atwood GHC6A-10E water heater

CharlesinGA wrote:
Weld the tank. that heater is no longer made in that size and shape. The Texas deep freeze of a year ago went thru all of the stocks of the old Atwood design.

Suburban does make a Atwood compatible replacement but its a Suburban with its steel tank and I would not want one.

The heater disassembles rather easily and you only need a couple of sleeves that fit the outside of the flame tubes, They press in and easily done with a piece of large PVC pipe as a driver.

The H in the model number GHC6A-10E is what tells you it is a heat exchanger model.

Charles

dougrainer wrote:

CharlesinGA wrote:
Weld the tank. that heater is no longer made in that size and shape. The Texas deep freeze of a year ago went thru all of the stocks of the old Atwood design.

Suburban does make a Atwood compatible replacement but its a Suburban with its steel tank and I would not want one.

The heater disassembles rather easily and you only need a couple of sleeves that fit the outside of the flame tubes, They press in and easily done with a piece of large PVC pipe as a driver.

The H in the model number GHC6A-10E is what tells you it is a heat exchanger model.

Charles

After 43 years as an RV tech, I don't understand WHY you would not want a Suburban Water Heater. It has a porcelain-lined, steel water heater tank. I would state that the rate of freezing and causing a destroyed inner tank is 10 to 1. 10 Atwoods for every 1 Suburban is about what I have experienced over the years. Granted, you cannot buy a Suburban replacement inner tank, but they are more forgiving in freezing weather than the Atwood Aluminum tank. Doug

Gdetrailer wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

CharlesinGA wrote:
Weld the tank. that heater is no longer made in that size and shape. The Texas deep freeze of a year ago went thru all of the stocks of the old Atwood design.

Suburban does make a Atwood compatible replacement but its a Suburban with its steel tank and I would not want one.

The heater disassembles rather easily and you only need a couple of sleeves that fit the outside of the flame tubes, They press in and easily done with a piece of large PVC pipe as a driver.

The H in the model number GHC6A-10E is what tells you it is a heat exchanger model.

Charles

After 43 years as an RV tech, I don't understand WHY you would not want a Suburban Water Heater. It has a porcelain-lined, steel water heater tank. I would state that the rate of freezing and causing a destroyed inner tank is 10 to 1. 10 Atwoods for every 1 Suburban is about what I have experienced over the years. Granted, you cannot buy a Suburban replacement inner tank, but they are more forgiving in freezing weather than the Atwood Aluminum tank. Doug

If you don't drain either before freezing weather, neither will survive in my area.. No advantage to steel or aluminum for freezing but aluminum does tip the scale on being able to deal with some pretty narly water quality issues that tend to eat out steel water heaters in a hurry..

Wished I could get a all aluminum 40 gallon water heater for my sticks and bricks, would beat having to replace steel tank water heaters every two to three yrs, the last steel tank gas water heater for my sticks and bricks cost me $520.. And yes, have anode, water softener plus used electrically isolating connections to reduce the electrolysis effect my high iron and dissolved mineral content. My water is tuff on things, even ate a pin hole in the middle of a 5yr old copper pipe!

OP believes the motor aid is a very popular item, well, I suggest that the OP could have a aluminum fabrication shop copy the design of the tank (can't be a direct copy, have to make some design "improvement" adjustments to avoid any patent infringements), then build a few extra copies, get the tanks pressure tested and certified and then offer a refurb/rebuild service.. If what they say is true, they should be a millionaire in a short amount of time..

dougrainer wrote:
To those that feel you can weld a Atwood tank. Usually the "burst" is so extreme, that to remove the water heater from the RV, you have to destroy the Styrofoam Insulator blocks. Once welded, you then have to find new Insulator blocks. I don't know if anybody sells just the Insulator styrofoam blocks. Also a New replacement comes with the 2 round trim rings that secures the inner tank to the metal front. I also don't know where you can get those rings without buying a replacement tank. It is better to just buy the replacement tank assbly. Doug

dougrainer wrote:
To those that feel you can weld a Atwood tank. Usually the "burst" is so extreme, that to remove the water heater from the RV, you have to destroy the Styrofoam Insulator blocks. Once welded, you then have to find new Insulator blocks. I don't know if anybody sells just the Insulator styrofoam blocks. Also a New replacement comes with the 2 round trim rings that secures the inner tank to the metal front. I also don't know where you can get those rings without buying a replacement tank. It is better to just buy the replacement tank assbly. Doug

RLS7201 wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
To those that feel you can weld a Atwood tank. Usually the "burst" is so extreme, that to remove the water heater from the RV, you have to destroy the Styrofoam Insulator blocks. Once welded, you then have to find new Insulator blocks. I don't know if anybody sells just the Insulator styrofoam blocks. Also a New replacement comes with the 2 round trim rings that secures the inner tank to the metal front. I also don't know where you can get those rings without buying a replacement tank. It is better to just buy the replacement tank assbly. Doug

Doug, the rings are still out there.

Richard

dougrainer wrote:

RLS7201 wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
To those that feel you can weld a Atwood tank. Usually the "burst" is so extreme, that to remove the water heater from the RV, you have to destroy the Styrofoam Insulator blocks. Once welded, you then have to find new Insulator blocks. I don't know if anybody sells just the Insulator styrofoam blocks. Also a New replacement comes with the 2 round trim rings that secures the inner tank to the metal front. I also don't know where you can get those rings without buying a replacement tank. It is better to just buy the replacement tank assbly. Doug

Doug, the rings are still out there.

Richard

Do you know if they sell the styrofoam? Doug

RLS7201 wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

RLS7201 wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
To those that feel you can weld a Atwood tank. Usually the "burst" is so extreme, that to remove the water heater from the RV, you have to destroy the Styrofoam Insulator blocks. Once welded, you then have to find new Insulator blocks. I don't know if anybody sells just the Insulator styrofoam blocks. Also a New replacement comes with the 2 round trim rings that secures the inner tank to the metal front. I also don't know where you can get those rings without buying a replacement tank. It is better to just buy the replacement tank assbly. Doug

Doug, the rings are still out there.

Richard

IF you have access to the back of the water heater you could possibly cut out the Styrofoam. BUT, most installations give no real access inside the RV to cut it out. Just enough access to disconnect the water lines. When you remove a burst water heater and you have not had access to the strofoam, the burst part of the inner tank protrudes up and out and will push the styrofoam up and cause the styrofoam to stop the W/H from pulling out of the mount hole. Since you are usually replacing the Inner tank and the new tank comes with Styrofoam and mount rings, you don't care that you have to manhandle and destroy the styrofoam when removing. You sometimes have to use a pry bar to get the W/H out once you have moved it a few inches. I would think the cost of welding the Aluminum tank would kind of negate the cost to a replacement tank that has all the parts included. Doug



Do you know if they sell the styrofoam? Doug

Styrofoam insulation

I wonder if one could remove the insulation, very carefully, with a handy knife and glue it back together?
I can appreciate your position of time and money but DIYs are not paying an hourly rate for their own time........

Richard