We are currently camped at the Colter Bay RV Park in the Grand Tetons and our hot water heater isn't firing. It worked for the first 3 nights of camping, but since we plugged into electrical hook-ups, it doesn't even attempt to light the pilot by clicking.This is the second time in the life of our 30 nights of camping that the water heater didn't just automatically start up by flipping the switch to on. Previously is was at a state park with no hook-ups. I fiddled with it for an hour, just releasing some water from the release valve on the unit a dozen times - and for no apparent reason - it worked again.The trailer is quite new. I blew into the pilot tube and there doesn't seem to be any obstructions from critters or insects. I disconnected the circuit board and plugged it back in to try and reset it. There doesn't appear to be a breaker or fuse for the unit listed, but it may be mislabeled by the factory.There is absolutely no other switches or dials outside. I'm stumped, and I may have to divert my vacation to the dealer if I can't get it working. Any constructive thoughts are welcome.If you are trolling just to post a comment telling me to "search the forums" for the solution, just don't bother. I am having limited success with 3G cellular on my iPhone. It's tough enough to read (I usually check the forum from a computer or iPad) and I only have one bar for service.

If it is a attwood unplug the black box wait a few seconds plug it back in see if it resets

Check and make sure the thermal fuse did not blow. It is the small fuse/diode near the t-stat in a clear plastic sheathing. You can jump this together and see if it lights.

Just checking the obvious - the thermal cutoff is still okay, right? Sometimes they can look okay but have 'blown'.Do you have a multimeter so you can check to see if the heater is getting power? If not, that might be a wise investment.Failing that, I would be checking the circuit board. It's a new unit so it should be okay - but you never know. The circuit boards are worthwhile spares to carry (for the heater and the water heater) and don't take up much space.

Pardon my stupidity but our Water Heater has an electric option that we use all the time. Does yours?

What model of Atwood?You talk about a pilot, automatic lighting, talk about a circuit board and WH being a new one :HCircuit board, auto light so WH is probably a DSI (Direct Spark Ignition) that uses a spark electrode to ignite Main Flame.As suggested by other posters.......check the thermal cut out (thermal fuse in a clear tube connected to brown wires on T-stat.IT trips if temp inside outside compartment goes to 190*F or higher (usually due to a blowback from combustion chamber....dirty chamber/burner tube/obstructed gas flow) and cuts DC power.Thermal cut out is a one shot safety device..if blown has to be replaced.You can remove it and test function of WH.Disconnect it from circuit board and t-stat....connect wire from circuit board to t-stat and then turn WH ON.Should spark and main flame light off.You can run it like that until you get a new thermal fuse.........but make sure main flame is strong/steady/and not coming back out of chamber.Clean chamber/exhaust 'U' tube and burner tube main flame is erratic

Atwood Hot Water Heater Not Working - Need Help

11 Replies

Army11Bravo
Explorer II
Jun 25, 2016
SoundGuy wrote:
Army11Bravo wrote:
And we will use the hot water sparingly. We usually only need it for washing dishes, anyway.

My wife is pleased we don't have to. Is it the dealership during our vacation.

You'd actually disrupt your vacation to take the trailer to a dealership to have this water heater issue addressed just because you want hot water to wash dishes? :h

Of course not. Hot water for dishes isn't a necessity. However, if we were in the area of the dealership, we would consider stopping in for a fix.

We did replace the fuse in Yellowsrone and it has worked fine for over a year. We have extra fuses with us if it happens again.
SoundGuy
Explorer
Jun 22, 2016
Army11Bravo wrote:
And we will use the hot water sparingly. We usually only need it for washing dishes, anyway.

My wife is pleased we don't have to. Is it the dealership during our vacation.

