We have a 6-gallon Atwood water heater which runs on electric and gas.I went outside early this morning and noticed water dripping out of our water heater outside compartment. The DSI fault light was lit (small indicator light adjacent to the on/off wall switch in our motorhome) I initially thought it was just a loose drain plug but when I opened the door to the unit outside there was no water dripping from the plug.I didn't have time to trace the source at that moment so I am not sure where the water was dripping from.Also, we noticed the water coming from the water heater at this time was extremely hot.....much hotter than normal.I turned the on/off switch off and let it set for several hours.I turned the water heater back on (electric) fifteen minutes ago and the DSI fault light has not come back on and there is no water dripping from the water heater outside compartment.Any idea what is going (what went) on?

Thermostat stuck and high limit switch lights fault code and turns off heater. Pressure relief valve opens because of increased pressure. This what the system is designed to do if the water is heated too much. You should find out what part of the system is causing the over-heating condition.

thermostat is not making good contact causing it to overheat and shut down on gas…

Since you did find the water heater really hot it is probably a stuck thermostat.. However The relief valve on the outside of mine sometimes will drip water and I have to pull the spring loaded lever a quick pull to make it stop sometimes. Just be careful doing this if it has HOT WATER in it as it will spew out.

Hi,RV water heaters are intended to have an air pocket at the top. Over time the air gets absorbed into the water. To reestablish the air pocket, turn off the pump, or disconnect from shore water, let the heater cool, then drain some water out.

I might add we have had the DSI fault light come on a few times over the past couple months. We would just leave the water heater off for a few hours and then turn it back on and everything would run fine.....until the next time it happened.Does this indicate a failing thermostat?We didn't notice if the water was any hotter at these previous times. We didn't notice if there was water dripping out at these previous times either.If the thermostat is stuck or not making good contact would replacing it fix the issue?

Atwood Water Heater | Good Sam Community

golfknut
Explorer
Mar 13, 2014
I might add we have had the DSI fault light come on a few times over the past couple months.
We would just leave the water heater off for a few hours and then turn it back on and everything would run fine.....until the next time it happened.

Does this indicate a failing thermostat?
We didn't notice if the water was any hotter at these previous times. We didn't notice if there was water dripping out at these previous times either.

If the thermostat is stuck or not making good contact would replacing it fix the issue?
pianotuna
Nomad III
Mar 13, 2014
Hi,

RV water heaters are intended to have an air pocket at the top. Over time the air gets absorbed into the water. To reestablish the air pocket, turn off the pump, or disconnect from shore water, let the heater cool, then drain some water out.
RoyB
Explorer II
Mar 13, 2014
Since you did find the water heater really hot it is probably a stuck thermostat.. However The relief valve on the outside of mine sometimes will drip water and I have to pull the spring loaded lever a quick pull to make it stop sometimes. Just be careful doing this if it has HOT WATER in it as it will spew out.
JJBIRISH
Explorer
Mar 13, 2014
thermostat is not making good contact causing it to overheat and shut down on gas…
westend
Explorer
Mar 13, 2014
Thermostat stuck and high limit switch lights fault code and turns off heater. Pressure relief valve opens because of increased pressure. This what the system is designed to do if the water is heated too much. You should find out what part of the system is causing the over-heating condition.

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