Water heater issues

Tinylivingdogtor wrote:

j-d wrote:

Tinylivingdogtor wrote:
The igniter would spark and the pilot would lite, but the flame would cut out. It would go through 3 cycles and stop.

You say "Pilot" and "Flame" which isn't right with a DSI water heater. There's no Pilot. The DSI feature opens the gas valve, sparks the igniter, then the igniter serves as a "Flame Prover" to make sure it actually lit. All or nothing. No flame or full blow to heat the water. When it's come up to temperature, the gas valve closes, leaving no flame and no pilot.

Yes, I am not using correct terminology. My apologies. Then the gas valve opens, the igniter will spark, a flame will light then the gas will shut off without heating my water. This problem has progressed to the igniter not sparking regularly. The igniter has been replaced, gap checked, connections checked, corrosion cleaned. The system will try to ignite 3 times then stop. The switch inside my Clipper with the letters "DSI FLT" stays lit.

As mentioned the spark electrode is also used to prove man flame has lit.

Spark electrode MUST be 'engulfed' in main flame
When you replaced it did you position it so it was in the flame?

If it IS in path of flame then check that the wire connection is TIGHT.
Main flame generates a milivolt signal (flame ionization) that is used as PROOF flame lit.
Loose (or dirty) connection can stop that milivolt signal
Same if the ceramic insulator on electrode is cracked....signal will track to ground

Thanks all,

I'm once again impressed with the response time & quality of everyone's input on this forum
As of the present moment my friend has not had the time to troubleshoot his issue. Now he does have some things to try & look for.
I also appreciate learning troubleshooting for RV issues for future reference.

Cheers

Tinylivingdogtor wrote:
Hi guys,

I am a first time travel trailer owner and stumbled across this thread while working on water heater problems of my own. I have a Suburban 6 gallon propane only with DSI. I am in Florida and last night the temperatures got down to a bone chilling 40 degreeswoke up to low pressure/empty propane tank. Tank was changed and furnace and burners were still working. Hot water heater would spark but not ignite. DSI would go through 3 cycles and went off. Fuse was changed, igniter was changed, all connections and posts were cleaned. The igniter would spark and the pilot would lite, but the flame would cut out. It would go through 3 cycles and stop. I am guessing there is a flame proof problem but I am out of ideas. I can't even get a spark from the igniter now.

Hello and welcome!

If you dont get an answer, your question would go better in its own thread rather than piggy-back on this one (referred to as hijacking on the interweb).
You can hit the "Post New Topic" button at the top left of the page in the appropriate forum and create your own.

Good luck,
Scott

j-d wrote:

Tinylivingdogtor wrote:
The igniter would spark and the pilot would lite, but the flame would cut out. It would go through 3 cycles and stop.

You say "Pilot" and "Flame" which isn't right with a DSI water heater. There's no Pilot. The DSI feature opens the gas valve, sparks the igniter, then the igniter serves as a "Flame Prover" to make sure it actually lit. All or nothing. No flame or full blow to heat the water. When it's come up to temperature, the gas valve closes, leaving no flame and no pilot.

Yes, I am not using correct terminology. My apologies. Then the gas valve opens, the igniter will spark, a flame will light then the gas will shut off without heating my water. This problem has progressed to the igniter not sparking regularly. The igniter has been replaced, gap checked, connections checked, corrosion cleaned. The system will try to ignite 3 times then stop. The switch inside my Clipper with the letters "DSI FLT" stays lit.

Tinylivingdogtor wrote:
The igniter would spark and the pilot would lite, but the flame would cut out. It would go through 3 cycles and stop.

You say "Pilot" and "Flame" which isn't right with a DSI water heater. There's no Pilot. The DSI feature opens the gas valve, sparks the igniter, then the igniter serves as a "Flame Prover" to make sure it actually lit. All or nothing. No flame or full blow to heat the water. When it's come up to temperature, the gas valve closes, leaving no flame and no pilot.

Hi guys,

I am a first time travel trailer owner and stumbled across this thread while working on water heater problems of my own. I have a Suburban 6 gallon propane only with DSI. I am in Florida and last night the temperatures got down to a bone chilling 40 degreeswoke up to low pressure/empty propane tank. Tank was changed and furnace and burners were still working. Hot water heater would spark but not ignite. DSI would go through 3 cycles and went off. Fuse was changed, igniter was changed, all connections and posts were cleaned. The igniter would spark and the pilot would lite, but the flame would cut out. It would go through 3 cycles and stop. I am guessing there is a flame proof problem but I am out of ideas. I can't even get a spark from the igniter now.

As posted..Suburban WH has an OEM on/off switch for electric in outside compartment.
If you have a On/Off switch inside for electric then outside one has to be ON also for electric to work.

Suburban uses a 1440W electric element.....6.2 gal/hr recovery time
Suburban uses a 12,000 propane burner..... 10+ gal/hr recovery time

Or both electric/propane......16+ gal/hr recovery time

Location of OEM electric on/off switch




IF both electric switches are ON and no heating then element could be bad.
Continuity test with power off ---element under cover behind burner/gas valve
*Test between black wire terminal and white wire terminal.....no continuity then element bad
*Test between white wire terminal and element flange....continuity then element is shorted

_______________________________________________________________

IF THOR uses an Atwood Brand WH
Propane works....heats OK then ALL common components are good (thermal fuse/t-stat/ECO/circuit board 2A fuse)

That means issue is most likely with electric element being bad
OR
dirty contacts----pull connectors off circuit board and clean edge connector using a pencil eraser. White Wire to connector is from On/Off switch and Yellow wire goes to 'dc relay' that triggers electric power to element
Element is under cover with relay on backside of WH tank

Is the little black switch at the bottom left hand corner of the outside compartment of the WH on?

Shouldn't have to run both. Sounds like electric isn't working at all. Is there a switch on the WH itself?

Does it run on only gas?