Atwood water heater igniter, constant?

[pcoplin]

So this is my first auto-piezo-igniter water heater. When I initially turn on the igniter, it clicks real fast.

Both after the pilot is lit and the burner is on, it continues to ignite (click) at half time.

Here is a video, it starts out with the pilot on (piezo still igniting, but slower). I can turn off the igniter and the heater will work as long as the pilot is lit, however isn;t the piezo supposed to engage when the pilot goes out for any reason? Or do I turn the igniter off after it's lit?

[AnEv942]

Hadn't logged in for a few..
Yes not long after last post here. Used the Suburban kit 520821 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003G9J5CQ works perfect.

Only effort in fitting was placement/reshaping the included new electrode, minor but needed. Could have reused the old one (obviously it was working :)... but 17 years old....I'll add some pics from our ignitor page showing better than I can describe reshaping. But works like the old one used too. silent once lit, relights when blown out etc.

youtube video of it working

edit:
this one Suburban 520790 Re-Igniter Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007HRWQTC/ $10 cheaper same module, electrode appears bent a little different. Was out of stock when I did mine

Pics

I pulled burner tube-easier.


Kit I used but there are several that will work


Relocating/shaping ignitor mount and eletrode. NEVER apply any force to the ceramic


View 2


View 3


installed- I ran a direct aux. ground wire.

[pcoplin]

Just updating this thread. My pilot started acting up, leaking around the insertion.

I replaced the pilot assembly, and the pilot works great again. However, the ignitor still clicks at half speed or so when the pilot is lit. I left the pilot burning for about 15 minutes and the ignitor continue lighting.

AnEv942, did you try adapting the Suburban ignitor?

[AnEv942]

Looking for assistance again and ended up here- but referenced is my accidental fix from a few years ago on our Atwood G6A-7P 6 GAL water heater. Hmm
After cleaned it ran flawlessly for 5 years- however started few weeks ago again with the perpetual but slower click click click after pilot lit instead of stopping (Clicking). Resorted to lighting then turn the switch off. Works great for lighting-miss the relight though.

So spent a few hours yesterday thinking I could repeat previous 'fix' ...Cleaning the electrode-connections etc., unsuccessfully. Tried everything twice with no luck. Tried another electrode, direct ground to pilot tube- nada. Resigned myself to replace only to find parts are no longer available?

After some searching gave up. Since ignitor/relighter is independent of actual water heater going to use a Suburban universal ignitor/relighter. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007HRWQTC/
though on B/O so using https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003G9J5CQ.
Few dollars more but can read label-matches mine 12v 0.1 amp.

About half the cost of equivalent Atwood part. Though the (new) Atwood has included ground probe so not relying on sheet metal connection its also twice the cost, still require some mod to fit.

But just curious if anyone came up with stock/replacement parts source. I found odd not even references for substitutes of stock part numbers.

[pcoplin]

Cleaned up all grounds, from the module wiring, to the electrode/pilot/burner mounting. REALLY cleaned the tip of the electrode. Also smacking the module did nothing. 😄

the Atwood p/n for the electrode is 93804. Not available from Atwood, Channel ( the manufacturer), or in the parts system from my local dealer. The manufacturer couldn't even tell me how to test the electrode probe.

Guess It's a manual relight now. Waste of a few hours, too.

Thanks all for your help, Jim.

[bigfootford]

pcoplin wrote:

bigfootford wrote:

pcoplin wrote:
Funny, this is the only case of this continuous relighting I've found after several hours. Appears a good cleaning of the electrode and grounds did it.

http://www.ourelkhorn.itgo.com/heatfx.htm

Did you do this?

I had cleaned the tip of the electrode with no change. ALso adjusted it and verified that it was in the blue flame.

I haven't cleaned the pilot bowl itself, or any of the metal parts that it mounts to yet. I'll be doing that this evening.

The tip of the probe needs to be max 1/8 in from the pilot tip and into the flame of the pilot.....

If the cleaning and adjustment does not cure then the igniter is bad...

