Water heater melted (just bought)

Very old hater heater (RUST). Just replace it with a new one and go camping when things open up.

Old-Biscuit wrote:

BFL13 wrote:

I have a 3a fuse (vs 2a )in the CB I got from the spares in my 2003 Chev truck.

Really should use a 2A.....by the time 3A is achieved your new circuit board will be damaged

Didn't new circuit board come with a 2A on it????

The board came off the water heater with the cracked tank that came out of friend's trailer. Its fuse was blown and I used the 3a to get it going. Will replace with 2a.

Was a daisy chain. I replaced her broken 2005 WH with one from her mum's 1998 RV being parted out, then got to keep her broken one as parts for my shaky 1991 WH, and got that working properly at last. :)

Thanks again to you and the other guys for all the help with that!

The OP, if he ever comes back, should take heart. "If you can't be handsome, at least be handy."

BFL13 wrote:

I have a 3a fuse (vs 2a )in the CB I got from the spares in my 2003 Chev truck.

Really should use a 2A.....by the time 3A is achieved your new circuit board will be damaged

Didn't new circuit board come with a 2A on it????

DrewE wrote:
Here's the picture (I hope)...imgur doesn't make it remotely easy to link to a picture directly, which is what the forum needs.



At a first glance I wonder if there's some blockage in the flue that is causing the flame or heat to come out by the burner tube rather than the exhaust port. At any rate it seems the control module ought to be replaced now.

Here is more to add to what has been said--hope the OP is still around.

I have swapped out some parts of my OEM 1991 Atwood with newer parts from a friend's parting out job and also from Amazon. Photos show mine as now (newer circuit board, burner tube, sparker, and gas valve) and also some parts from my OEM that are like what the OP has in the above photo.

I took the circuit board out of its cover to show how it might only be his plastic cover that is damaged, and also to show the OP how to check his for any visible damage.

(I changed to the newer sparker to go with the newer CB that has the flame sensor method different. had some trouble with the rusty brackets parts but managed.

I have a 3a fuse (vs 2a )in the CB I got from the spares in my 2003 Chev truck.

I had to add those clamps at the air shutter to get the openings smaller and to secure it better to the newer gas valve.)

DrewE wrote:
Here's the picture (I hope)...imgur doesn't make it remotely easy to link to a picture directly,

Right click, copy image address, which is what you did.. I guess.

Atwood guide says you can get flame outside from a blocked burner tube or from a blocked flue tube. The photo shows that it was coming from the air shutter over the orifice, so the burner tube needs unblocking at least. (Flame might also be from the flue)

BTW, they say to use a brush to clean it all out or the rag on wire and that "compressed air may not fully remove the obstruction".

I would clean it all up and see if it still works first. Worth a try. If no good
The burner tube comes with the air shutter on Amazon so that is easy.
If the circuit board is damaged inside the partly melted cover, it can be replaced too. Sparker set too. My sparker set was rusted on like in the photo so I had to use it with the new burner, but you can get all that new.

EDIT--can't remember if that circuit board in the photo has that little 2a blade fuse that you can replace from outside it. ( I swapped mine around and the CBs are different but work the same way)
So confirm the fuse is good before giving up on the CB.

Turns out the older board in the OP's does not have that fuse.

its toast , and it was old, part of the learning of owning an rv. in the future ask questions , could have been lot worse. there not hard to change . check other places beside,s a dealer for a replacement.

The melted part of the module is non-functional. it's just potting compound and serves NO electrical or electronic function save to keep you from touching things best not touched. IF the damage does not extend into the module (and I do not think it does) no need to replace. .Just trim the melt away.

I agree with the clogged flue.. Insect or bird nest, folks.. Sadly it's been just long enough since I had mine off that I do not know how easy it is to pear into it but an endoscope from wish.com (about 10 bucks) might help.

Or an air compressor and blow through the flue.

That is an extremely OLD Atwood. I would say pre 1995. Since the WH is that old, I would replace the complete unit. The cause of that blowback was a restriction in the burner tube and/or restriction in the chimney exhaust, usually insect nests. This type problem rarely happens on newer Atwoods with the Flame/thermal sense fuse. It happens but the thermal fuse melts before damage to the water heater controls. Doug

NOTE:
VERIFY your model vs parts listed