I have an Atwood water heater that has been acting up for a while now and I hope you can help. It is a pilotless unit if that makes a difference. When I first turn the WH on it takes a couple attempts to light and everything is fine. After 6-7 hours it shuts off and I get the red light at the switch and it won't relight. Once in a while it will try but it seems to struggle and will back fire with a nice POOF that is a little alarming bit doesn't ignite. If I shut it down for a couple hours it will light up like normal. I have taken to just shutting it off when we're not using it but I hate when my stuff doesn't work as designed. I took an air hose to it and got some dust and fine dirt out of it but I lit it up left it on evernite and it shut itself off again. I'm thinking it may be the igniter, maybe it is intermittent or are they a good or bad function only?Thanks.

Try checking the burner, should do it each season.https://yourfulltimervliving.com/rv-resources/rv-water-heater-troubleshooting-simple-maintenance-will-save-you-money

Whats your altidude? Altitude makes a difference in % of air to gas mix, so a lean or rich mix will cause mis fire. When it does light what does it sound like look like? A roaring flame is lean, lazy lean, quiet, yellowish. Clean blue with slight rumble is proper. We have had to adjust the air intake (with tape over a bit of the intake) at low altitude to stop flame out from low mixture.

garym114 wrote:Try checking the burner, should do it each season.https://yourfulltimervliving.com/rv-resources/rv-water-heater-troubleshooting-simple-maintenance-will-save-you-moneyI went through all this tonight. Like I said, it works fine for the first 6-8 hours or so then shuts off. I shut it off for a while and then it works again for another 6-8 hours. I guess a better description is that it is not cycling like a regular heater.

SDcampowneroperator wrote:Whats your altidude? Altitude makes a difference in % of air to gas mix, so a lean or rich mix will cause mis fire. When it does light what does it sound like look like? A roaring flame is lean, lazy lean, quiet, yellowish. Clean blue with slight rumble is proper. We have had to adjust the air intake (with tape over a bit of the intake) at low altitude to stop flame out from low mixture.I'm at about 1500'. Everything looks good. Just seems like it won't cycle back on when the water temp drops after the initial start up.

Sounds like the thermostat may be going bad and the ECO may be shutting down the gas flow. See this for a nice visual troubleshooting/replacement guide.

Water Heater Problems | Good Sam Community

garym114
Explorer II
Sep 25, 2019
Try checking the burner, should do it each season.
https://yourfulltimervliving.com/rv-resources/rv-water-heater-troubleshooting-simple-maintenance-will-save-you-money
SDcampowneroper
Explorer
Sep 25, 2019
Whats your altidude? Altitude makes a difference in % of air to gas mix, so a lean or rich mix will cause mis fire. When it does light what does it sound like look like?
A roaring flame is lean, lazy lean, quiet, yellowish. Clean blue with slight rumble is proper.
We have had to adjust the air intake (with tape over a bit of the intake) at low altitude to stop flame out from low mixture.
SMarquez
Explorer
Sep 25, 2019
garym114 wrote:
Try checking the burner, should do it each season.
https://yourfulltimervliving.com/rv-resources/rv-water-heater-troubleshooting-simple-maintenance-will-save-you-money

I went through all this tonight. Like I said, it works fine for the first 6-8 hours or so then shuts off. I shut it off for a while and then it works again for another 6-8 hours. I guess a better description is that it is not cycling like a regular heater.
SMarquez
Explorer
Sep 25, 2019
SDcampowneroperator wrote:
Whats your altidude? Altitude makes a difference in % of air to gas mix, so a lean or rich mix will cause mis fire. When it does light what does it sound like look like?
A roaring flame is lean, lazy lean, quiet, yellowish. Clean blue with slight rumble is proper.
We have had to adjust the air intake (with tape over a bit of the intake) at low altitude to stop flame out from low mixture.

I'm at about 1500'. Everything looks good. Just seems like it won't cycle back on when the water temp drops after the initial start up.
Rover_Bill
Explorer II
Sep 25, 2019
Sounds like the thermostat may be going bad and the ECO may be shutting down the gas flow. See this for a nice visual troubleshooting/replacement guide.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Sep 25, 2019
Flame not relighting when t-stat calls for heat (over 6-8 hours it would cycle SEVERAL times) is #1 reason RED Fault Light comes on

If thermostat was going bad it would either NOT heat at all or would overheat
ECO would then trip and lockout water heater (trigger the RED Fault Light)

What year is this water heater?

Sounds like the circuit board is causing problems.....which Atwood boards have an issue with
nayther
Explorer
Sep 25, 2019
can you hear the spark igniter "clicking" when it tries to light?

I'm with Old-Biscuit, seen quite a few boards being replaced.

Year of TH would be helpful
momentum_rv
Explorer
Sep 25, 2019
The gap in the ignighter may be too close or too far. Either one can cause your problem. Try adjusting it slightly further to get a stronger spark.
SMarquez
Explorer
Sep 25, 2019
nayther wrote:
can you hear the spark igniter "clicking" when it tries to light?

I'm with Old-Biscuit, seen quite a few boards being replaced.

Year of TH would be helpful

Yes, I can hear the igniter clicking. It will sometimes "backfire" but not light unless I shut it down for a while.
SMarquez
Explorer
Sep 25, 2019
Old-Biscuit wrote:
Flame not relighting when t-stat calls for heat (over 6-8 hours it would cycle SEVERAL times) is #1 reason RED Fault Light comes on

If thermostat was going bad it would either NOT heat at all or would overheat
ECO would then trip and lockout water heater (trigger the RED Fault Light)

What year is this water heater?

Sounds like the circuit board is causing problems.....which Atwood boards have an issue with

Good info there. My water heater from 2006 and is a gas only unit. I'll try to post a picture of it. The water heater manual is the only one I don't have from when I bought the trailer new. I'll try to post a picture of it. Thanks.

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