Heating Empty Water Heater

[dano73]

My atwood water heaterwas turned on for about 12 hours without any water in it. I let it cool down for about a day and filled it with water, and turned the electric back on, no hot water. I hit the reset on the back of the heater, still no hot water. Im guessing I killed the element??? I will crawl in there tomw and test it

[Old-Biscuit]

dano73 wrote:
OOPS!! Forgot to mention gas never worked before!! Trailer is on a site and is not mobile, so gas side is really irrelevant right now. Thanks again OB, I will prolly pull it and put Teflon tape on the threads. The camco is a 1500 watt element, and the water is always way too hot.

Normal t-stat is preset for 140*F.........so you have to temper the hot water with some cold at the faucet (Straight hot will burn/scald)

Unfortunately they don't make a lower temp t-stat for your rear mount (do make 120*F for front mount but it is a DC t-stat....can't hook it up to 120V AC!)

Gas side is only irrelevant IF electric side continues to work...:B

[dano73]

OOPS!! Forgot to mention gas never worked before!! Trailer is on a site and is not mobile, so gas side is really irrelevant right now. Thanks again OB, I will prolly pull it and put Teflon tape on the threads. The camco is a 1500 watt element, and the water is always way too hot.

[Old-Biscuit]

dano73 wrote:
No the gas won't work.

Atwood element s/b part number 92249....screw in 1400W
I have never liked aftermarket universal parts.

Regardless the Camco should not weep. Might need to remove and check WH tank threads or gasket face for scrapes
Teflon tape on threads won't hurt.

YES.springs should have been used with the ECO/t-stat :S


WHy doesn't the propane work???

Better yet..what does it do when you try it?
Nothing, sparks no flame, no spark, no DC??????

[dano73]

No the gas won't work.

[ktmrfs]

dano73 wrote:
My atwood water heaterwas turned on for about 12 hours without any water in it. I let it cool down for about a day and filled it with water, and turned the electric back on, no hot water. I hit the reset on the back of the heater, still no hot water. Im guessing I killed the element??? I will crawl in there tomw and test it

you let the electric element run for about 11hours and 59 minutes to long with no water. the electric elements go FAST if they aren't in water.

gas will probably still work since the electric element probably didn't last long enough to heat the tank up much

[dano73]

Old Biscuit, I gotta hand it to ya, yeah it is a 2002 presidential. The atwood element that was called for was a 91160, but a camco 2142 came out of it. My dealer sold me a 2143 camco, but it doesn't list Atwood on the package. It also seems to me, the element housing is completely seated before the gasket compresses, so right now even though its working there is moisture, not quite a leak at the bottom of the element. Iwas wondering if the atwood elent has a deeper thread or bigger gasket? BTW, the po controlled the hot water by turning the breaker off when it got too hot. I replaced the tstat and eco 2 years ago, it appeared the "mechanic" that did the work didn't install the springs for the tsat and eco, prolly the same guy that installed the element Im thinking.

[imgoin4it]

I had to replace the heating element in a 2001 journey because I turned it on with no water in it. Had to remove the water heater to replace the element. Sounds like you have same situation

[j-d]

OB's right about the ECO part of a Standing Pilot heater. That's what I was working on when I read about what I posted above. It was an Atwood and the element was installed in the back.
The DSI (Electronic Ignition not Standing Pilot) is well worth the extra cost when getting a new water heater.

[Old-Biscuit]

SNOPRO711X wrote:
The water heater is an Atwood model GCH10A-3 in a 2003 Itasca Horizon. There is no access from inside the RV. The bottom cover does come off the heater and I can see the power going to the element area but it does not look like I can get into that area from the bottom. Does the whole heater have to be removed? Does not look like fun.

Thanks

Unfortunately some RV mfg.s didn't provide access to backside of WH.

IF that is the case....yes you have to pull WH out far enough to disconnect wiring/propane line/engine heater lines and remove WH from RV.

I would really, really check that there isn't a panel that can be removed...some means of access before pulling WH .

With the engine heater lines connected it makes it even more of a PITA to remove.
Unfortunate but electric element on Atwood is only accessible from the rear.

Your 2003 year was a transition year with Atwood.
Some models had the On/Off switch and t-stats on rear with element'
Rest of models (and all since) have element with dc relay on rear.

Sounds like yours it newer version so you will have DC wires to relay and AC wires to element under the cover.

[SNOPRO711X]

The water heater is an Atwood model GCH10A-3 in a 2003 Itasca Horizon. There is no access from inside the RV. The bottom cover does come off the heater and I can see the power going to the element area but it does not look like I can get into that area from the bottom. Does the whole heater have to be removed? Does not look like fun.

Thanks

[Old-Biscuit]

SNOPRO711X wrote:
I have the same problem, no operation on electric, works ok on gas. Where is the element?

Thanks

Which Brand/Model?

Atwood...rear of tank under cover (inside rv)
Suburban...outside compartment under gas valve

[Old-Biscuit]

j-d wrote:
Respectfully suggest checking it in GAS operation before changing the AC element. The Gas Valve has a "One Time ECO" (Energy Cut Off). There's a thermal link in the sensing part of the Gas Valve. Part that pokes into the water tank to determine water temperature and cycle the gas flame. Hopefully the electric element burned out before it got the empty tank hot enough to open the One Time ECO in the Gas Valve.
If it heats water on GAS, that $100+ thermostat is still OK and replacing an inexpensive element should get you running again. If it needs BOTH, you may want to consider your options, particularly if you hire somebody to work on it.

That would be IF OP has a pilot flame water heater.....ECO is part of gas valve.

BUT if it is a DSI (Spark Electrode with circuit board) then not an issue.

OP.....say electric element was on with tank empty but you let tank cool down before adding water.
WAS tank actually warm or you just took precaution about letting tank cool????

Atwood does use a clad electric element that can run dry a little longer than normal elements but not for 12 hrs.

You tried reset (didn't work) so you have an other model Atwood (prior to 2004) because the reset is part of t-stats on rear of tank where element is.
Plan on element being burnt out.

Does gas side work....it has it's own set of t-stats and control?

[SNOPRO711X]

I have the same problem, no operation on electric, works ok on gas. Where is the element?

Thanks

[j-d]

Respectfully suggest checking it in GAS operation before changing the AC element. The Gas Valve has a "One Time ECO" (Energy Cut Off). There's a thermal link in the sensing part of the Gas Valve. Part that pokes into the water tank to determine water temperature and cycle the gas flame. Hopefully the electric element burned out before it got the empty tank hot enough to open the One Time ECO in the Gas Valve.
If it heats water on GAS, that $100+ thermostat is still OK and replacing an inexpensive element should get you running again. If it needs BOTH, you may want to consider your options, particularly if you hire somebody to work on it.