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CRMW's avatar
CRMW
Explorer
May 21, 2016

Atwood Water Heater won't stay lit.

I have an Atwood GC6AA-10E Water Heater. Since I got the trailer last summer, the hot water heater won't work on gas. It will light, run for 2 or 3 seconds and turn off. If I bypass the controls and hook up 12v directly to the gas valve it will run but the ignighter does not get red hot. The flame ignighter/sensor appears to be in the right spot, and the flame appears weak.

So far I have:
Replaced the igniter/sensor - both work the same
Tightened all connections
cleaned the orifice
cleaned the flue and burner tubes
had the dealer verify the board
bypassed the ECO and Thermostat when testing and replaced them
used a bbq regulator hooked up directly to the gas valve
cleaned the gas valve with throttle body cleaner
verified the solenoid valves are working in the gas valve by checking them 1 solenoid at a time

Any ideas would help. It would be nice to have access to another gas valve to test it but I haven't been able to locate one.

Thanks for your time, Chris
  • Chris_Bryant's avatar
    Chris_Bryant
    Explorer II
    May 21, 2016
    The electrodes need to be in the flame- temperature does not matter, being in the flame matters, as the board passes a very small electrical current through the flame.
    It is possible that the board is actually bad- I have had some test good, but fail in use.
  • azrving's avatar
    azrving
    Explorer
    May 21, 2016
    I did all the same stuff except have the card tested. In the end the card had to be the problem but with my water heater being 14 years old and the card costing about $125.00 and us being ready to leave for the winter, I chose a new WH on Ebay for $350.00
  • Artum_Snowbird's avatar
    Artum_Snowbird
    Explorer
    May 21, 2016
    Not sure if you have done this. There is a wire that goes in the front of the water heater with a fusible link that is designed to cut off the power to the gas relay if the fusible link melts because of a fire outside of the burner.

    My fusible link was not melted, but the connection at one end of the fusible link was rotten and corroded preventing anything happening. Like you, I took the board in and it tested fine.

    Once I peeled off the shrink cover over the link, I could see the problem right away, and remade the connection with a new squeeze connector and then it all worked fine.
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    May 21, 2016
    Artum Snowbird wrote:
    Not sure if you have done this. There is a wire that goes in the front of the water heater with a fusible link that is designed to cut off the power to the gas relay if the fusible link melts because of a fire outside of the burner.

    My fusible link was not melted, but the connection at one end of the fusible link was rotten and corroded preventing anything happening. Like you, I took the board in and it tested fine.

    Once I peeled off the shrink cover over the link, I could see the problem right away, and remade the connection with a new squeeze connector and then it all worked fine.


    That 'thermal link' kills ALL DC so nothing would work....electric or propane

    OPs issue is spark electrode NOT being engulfed in flame, loose/dirty contacts on 'high tension' wire (at transformer and/or electrode), cracked ceramic (signal tracking to ground) OR bad circuit on control module
  • CRMW's avatar
    CRMW
    Explorer
    May 21, 2016
    The problem seems to be the flame isn't strong enough to get to the flame sense probe. when I heat it up with a propane torch, the water heater will run
  • Artum_Snowbird's avatar
    Artum_Snowbird
    Explorer
    May 21, 2016
    "That 'thermal link' kills ALL DC so nothing would work....electric or propane"

    I think you mean 12 volt electric here, not positive, but pretty sure mine worked on 120 volt hot water heat. I think my unit was not used for boondocking, hence they never knew, or did, but nobody tested it until I did.
  • CRMW's avatar
    CRMW
    Explorer
    May 21, 2016
    In my testing, i bypassed the thermal link, ECO and thermostat and it still the same issue. When the thermal link is shot, i don't think you get any gas or spark.

    I just hooked up the orifice directly to the regulator bypassing the gas valve and I can get a much better flame. Leaves me to believe the gas valve itself isn't letting the gas flow properly.
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    May 22, 2016
    Artum Snowbird wrote:
    "That 'thermal link' kills ALL DC so nothing would work....electric or propane"

    I think you mean 12 volt electric here, not positive, but pretty sure mine worked on 120 volt hot water heat. I think my unit was not used for boondocking, hence they never knew, or did, but nobody tested it until I did.


    2004 models and newer...........ALL use DC to make/control electric and propane

    Thermal fuse trips......no DC.....no operation....120V AC (electric element) or 12V DC propane
    Electric element 120V AC is triggered by a DC Relay
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    May 22, 2016
    CRMW wrote:


    I just hooked up the orifice directly to the regulator bypassing the gas valve and I can get a much better flame. Leaves me to believe the gas valve itself isn't letting the gas flow properly.


    Hooked up orifice to regulator......????

    Which orifice....the one that is screwed into gas valve?


    Have you 'measured' the gas pressure at the WH gas valve??


    Have you checked that BOTH solenoids on gas valve are getting energized?


    Weak LP Regulator could be issue IF other propane appliances (furnace/stove top burners on HIGH) are not functioning properly
    OR
    It could just be bad/weak solenoid(s) on gas valve or a clogged Main Orifice.

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