Water Heater electric element

cougar28 wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
If element is burnt out......No 120VAC acroos the black/white terminals cause element is burnt out

If the element itself burns out you would still have 120v between the
black and white at the terminal. The element has not control over the power feeding it. Correct me if I'm wrong.

You are correct. I think Biscuit had a brain fart. Doug

Old-Biscuit wrote:
If element is burnt out......No 120VAC acroos the black/white terminals cause element is burnt out

If the element itself burns out you would still have 120v between the
black and white at the terminal. The element has not control over the power feeding it. Correct me if I'm wrong.

If element is burnt out......No 120VAC acroos the black/white terminals cause element is burnt out

Disconnect the white wire...check continuity across the two terminals
Burnt out..no continuity

Check for continuity across white terminal to element flange...got continuity element is shorted

Either case new element

Atwood uses a 1400W 120V element

wing_zealot wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
10E version uses DC to control electric and propane

Element might not be bad.....could be:
No DC from circuit board to the DC Relay
(yellow wire should have DC when Electric is selected and water is cold)

DC Relay could be bad
AC wires to/from that Relay could be melted
Element could be burnt out/shorted


DC Relay and Element are on backside of the WH Tank under the protective cover at bottom of tank

How you access depends on your RV....could be via inside a cabinet, removable panel, removable cabinet floor (removable means just stapled in place...pry it open) or even from underneath RV or panel in next compartment

Check for access directly behind where water heater is installed



Wiring..follow the DC







1 1/2" thin wall 6 point socket to remove element if bad

So if everything is working normally but the element is burned out will I get 120v across the two terminals on the end.? Or if I take the element out will I get continuity across the two terminals at the top of a good element?

Yes 120v between the two terminals.

wing_zealot wrote:
Or if I take the element out will I get continuity across the two terminals at the top of a good element?

No need to take it out to test, just remove one wire and check continuity.

Old-Biscuit wrote:
10E version uses DC to control electric and propane

Element might not be bad.....could be:
No DC from circuit board to the DC Relay
(yellow wire should have DC when Electric is selected and water is cold)

DC Relay could be bad
AC wires to/from that Relay could be melted
Element could be burnt out/shorted


DC Relay and Element are on backside of the WH Tank under the protective cover at bottom of tank

How you access depends on your RV....could be via inside a cabinet, removable panel, removable cabinet floor (removable means just stapled in place...pry it open) or even from underneath RV or panel in next compartment

Check for access directly behind where water heater is installed



Wiring..follow the DC







1 1/2" thin wall 6 point socket to remove element if bad

So if everything is working normally but the element is burned out will I get 120v across the two terminals on the end.? Or if I take the element out will I get continuity across the two terminals at the top of a good element?

wing_zealot wrote:
So apparently I burned out the electric element in my Atwood GC6AA-10E water heater.
My questions: where is the element located, I can't see it anywhere, and how do I get it out?

Two questions and easy answers
On the "inside" (Plumbing side) of the water heater there is a black box.
inside this box is a relay, box has both 120V and 12V wires going into it. The element is behind and above under the Styrofoam insulation.

The element: Get a replacement at any hardware, LOWES, Home Depot, Mennards et-al

Suggestion: The element you have is 1250 or 1500 watts at 120 volts (Lowes does have those I checked) Get a 1500 watt 240 volt element.

WHY: Well at 120 volts that is 375 watts (1500/4) and also 1/4 the amprage.. when you are parked on 30 amps it makes a big difference in how many times you need to go out and reset the P_)@(#$*&-234R CIRCUIT breaker and of course Murphy says it will be raining when you do.

I have the same HW heater, the electric element is on the back side of the tank.

10E version uses DC to control electric and propane

Element might not be bad.....could be:
No DC from circuit board to the DC Relay
(yellow wire should have DC when Electric is selected and water is cold)

DC Relay could be bad
AC wires to/from that Relay could be melted
Element could be burnt out/shorted


DC Relay and Element are on backside of the WH Tank under the protective cover at bottom of tank

How you access depends on your RV....could be via inside a cabinet, removable panel, removable cabinet floor (removable means just stapled in place...pry it open) or even from underneath RV or panel in next compartment

Check for access directly behind where water heater is installed



Wiring..follow the DC







1 1/2" thin wall 6 point socket to remove element if bad