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rsqfyrmedic's avatar
rsqfyrmedic
Explorer
Jan 19, 2019

No power to water heater (Gas OR Electric)

Happy New Year all! Just came back from second trip in our 2004 Fleetwood Providence 39L. Wifey used hot water for a shower one day. No untoward events I can think of but the next time she went for hot water there was none.

Spent some time troubleshooting and found there's no power coming to the unit when I hit the switches up front (Either LP or electric). Everything points to a blown fuse/breaker but I can't find one tripped. There's the main breakers just under the bed that are fine....Is there another set of fuses I'm missing?

On another note, one of the bedroom slides won't go out....came in fine and I do hear the motor engage when I press the switch to bring it in, but nothing happens when I press the "out" on the same switch. Also, no breakers tripped but can't find any fuses.

Any help would be greatly appreciated....thanks in advance!
Class A
  • midnightsadie's avatar
    midnightsadie
    Explorer II
    Jan 19, 2019
    at the water heater theres a breaker mines back in the wires ,some called a clicks,on push to reset. some one will come on with a better way of saying this.
  • stickdog's avatar
    stickdog
    Explorer
    Jan 19, 2019
    There is a control board that may have gone to the electric graveyard. Small box 3x5x3/4 with wires going to HW and through the walls or basement to the switchs that turn on gas or electric for HW.
  • enblethen's avatar
    enblethen
    Nomad
    Jan 19, 2019
    Your water heater uses 12 volt for control and power to the circuit board,
    You need to locate your 12 volt DC power distribution panel. Loction varies.
    Slide could be a bad switch. Some slides run all the power for the motor through the switch rather then a relay.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Jan 19, 2019
    First: One thing both the slides and the water heater have in common is the 12 volt side of life.. Do lights and such work inside the RV?

    The water heater uses 12 volts (Atwood) for all control and from the sounds of it you have an atwood. Subrurans.. It varies.. The slide runs and is also controleld by 12 volt.

    Look to the fuse panel and then look to the control board.. Possibility of a replaceable fuse is low on the control board but not ZERO. ALso look for 12 volts at the control board connector. YOU WILL NEED a volt meter and the owner's manual to figure out which pin

    There is an electrical connector. Usually on top of the tank inside.. I have to pull the tank to get at it. IT HAS NEVER come apart by accident.. on my atwood. But I'm not sayign it can not happen.
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Jan 19, 2019
    You have an Atwood water heater which uses 12V DC to control the electric & propane heating
    The DC triggers the 120V AC to electric element via a DC Relay
    The DC controls ALL functions
    12V DC comes from a FUSED source...so you have probably blown a fuse

    Slides .....worked coming IN but now nothing to extend.
    Could have blown a fuse, bad controller or bad SWITCH
  • old_guy's avatar
    old_guy
    Explorer
    Jan 19, 2019
    if it is a suburban water heater try wiggle the wires with the gas switch in the on position, happened to me once and the tech just laughed at me when it fired right up. no charge for the laugh he said and left
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Jan 20, 2019
    old guy wrote:
    if it is a suburban water heater try wiggle the wires with the gas switch in the on position, happened to me once and the tech just laughed at me when it fired right up. no charge for the laugh he said and left



    How does that affect the electric which on a Suburban is completely separate system?
    Which isn't what OP has
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Jan 20, 2019
    How does it affect the electric on a Surburan? Different wires. different system

    But from the OP's description he has an Atwood.
  • dougrainer's avatar
    dougrainer
    Nomad
    Jan 20, 2019
    Old-Biscuit wrote:
    You have an Atwood water heater which uses 12V DC to control the electric & propane heating
    The DC triggers the 120V AC to electric element via a DC Relay
    The DC controls ALL functions
    12V DC comes from a FUSED source...so you have probably blown a fuse

    Slides .....worked coming IN but now nothing to extend.
    Could have blown a fuse, bad controller or bad SWITCH


    He has a 2004. That puts his water heater in the time where Atwood still had separate controls for 120 and LP. Just because he states he flips the switches up front for LP or 120 does NOT point to a newer all 12 volt control system. A LOT of OEMs ran the 120 wall switch next to the LP On/Off switch. He may have 2 problems. He needs to state Brand and MODEL of his Heater. Doug
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Jan 20, 2019
    dougrainer wrote:
    Old-Biscuit wrote:
    You have an Atwood water heater which uses 12V DC to control the electric & propane heating
    The DC triggers the 120V AC to electric element via a DC Relay
    The DC controls ALL functions
    12V DC comes from a FUSED source...so you have probably blown a fuse

    Slides .....worked coming IN but now nothing to extend.
    Could have blown a fuse, bad controller or bad SWITCH


    He has a 2004. That puts his water heater in the time where Atwood still had separate controls for 120 and LP. Just because he states he flips the switches up front for LP or 120 does NOT point to a newer all 12 volt control system. A LOT of OEMs ran the 120 wall switch next to the LP On/Off switch. He may have 2 problems. He needs to state Brand and MODEL of his Heater. Doug


    OP stated:
    No power to water heater (Gas OR Electric)

    3E models do use separate controls ---Independent sources of power/t-stats etc
    4E models use SAME for both electric/propane

    OP's doesn't heat via electric OR propane....suggest Common System (4E)
    3E model and BOTH not working......highly unlikely since they are NOT connected or have common controls

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