I posted a thread over on the Lance Truck camper forum about my Hot Water heater that would mysteriously shut down over and over again after about 5 seconds of ignition. I did some experimenting and this is what I found. I pretty sure this info may be helpful to someone else so I am posting it here also. Update on my water heater. Ok I have the absolute answer to what my problem was. Moisture on either the probe or control board or probe wire. I reproduced the problem probably 8 times without fail. It was working perfectly, then I went out and misted the probe and wire only. Went back in to fire it up and sure enough it shut down. Took my heat gun and dried it up and sure enough it worked perfect. Then I kept the probe dry and misted the control board and same thing. I ran the heat gun on the control board and if fired right back up. I repeated this 3 or 4 times on both the probe and control board and it produced the exact same results. So it looks like I will be keeping a hair dryer or heat gun on board. This actually makes sense because it acted up after filling the tank and when we drove through heavy rain going fishing. It was interesting to me that either one the control board or probe and wire would cause the problem. If it was just the probe and wire I would buy a new one. But sense it is both I don't think I will. So I guess that little mili amp feedback gets dissipated when wet. So keep that stuff dry when you fill you Water heater!My water heater is a Atwood 6 gallon G6A-8e Spec no 220038Dave

I had a dirty ground connection on my Atwood that produced something like that. Remove your ground connections and look for corrosion at the ring.

I am not sure I understand your story. But there is a problem with some of the Atwood heater units. It can be extremely frustrating. Many users have repeatedly cleaned or replaced the probe. Sometimes that seems to fix the issue but it often appears again. Others have given up and replaced the entire control board with a 3rd party unit. I was about to do that when I discovered the cause of the intermittent issue. The electrical connector stops working consistently and the burner will not stay lit. I put an office paper binder clip on the connector. That solved the problem for months. On occasion the problem returns and I go out and jiggle the connection and reattach the binder.

Bedlam, I your post appeared as I was writing mine. I should check the ground also. Where is it?

You typically see a wire or two running from the control board to the metal housing with a crimp ring held in place with a sheet metal screw. Sometimes this is close to vent valve (which makes corrosion more possible). Any physical connection will fail more often than a component, so checking the connectors for proper fit and clean surfaces is a given. Some people use dielectric grease, but I find it attracts dust and can cause new problems - if you use it, just apply a thin layer on the contacts.

Flame Proving signal is generated by MAIN FLAME.......ionization creates AC Milivolts.Signal goes back to circuit board to PROVE flame is lit.W/O signal circuit board shuts gas valve.Spark Electrode Assembly mounting screw proves one source of grounding for electrode----clean/tight connectionSpark Electrode High Tension wire connection at transformer needs to be clean/tight Spark Electrode Ceramic insulator....if cracked signal will track to ground vs getting back to circuit board (fire off WH at night in dark and watch for tracking)Spark Electrode needs to be 'engulfed' in Main Flame so signal can return...any sooting/carbon on electrode tip will stop milivolt signalSpark Electrode Gap needs to be 1/8" for a good strong sparkGround wire from connectr to WH frame..clean/tightCircuit Board mounting screw.....provides groundingDoesn't take much to stop that AC Milivolt Signal

Atwood Water Heater shutting down fix | Good Sam Community

16 Replies

dave17352
Explorer II
Apr 08, 2017
My point was moisture on the control board or probe can cause a problem with the electrical current old biscuit is referring to. In fact I am certain it was doing that on my hot water heater.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Apr 08, 2017
Flame Proving signal is generated by MAIN FLAME.......ionization creates AC Milivolts.

Signal goes back to circuit board to PROVE flame is lit.

W/O signal circuit board shuts gas valve.

Spark Electrode Assembly mounting screw proves one source of grounding for electrode----clean/tight connection

Spark Electrode High Tension wire connection at transformer needs to be clean/tight

Spark Electrode Ceramic insulator....if cracked signal will track to ground vs getting back to circuit board (fire off WH at night in dark and watch for tracking)

Spark Electrode needs to be 'engulfed' in Main Flame so signal can return...any sooting/carbon on electrode tip will stop milivolt signal

Spark Electrode Gap needs to be 1/8" for a good strong spark

Ground wire from connectr to WH frame..clean/tight
Circuit Board mounting screw.....provides grounding

Doesn't take much to stop that AC Milivolt Signal
Bedlam
Moderator
Apr 08, 2017
You typically see a wire or two running from the control board to the metal housing with a crimp ring held in place with a sheet metal screw. Sometimes this is close to vent valve (which makes corrosion more possible).

Any physical connection will fail more often than a component, so checking the connectors for proper fit and clean surfaces is a given. Some people use dielectric grease, but I find it attracts dust and can cause new problems - if you use it, just apply a thin layer on the contacts.
JimK-NY
Explorer II
Apr 08, 2017
Bedlam, I your post appeared as I was writing mine. I should check the ground also. Where is it?
JimK-NY
Explorer II
Apr 08, 2017
I am not sure I understand your story. But there is a problem with some of the Atwood heater units. It can be extremely frustrating. Many users have repeatedly cleaned or replaced the probe. Sometimes that seems to fix the issue but it often appears again. Others have given up and replaced the entire control board with a 3rd party unit. I was about to do that when I discovered the cause of the intermittent issue. The electrical connector stops working consistently and the burner will not stay lit. I put an office paper binder clip on the connector. That solved the problem for months. On occasion the problem returns and I go out and jiggle the connection and reattach the binder.
Bedlam
Moderator
Apr 08, 2017
I had a dirty ground connection on my Atwood that produced something like that. Remove your ground connections and look for corrosion at the ring.

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Atwood Water Heater shutting down fix

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