element and measure resistance both of the element terminals to ground, Should show open, I suspect it will show shorted.
rgatijnet1
Explorer III
May 24, 2014
If the breaker cannot be reset with the WH switch OFF, I doubt if it is a bad heating element. With the 120 volt switch off to the WH, the heating element should not be in the circuit. I would lean towards a bad circuit breaker or a short in the line going from your main panel to the water heater. Rodents have a habit of chewing on wires and the wire could have short anywhere along it's path to the WH.
GREGORYJ
Explorer
May 24, 2014
Sounds like a bad electric heater element. The AC heater element may have been
switched on when there was no water in the tank, burning it out. On the back side of the water heater tank enclosure, there should be a large removable panel to access the back side of the water heater. The element is just like a residential element and screws out of the tank in the same way after the 2 wires are removed from the element terminals. There should be no need to remove the heater tank.
drifterpilot
Explorer
May 24, 2014
I have tried to reset the breaker with the heater 120V power switch in the "Off" position. The breaker could still not be reset.

I will disconnect wires to the breaker tomorrow and see if the breaker can be reset.

Another possible bad aspect of this heater scenario is if the element is bad, directions on the front state the element is accessed only from the far side (inboard). The heater would have to be removed.
tropical36
Explorer
May 24, 2014
drifterpilot wrote:
My hot water heater is not working when plugged into shore power. The heater works fine in propane mode.

A 20A breaker is tripped on the house breaker panel and it does not allow resetting. It keeps on tripping. There are no identifying labels on any of the breakers. I don't know if this tripped breaker is related to my heater problem.

I have downloaded the electrical diagram from Winnebago and it shows the tripped breaker going to a "Relay Breaker" located within the "Module - EMS Control (Load Shedder). A dashed line goes from this Relay Breaker to a "Line 2" breaker. Nothing comes away from the "Line 2 Breaker".

Can a malfunctioning heater thermostat cause this tripped breaker?

Or, might the tripped 20A breaker be the problem?

I have had this thermostat replaced twice in years past. One time, in Alaska, a mobile RV Tech had to disconnect everything and tip the water heater outward to access the thermostat and another time an Alaska dealership had a "small frame" guy who was able to partially get his body in the small compartment and replace the thermostat without removing anything.

I don't know how to attach the downloaded electrical drawing.

All comments appreciated.

Most likely the circuit breaker reacting to a short circuit, but the question is why and it could be because the element is going to ground. Disconnect the wiring in or near the tank somewhere to see if the breaker will stay on and if that doesn't do it, then disconnect the breaker in the panel itself. If it still trips, then the breaker itself is most likely bad.
rgatijnet1
Explorer III
May 23, 2014
My Atwood WH has two switches. One is for LP operation of the WH and the other is for 120 volt operation. Does the 20 amp circuit breaker trip with the 120 volt water heater switch turned OFF?
If it does not then try resetting the circuit breaker and then switching the water heater to 120 volts and see if it trips. This will at least tell you that the circuit breaker in question is for the WH.
drifterpilot
Explorer
May 23, 2014
There is no way that I can reach behind the water heater to remove the power cord; ...me, too large a frame and compartment opening too small.

Forum Discussion

Hot Water Heater Not Working - Shore Power

About Motorhome Group

Related Content

On-demand water heaters – do they work?

water heaters

Water Heater

Water heater issue

Water heater plug