While camping this weekend, I experienced something scary with my water heater. I was using electric to power my water heater. The water heater had been on the entire time, and was working perfectly. When I woke up on day three, I smelled a strange smell. I couldn't pinpoint where the smell was coming from, so I thought the smell was coming from outside. It wasn't an overpowering smell, but there was a strange smell. About 4 hours later, all of a sudden, smoke started coming out of the compartment that houses the water heater. Quickly, I turned off the water heater, and opened the compartment that houses the water heater. At this point, I could tell that the strange smell was coming from inside the compartment. I didn't see any fire, smoke, or any signs of anything burning. I opened the outside door to the water heater, and didn't see any damage either. I kept the water heater off, and only turned it on when I needed hot water. Every time that I turned it on for the remainder of my stay, I checked the water heater compartment for that strange smell; but I never smelled it again. Has anyone else experienced this before?

What Brand and Model of water heater?Did the PRV (pressure relief valve) lift creating steam cloud?Was the area wet?It continued to work using the electric.......so doesn't sound like anything shorted or smoked.

open the door and check for melted wires.

midnightsadie wrote:open the door and check for melted wires.I didn't see any melted wires.

If you had to describe the smell, what was it like ?

Sounds like one I had several years ago. Mine had a switch for the electric both inside the trailer and one on the back of the heater I didn't know was there. We also smelled a burning smell and traced it to the heater. When we returned home I removed the water heater to find the switch mounted on the back of the heater had melted and had burnt the insulation partly off the wires going to it. The insulation in back of the heater had like black soot on it. It might have came real close to causing a fire. In my case there was no way to see behind the heater without removing it.

Water Heater Question | Good Sam Community

12 Replies

Caveman_Charlie
Explorer II
Nov 18, 2014
Ruthless wrote:
It was a bad heating element. The heating element needs to be replaced along with the electrical access panel cover. Also, they will have to remove and repair the wiring feeding the 110v electrical side of the water heater. All of the repairs are covered under warranty.

Good News on the warranty.
Ruthless
Explorer
Nov 18, 2014
It was a bad heating element. The heating element needs to be replaced along with the electrical access panel cover. Also, they will have to remove and repair the wiring feeding the 110v electrical side of the water heater. All of the repairs are covered under warranty.
trb46
Explorer
Nov 18, 2014
Let us know what you find out after you get it serviced.
bukhrn
Nomad
Nov 17, 2014
Wasp/Mud Dauber nest?
Ruthless
Explorer
Nov 17, 2014
I'm having my water heater serviced today.
jetcare
Explorer
Oct 21, 2014
Trace the 120VAC wires to the back of the water heater. If you have a Suburban, you will need to remove a metal plate to see where the 120VAC wires from the RV connect to the water heater. You will probably find a melted wire nut and loose wires.

If you have an Atwood, the wires will go into a metal box on the back of the water heater. Look inside the metal box once you have the 120VAC water heater breaker turned off. You will find some burned wires or burned wire nut.
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Oct 21, 2014
Ruthless wrote:
While camping this weekend, I experienced something scary with my water heater. I was using electric to power my water heater. The water heater had been on the entire time, and was working perfectly. When I woke up on day three, I smelled a strange smell. I couldn't pinpoint where the smell was coming from, so I thought the smell was coming from outside. It wasn't an overpowering smell, but there was a strange smell. About 4 hours later, all of a sudden, smoke started coming out of the compartment that houses the water heater. Quickly, I turned off the water heater, and opened the compartment that houses the water heater. At this point, I could tell that the strange smell was coming from inside the compartment. I didn't see any fire, smoke, or any signs of anything burning. I opened the outside door to the water heater, and didn't see any damage either. I kept the water heater off, and only turned it on when I needed hot water. Every time that I turned it on for the remainder of my stay, I checked the water heater compartment for that strange smell; but I never smelled it again. Has anyone else experienced this before?

Boy, if you have smoke I suggest not using it until you get it serviced. You know the old saying; "Where there's smoke there's fire". Now, that may not be true in this case but, I bet if "There's smoke there's going to be a fire" . What was the color of the smoke?
travelzoo
Explorer
Oct 21, 2014
Sounds like one I had several years ago. Mine had a switch for the electric both inside the trailer and one on the back of the heater I didn't know was there. We also smelled a burning smell and traced it to the heater. When we returned home I removed the water heater to find the switch mounted on the back of the heater had melted and had burnt the insulation partly off the wires going to it. The insulation in back of the heater had like black soot on it. It might have came real close to causing a fire. In my case there was no way to see behind the heater without removing it.
Dakota98
Explorer
Oct 20, 2014
If you had to describe the smell, what was it like ?
Ruthless
Explorer
Oct 20, 2014
midnightsadie wrote:
open the door and check for melted wires.

I didn't see any melted wires.