balky water heater
At issue is an Atwood dual heat unit installed in a 2004 RV. On initial attempt to fire on propane there is the distinctive sound of propelled air/gas (likely mostly air), the tick-tick-tick of th...
Forum Discussion
noplace2 wrote:
I'll try this one more time. I mistyped in the first place, and subsequently. In the mean time, I've removed and properly gapped the igniter electrode, burnished the contacts and centered the igniter in the tube.
What I did not make clear originally, is that the unit fires immediately with a strong flame but shuts down after a few seconds (it appears that the gas valve is shutting down). Only on the 4th or 5th try will it remain on. Hopefully that explanation will lead to a better diagnosis. Thanks again in advance.
OK main flame is lighting off but is not staying lit.
Main flame needs to engulf the spark electrode when it lites off.
Then thru 'flame ionization' a milivolt signal is generated. This milivolt goes back to circuit board to 'prove' main flame is burning.
If circuit board doesn't get this signal it drops DC power to gas valve and closes it.
So main flame lighting off...milivolt signal is getting dropped, shorting out to ground, not being generated etc.
Clean spark electrode with some emery cloth
Check that high voltage wire to spark electrode connection is clean/tight both at electrode and at circuit board
Check that spark electrode has good clean/tight ground connection
Check that ceramic on electrode is not cracked allowing trace to ground
Install a new spark electrode.
