No Hot Water

[jentrxm]

https://i.imgur.com/bQulQ6Z.jpg

This is our water heater in our camper. We're not getting any hot water out of it whatsoever. The "Water Heater" switch on the switchboard lights up, so it seems to be getting power. There's plenty of propane and the fridge is working.

I've had no luck trying to figure it out. Everything I found on Google on diagnosing and fixing problems didn't seem to apply to this model, as I can't find the pilot light or any kind of restart button.

If anyone has advice on this model of water heater I would greatly appreciate any help you all can give.

[DFord]

There should be a small fuse on the control board. If you had a meter (they're not very expensive and recommended equipment for all RVers) you could pull it out and test it.

If it's a new unit, can you see if the dealer can help? If it's not the fuse, it could be the control module itself and that's about $100 more or less depending if you get it from Amazon or an RV stealer.

Watch this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXq6NEokQ_A

[jentrxm]

We bought the camper new in July. We've camped multiple times and it worked perfectly until now. We haven't touched anything, winterized anything, or turned any bypass valves.

And the heater definitely does not have an electric option. Additionally when we turn it on there's no clicking noise that we can hear where it's trying to light.

[DFord]

jentrxm,
Sorry to ask all these questions but we need to know the answers to give you an educated guess as to your problem.

1. Has it ever worked? (It looks brand new is the reason I ask.)

2. Do you know where the valves are to winterize the water heater.

There's a couple of different setups for that - one uses 3 separate valves. One on the cold water inlet to the water heater, one on the hot water outlet from the water heater and one on a line that connects the inlet and outlet. When the water heater is in "bypass" mode for winterizing, all the water goes through the open interconnecting line and none of it gets to the water heater. The valves are 1/4 turn valves and the handles let you know whether they're open of closed. When in use, the bypass is closed and the inlet and outlet are open.

There's another system that has only one valve which is usually clearly marked BYPASS.

These bypass valves are on the back side of the water heater. This area is usually accessible through a cabinet but sometimes you can't get to that area without removing a panel.

When on propane, you should easily hear the snapping of the spark trying to light the flame. It should make 3 attempts to light the fire before safetying off which lights an indicator lamp on the switch.

IF your water heater has the option of an electric element, there's no indication but the water warming up.

Hope this helps you with your troubleshooting. Give us some more information and we'll nail it!

[jentrxm]

The model number is G6A-8E.

[jentrxm]

Mfan wrote:
Is the propane on? Do you get a spark when you turn it on?

The propane is definitely on. I turned on the fridge and it ran fine off the propane. And a spark where? There's no visible sparking mechanism that I see (though I'm new to campers and not super mechanical).

bikendan wrote:
Looks like an Atwood. can you confirm that and its model number?
also need pics from the other side of the WH, where the bypass valves are.

It's a Dometic on the sticker, but Googling the model number turns up Atwood too. As for the other side I assume you mean unscrew it and pull it out?

2oldman wrote:
Did you winterize it?

We have not.

cavie wrote:
We need to know the position of the by pass valves. we need to know if there is power to the heater measured with a volt meter not lights on a panel. We need to know if there is water in the heater. We need model # to know if it is gas and/or electric. There is no pilot light. It is electronic ignition.

I don't happen to have a volt meter. I guess that'd be a handy thing to buy. There is water in the heater. It comes out when I pull the handle on the relief valve spigot thingy. The heater is gas only.

[cavie]

you need to answer ALL the previous questions for us tom help you.

We need to know the position of the by pass valves. we need to know if there is power to the heater measured with a volt meter not lights on a panel. We need to know if there is water in the heater. We need model # to know if it is gas and/or electric. There is no pilot light. It is electronic ignition.

[2oldman]

Did you winterize it?

[bikendan]

Looks like an Atwood. can you confirm that and its model number?
also need pics from the other side of the WH, where the bypass valves are.

[Mfan]

Is the propane on? Do you get a spark when you turn it on?

[jentrxm]

We have plenty of water, both at the sink and the valve on the water heater.

[2chiefsRus]

are you getting water but it just isn't hot or are you not getting water at all?

[jentrxm]

Update: I checked every fuse (including the 2 amp fuse on the heater itself) and flipped every breaker, just in case.