You'd actually disrupt your vacation to take the trailer to a dealership to have this water heater issue addressed just because you want hot water to wash dishes? :h
jaybarr
Explorer
Jun 22, 2016
A water heater cannot work due to a number of reasons. I had a similar problem with my gas water heater and when I inspected it I found that I had a gas leak, knowing how dangerous a gas leak can be I decided to call brothers plumbing which was our nearest plumbing service.A faulty Dip tube is the major cause of most water heaters not working.The dip tubes helps in converting the cold water at the top of the tank to the bottom of the tank where the water is gets heated. When there is a crack in the dip tube the cold water may move out of the heater outlet pipe without being heated at the bottom of the tank.If the water is still not heating properly then it could be the time for a new heater.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Jun 19, 2015
BluegrassBill wrote:
Good diagnosis Old Biscuit, You get a gold star.

Actually...

'DavidP' and 'pugslyyy' questioned the thermal fuse first.

I just followed up with details about the thermal fuse and added a picture

'Army11Bravo'

Clean combustion/exhaust chamber and burner tube.
Something caused the thermal fuse to blow.

New ones come 2 to a shrink pak
BluegrassBill
Explorer
Jun 19, 2015
Good diagnosis Old Biscuit, You get a gold star.
Army11Bravo
Explorer II
Jun 19, 2015
Old-Biscuit wrote:
What model of Atwood?
You talk about a pilot, automatic lighting, talk about a circuit board and WH being a new one :H

Circuit board, auto light so WH is probably a DSI (Direct Spark Ignition) that uses a spark electrode to ignite Main Flame.

As suggested by other posters.......check the thermal cut out (thermal fuse in a clear tube connected to brown wires on T-stat.
IT trips if temp inside outside compartment goes to 190*F or higher (usually due to a blowback from combustion chamber....dirty chamber/burner tube/obstructed gas flow) and cuts DC power.
Thermal cut out is a one shot safety device..if blown has to be replaced.

You can remove it and test function of WH.
Disconnect it from circuit board and t-stat....connect wire from circuit board to t-stat and then turn WH ON.

Should spark and main flame light off.

You can run it like that until you get a new thermal fuse.........but make sure main flame is strong/steady/and not coming back out of chamber.
Clean chamber/exhaust 'U' tube and burner tube main flame is erratic

Thanks, everyone for the suggestions, and thanks Old-Biscuit for the diagram. I removed the thermal cutout and it fired right up. I'll be sure to pick up a new one and a few extras at the next big city in a couple days. And we will use the hot water sparingly. We usually only need it for washing dishes, anyway.

My wife is pleased we don't have to. Is it the dealership during our vacation. Thanks again!
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Jun 18, 2015
What model of Atwood?
You talk about a pilot, automatic lighting, talk about a circuit board and WH being a new one :H

Circuit board, auto light so WH is probably a DSI (Direct Spark Ignition) that uses a spark electrode to ignite Main Flame.

As suggested by other posters.......check the thermal cut out (thermal fuse in a clear tube connected to brown wires on T-stat.
IT trips if temp inside outside compartment goes to 190*F or higher (usually due to a blowback from combustion chamber....dirty chamber/burner tube/obstructed gas flow) and cuts DC power.
Thermal cut out is a one shot safety device..if blown has to be replaced.

You can remove it and test function of WH.
Disconnect it from circuit board and t-stat....connect wire from circuit board to t-stat and then turn WH ON.

Should spark and main flame light off.

You can run it like that until you get a new thermal fuse.........but make sure main flame is strong/steady/and not coming back out of chamber.
Clean chamber/exhaust 'U' tube and burner tube main flame is erratic
Dick_B
Explorer
Jun 18, 2015
Pardon my stupidity but our Water Heater has an electric option that we use all the time. Does yours?
pugslyyy
Explorer
Jun 18, 2015
Just checking the obvious - the thermal cutoff is still okay, right? Sometimes they can look okay but have 'blown'.

Do you have a multimeter so you can check to see if the heater is getting power? If not, that might be a wise investment.

Failing that, I would be checking the circuit board. It's a new unit so it should be okay - but you never know. The circuit boards are worthwhile spares to carry (for the heater and the water heater) and don't take up much space.
DavidP
Explorer
Jun 18, 2015
Check and make sure the thermal fuse did not blow. It is the small fuse/diode near the t-stat in a clear plastic sheathing. You can jump this together and see if it lights.