If the igniter tip was shorting/arching to ground/metal it would not ignite the flame.

I usually replace both the igniter and the probe at the same time.

Like you did say, you could just disable the igniter and manually light the pilot. The thermostat and thermocouple will keep the pilot lit and the fridge operational. The flame might just blow out... as you already know.



Jim

[pcoplin]

bigfootford wrote:

pcoplin wrote:
Funny, this is the only case of this continuous relighting I've found after several hours. Appears a good cleaning of the electrode and grounds did it.

http://www.ourelkhorn.itgo.com/heatfx.htm

Did you do this?

I had cleaned the tip of the electrode with no change. ALso adjusted it and verified that it was in the blue flame.

I haven't cleaned the pilot bowl itself, or any of the metal parts that it mounts to yet. I'll be doing that this evening.

[turbojimmy]

Just posting to subscribe. Thanks to the OP for the question. I've had the same issue with mine for a long time. It will continue to click, though slower. Eventually it does stop. I never looked into it until now.

[bigfootford]

pcoplin wrote:
Funny, this is the only case of this continuous relighting I've found after several hours. Appears a good cleaning of the electrode and grounds did it.

http://www.ourelkhorn.itgo.com/heatfx.htm

Did you do this?

[pcoplin]

Funny, this is the only case of this continuous relighting I've found after several hours. Appears a good cleaning of the electrode and grounds did it.

http://www.ourelkhorn.itgo.com/heatfx.htm

[pcoplin]

Bigfootford, thank you so much for the info on how it works. I had initially thought a ground pin had broken off!

I had adjusted the electrode all around before taking it off. No difference.

I've been finding that info out slowly. Atwood sent me to Camco. Camco only makes the thermocouples and pilot assemblies. Found the maker of the igniter module (Channel), and also found the part numbers on the Atwood parts list.

Electrode: 93804
Module: 93801
Harness: 93803

Now I'm waiting on a call back from Channel to see how to diagnose the electrode and module. I'll probably ust end up using it like a manual pilot model. I never drive with it on anyway.

[bigfootford]

pcoplin wrote:
Yeah, the pilot stays on. The igniter just continues clicking, but slower.

Looking at the wiring and the unit, there's only 3 wires to the spark module.

1: 12 v from the camper, shares with the hot water heater.
2: Ground to the case
3: output to the igniter


So unless the igniter is also supposed to act as a thermocouple, it's not an auto relight heater. Although I'm not sure why it slows to half speed when flame is applied. Hmmm..

The igniter tip has to be adjusted properly into the flame of the pilot. Called a pilot relight. If the flame is not quite adequate then it will continue to spark... The THERMOCOUPLE if heated enough will keep the pilot valve open, thus the pilot stays lit.

I did note that your pilot flame is burning yellow... Normally should be blue.

Jim

[bigfootford]

pcoplin wrote:
Yeah, the pilot stays on. The igniter just continues clicking.

So the main burner and the spark module use the same thermocouple? If that's the case then I'm going to guess something in the spark module is bad?

No.... Thermocouple goes to the Thermostat/valve control to hold the valve open for pilot. Your pilot is remaining lit so thermocouple and valve is ok.

The Igniter probe/sensor is one assembly with the wires attached to it.

I would adjust/ remove and clean/adjust the igniter probe... If that does not resolve the issue then the igniter module is the problem most likely.

The igniter probe is used for 2 functions.
1. provide ignition
2. detect flame...
How does it do that? When the flame occurs electrons flow (current) from the burner, through the FLAME to the igniter probe... up the wire into the ignition module.... The ignition module is not seeing that flame.

Jim

[pcoplin]

Never mind my last post, the model number states that it is an auto relight model:

G6A-7P 6 GAL. GAS - PILOT RELIGHT

Going to call Atwood. *sigh*

[jimh406]

That water heater video is crazy. I suggest the Tech Issues forum will get you more help.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/listings/forum/39.cfm

Alternatively, search that forum including archives.