Forum Discussion

CanuckRV's avatar
CanuckRV
Explorer
Nov 15, 2013

Water Heater issues

I have two problems with my Suburban water heater they may be connected.
1 The indicator light on the switch inside will not light when it is turned on, it will light if power supplied to knife connecter for it so I know the light is good.
2 The water heater will not light on a consistent basis some times it will some times it won't I cleaned all the connections and I thought I had the problem fixed but then it stopped working again it will eventually light but only after a considerable wait 5 mins.
the Water heater is in a Cobra Newport motor home on a ford chassis.
Thanks.


  • CanuckRV's avatar
    CanuckRV
    Explorer
    Nov 16, 2013
    Old-Biscuit wrote:
    One thing that will cause problems is bad ground(s)

    Check, clean/tighten ground connections for gas valve.....

    Clean/tighten the spark electrode ground. From the picture it appears that the grounding for spark electrode is via the mounting bracket....remove spark electrode assembly and clean up the bracket and bracket to frame location/screws
    Spark electrode to ground rod gap should be 1/8" and electrode needs to be positioned directly in flame

    Thought on Suburban the 'light' came on then went off when flame was established and then would come back on if a fault occurred.


    I will disassemble the whole unit and clean off all the rust for a good ground, I did get a very nasty shock when I was fooling around with the wires as I was the ground, but it did light, how ever I really don't want to restart my heart every time I want hot water.
  • CanuckRV's avatar
    CanuckRV
    Explorer
    Nov 16, 2013
    Chris Bryant wrote:
    The light is a fault light (No Combustion)- it only should light if something is wrong. As to intermittent operation- that's tough to diagnose remotely- does it spark but not light, not spark but open the gas valve, do nothing, light and go out?


    That's funny my last Motor home it was on all the time I thought it was to indicate power to the unit.
  • APRSRVer's avatar
    APRSRVer
    Explorer
    Nov 16, 2013
    Clean the wire connection to the control module circuit board. The presence of a flame is sensed by a change in resistance between the electrodes through the flame.
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Nov 15, 2013
    One thing that will cause problems is bad ground(s)

    Check, clean/tighten ground connections for gas valve.....

    Clean/tighten the spark electrode ground. From the picture it appears that the grounding for spark electrode is via the mounting bracket....remove spark electrode assembly and clean up the bracket and bracket to frame location/screws
    Spark electrode to ground rod gap should be 1/8" and electrode needs to be positioned directly in flame

    Thought on Suburban the 'light' came on then went off when flame was established and then would come back on if a fault occurred.
  • Chris_Bryant's avatar
    Chris_Bryant
    Explorer II
    Nov 15, 2013
    The light is a fault light (No Combustion)- it only should light if something is wrong. As to intermittent operation- that's tough to diagnose remotely- does it spark but not light, not spark but open the gas valve, do nothing, light and go out?
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Nov 15, 2013
    Are you talking about the light next to the switch that turns on the gas portion? If so then that light only comes on if there's a problem with the gas lighting. Under normal circumstances you will never see it lit.

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