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Relheok's avatar
Relheok
Explorer
Apr 25, 2016

Awkward Atwood Problem

Summerizing my Dutchmen Travel Trailer I found that the water temperature was only luke warm. Replaced the thermostat and now its perfect. Test heater on electric, no problem. Turn propane on with electric, both fire up. Try to run propane by itself and it won't fire up. Let the trailer cool overnight and turn on the propane water heater and nothing fires. Turn on electric and then turn on propane and it fires right up.

I have one of the atwood dual switches. What am I looking at? New switch? Confused.

I did unplug from shore power and on battery was able to turn on electric water heater and then propane and it fires up. My concern is this summer we will be on generator for a week and want to power my AC unit with it. I do not want to power my AC and electric water heater.
  • j-d's avatar
    j-d
    Explorer II
    Please post your Atwood Model Number. We'll try to help.

    With that number, you should be able to look up a service manual at bryantrv.com and manuals usually have troubleshooting.
  • j-d wrote:
    Please post your Atwood Model Number. We'll try to help.

    With that number, you should be able to look up a service manual at bryantrv.com and manuals usually have troubleshooting.


    Sorry, it is a GC6AA-10E
  • Model number doesn't much matter after Model Year 2004 ------ALL models after that use 12V DC to operate both electric and propane (for controls)

    The Dual On/Off Switch for 'electric' and 'propane' gets 12V DC power from the DC Dist Panel (fuse). Same 12V power goes to both switches.

    Then Separate wiring goes to each one of the different heat sources.

    Electric uses 12V to a 'relay' that triggers 120V AC to the element (under cover where element is---backside of WH Tank)
    Propane uses 12V to the gas solenoid/spark electrode for main flame
    Both use same circuit board and set of t-stats for control

    Electric sends 12V from On/Off Switch to circuit board thru the WHITE WIRE (on connector)
    Propane send 12V from On/Off Switch to circuit board thru the ORANGE WIRE (on connector)

    With propane on/off switch turned ON you should have 12V on ORANGE to board then 12V from board on BROWN to t-stat.
    No 12V on ORANGE to board.....check output of ON/OFF switch
    No 12V on BROWN from board....pull connector off and check connector pins (none bent) and clean up contact surface on board with pencil eraser.

    Here is how ON/OFF Switches are wired



    Here is the wiring scheme for controls




    Without AC Power and propane worked BUT you had to turn electric on also then start AT switches........Propane switch should be getting power directly (via jumper) whether electric switch is ON or OFF
    Might be that Electric switch is not passing power to jumper unless on ......then BAD electric switch.
  • X2 on old biscuit theory, but I want to add the possibility that the 3 pin switch may be wired wrong... As in the side of the switch with the jumper wire to the other switch may be wired backward so that the 12 V+ is only getting to the jumper once the switch is thrown.
  • It has always worked until this year. Only item changed has been the thermostat. I will probably order new switch as they are only $11 after I check all connections tomorrow. Thanks for the ideas guys. I will come back when I find a solution.
  • I did end up changing the switch and it did not solve the problem. I ended up running it like this the rest of summer without issue.

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