Took a 2 week camping trip. What an adventure. A few things broke and had to do some road side repairs and a few things got thrown around. (packed too loosely :B Our bad...). Besides the issues the trip itself was great.The broken things frustrate me as my Coachmen 18bh is new. (straps on waste water pipe broke, window crank fell off, brakes still vibrating, and propane HW tank started popping/shooting fire)I fixed the strap and haven't had a chance to look at the window as I'm on business travel now.The hotwater tank thing scared the******out of us. 10pm at night, HW tank on and getting ready to take a shower. We here this loud bang like someone threw a basketball against the camper. A short moment later, it happened again and I go outside and don't see anything. Then as I'm walking around the camper I hear the POP! again and see this fireball shoot out from the HW tank area. I screamed at the wife to turn everything off. Scared the me to death. Luckily it was the last night and the water was already hot so still got to take a shower.I've read that bugs can climb into the pipe where I guess the propane goes through and that blockage can cause that, but I didn't see anything. Once again, I didn't have time to look at it again to see if it still happens. I'm almost afraid to turn it back on.We have other trips planned and now I'm freaking about our camper staying in warranty repair jail and us loosing our trips. Timing sucks and I have other things keeping me from being able to look into anything or even take it to a shop this week.....

Sounds like your RV needs to spend some time at the dealer.Make a list of everything that needs to be fixed including stuff you were willing to ignore. You want to begin a paper trail in case you've happened to have gotten a lemon.Although in reading these forums over several years it seems most new RVs end up with at least 10 problems after the first several trips. We had seven on ours and a few more popped up within the first year.

I had the same problem... I did a leak test and found the gas valve was defective and didn't completely shut off. Replaced the gas valve all is good.

Since its brand new my guess you have some blockage between the gas flow and the igniter. I had a similar issue where the unit was shipped with an extra little mounting bracket loose in chamber. That little bracket lodged between the gas feed and the spark igniter. When enough gas build up and hit the igniter and the mini explosion occurred. My POS dealer never found it. I decided to take it apart and it was right there plain as day. Could be nests or something else but that's where I would start. If there is no blockage it's a fault valve or regulator.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Yesterday I went out and inspected what I could without disassembling anything. Didn't see anything.Turned the HW tank back on with Propane and the water heated up just fine. No popping, banging, or fireballs.I hope this was just a fluke thing and maybe it was a bug, spider web, too much wind or something that's not a real issue.

the bear II wrote:Although in reading these forums over several years it seems most new RVs end up with at least 10 problems after the first several trips. We had seven on ours and a few more popped up within the first year.Why is that? Is it because quality control is lacking on trailers?

hotwater tank pops loudly | Good Sam Community

12 Replies

CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Oct 04, 2013
Here it is I found it right away. If you do take your in to get it fixed let me know what you find out. I was able to fix mine in this way but, I wonder why, after all these years, I had to readjust it suddenly?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSjDklZh4ws
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Oct 04, 2013
BeckyIO wrote:
I have a 14 year old travel trailer with the original water heater and sometimes it makes loud popping noises after it's been running for a while and the flame gets irregular. It doesn't happen when lighting, it happens after it's been running a bit. It's enough to keep me from using the thing - I've done all my showering in the facilities of the campground I'm staying at so far (and I've been a full-timer for over a year, so that's a lot of showers ;) but eventually I'd love to do some boondocking and I need a working water heater so I can shower to do that. Very little technical know-how here, so I'll have to take it in somewhere to get looked at eventually - I can only hope that when I do someone who knows what they're doing will look at it.

Oh that sort of popping. From the flame. Mine did that and I had to readjust the air inlet on the burner tube. On mine it was a little piece of tin that wrapped around the burner tube. By loosening a screw I was able to slide the tin back and forth adjusting the flame. There is a You Tube video on it if I can find it I'll put it in my next post.
BeckyIO
Explorer
Oct 04, 2013
I have a 14 year old travel trailer with the original water heater and sometimes it makes loud popping noises after it's been running for a while and the flame gets irregular. It doesn't happen when lighting, it happens after it's been running a bit. It's enough to keep me from using the thing - I've done all my showering in the facilities of the campground I'm staying at so far (and I've been a full-timer for over a year, so that's a lot of showers ;) but eventually I'd love to do some boondocking and I need a working water heater so I can shower to do that. Very little technical know-how here, so I'll have to take it in somewhere to get looked at eventually - I can only hope that when I do someone who knows what they're doing will look at it.
docnascar
Explorer
Oct 01, 2013
Some pics.
docnascar
Explorer
Oct 01, 2013
I believe this issue is resolved now. Took the camper in for service and they said the igniter had too large of a gap. Thus, sometimes it would spark (or it was too weak) and sometimes it would not.

Used it this weekend and no explosions!

Anyone know what the gap should be?
PA12DRVR
Explorer
Jul 08, 2013
I suspect you've got a bad gas valve and/or thermocouple and/or electronic ignition board (not sure of your setup). If it won't light and won't stay on even when lit, you've either got a bad gas valve (most likely) or some sort of restriction between the gas valve and the burner (I suspect that is very unlikely).
docnascar
Explorer
Jul 08, 2013
Just making a note. The problem came back.

Went camping this weekend and tried to understand the problem a little more. The HW tank will continue to try and light, if it fails to light it goes into reset and tries again. While its trying to ignite the propane (you can hear it sparking) the reset light goes out. I discovered that it will "backfire" if its allowed to try and light on the 3rd try. The "backfire" on the third try is pretty consistent. I think too much propane is building up, while it trying to light multiple times in a row.

I was able to do a workaround by turning on the HW tank and listen to it. If it doesn't light on the second try, I turn it off and give the propane time to dissipate. Then turn it back on and let it try again for another two times. Then I turn it off if it doesn't light the second time. Repeat, until it lights...

The time it does light is inconsistent. It will light on the 4th try, the 6th try, it has lit on the first try after it has "backfired", but I won't let it to do that now.

I'm wondering if the igniter is bad because the propane doesn't light and its allowed to build up?

I'm going to get someone to look at this and maybe it will be under warranty. I have a very little idea of how these things work or what I'm looking at.
Wishbone51
Explorer
Jun 12, 2013
the bear II wrote:
Although in reading these forums over several years it seems most new RVs end up with at least 10 problems after the first several trips. We had seven on ours and a few more popped up within the first year.

Why is that? Is it because quality control is lacking on trailers?
docnascar
Explorer
Jun 12, 2013
Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Yesterday I went out and inspected what I could without disassembling anything. Didn't see anything.

Turned the HW tank back on with Propane and the water heated up just fine. No popping, banging, or fireballs.

I hope this was just a fluke thing and maybe it was a bug, spider web, too much wind or something that's not a real issue.
SilnJohn
Explorer
Jun 04, 2013
Since its brand new my guess you have some blockage between the gas flow and the igniter. I had a similar issue where the unit was shipped with an extra little mounting bracket loose in chamber. That little bracket lodged between the gas feed and the spark igniter. When enough gas build up and hit the igniter and the mini explosion occurred. My POS dealer never found it. I decided to take it apart and it was right there plain as day.

Could be nests or something else but that's where I would start. If there is no blockage it's a fault valve or regulator.

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hotwater tank pops loudly

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