Water heater not working

[Teleman]

I just bought a 2000 Airstream Land Yacht and the water heater isn't working. The light doesn't go on when I turn the switch on. The fuse in the panel is good. The switch on the unit is on. There is water in the unit, valves open, etc. Shouldn't the light at the switch go on even if the mother board was bad, or there was some other problem at the water heater?

[BFL13]

Bobbo wrote:
On LP mode, the indicator light means the WH burner DIDN'T ignite. No light is a good thing. Turn it on, wait 30 minutes, and see if you have hot water.

My older Atwood gas only WH has the rocker switch with red light. The red light comes on and then goes out when it starts.

Thanks for the motor aid tip. Our 1991 C has that for its own set of heating ducts in the RV part. Not sure if it does the WH. I have never tried it. ISTR a dash control under on the left for that.

I learned about that set of radiator hoses going to the back the hard way, when one burst soon after we bought this old C. It was under the doghouse. We needed a tow. Good Sam saved us again! 😞

[Bobbo]

BFL13 wrote:
Specs for that RV say only that it is a "10 gal gas/electric w Motor Aid"
So model of the Atwood still needed. (what is motor aid?)

My previous Winnebago Class C had a functioning "motor aid" water heater. Just like a radiator hose runs to your vehicle heater to heat the vehicle in cold weather, a radiator hose runs to a pipe running through your water heater. It heats the water in your water heater while you drive so that when you park, you already have hot water.

[Bobbo]

On LP mode, the indicator light means the WH burner DIDN'T ignite. No light is a good thing. Turn it on, wait 30 minutes, and see if you have hot water.

[BFL13]

Specs for that RV say only that it is a "10 gal gas/electric w Motor Aid"
So model of the Atwood still needed. (what is motor aid?)

Besides above things to check, does your board have the little 2a blade fuse at the top?

[enblethen]

The light comes on powered by the circuit board via the blue wire.
Open outside water heater access, clean the multi-wire connector with white pencil eraser.
Turn on interior switch. check to insure that there is 12 volts DC on the brown wire at the connector.
Check to insure the green wire has a good ground connection. Check ground connection on the back side of the electric gas valve.
Clean and adjust the ignitor inside the burner tube.

[Teleman]

rk911 wrote:

Teleman wrote:

Teleman wrote:

rk911 wrote:
to clarify...is your issue the light or there is no hot water? are you heating the water with LP or electric? LP tank empty? other 120vac appliances working?

No ignition. Plenty of propane. It's as if the switch itself is bad, though that may not be the case, but if the switch was bad the symptoms would be the same.

Sorry. It's an Atwood. I'm using it with LP.

LP only model or LP/Electric?

LP/Electric. Using it in LP mode.

[Teleman]

BFL13 wrote:
Sounds like a Suburban with the outside on/off switch , which for 120v, nothing to do with the inside on/off that goes with the red light, which is for gas mode. Should be a 120v switch inside for 120v mode.

If so, first hit the reset buttons outside under the black rubber cover and try again. (one for each tstat) See if it works on 120 but not on gas or VV. Either way it needs 12v to operate the controls.

Whatever, do report the exact model of the WH so the experts here can provide some actual help.

It's an Atwood. I'll check the number tomorrow. My question is should the indicator light next to the switch light up when the switch is turned on regardless of problems downstream at the unit itself? Since it doesn't might that indicate the switch is faulty, or isn't receiving power?

[rk911]

Teleman wrote:

Teleman wrote:

rk911 wrote:
to clarify...is your issue the light or there is no hot water? are you heating the water with LP or electric? LP tank empty? other 120vac appliances working?

No ignition. Plenty of propane. It's as if the switch itself is bad, though that may not be the case, but if the switch was bad the symptoms would be the same.

Sorry. It's an Atwood. I'm using it with LP.

LP only model or LP/Electric?

[Teleman]

Teleman wrote:

rk911 wrote:
to clarify...is your issue the light or there is no hot water? are you heating the water with LP or electric? LP tank empty? other 120vac appliances working?

No ignition. Plenty of propane. It's as if the switch itself is bad, though that may not be the case, but if the switch was bad the symptoms would be the same.

Sorry. It's an Atwood. I'm using it with LP.

[Teleman]

rk911 wrote:
to clarify...is your issue the light or there is no hot water? are you heating the water with LP or electric? LP tank empty? other 120vac appliances working?

No ignition. Plenty of propane. It's as if the switch itself is bad, though that may not be the case, but if the switch was bad the symptoms would be the same.

[BFL13]

Sounds like a Suburban with the outside on/off switch , which for 120v, nothing to do with the inside on/off that goes with the red light, which is for gas mode. Should be a 120v switch inside for 120v mode.

If so, first hit the reset buttons outside under the black rubber cover and try again. (one for each tstat) See if it works on 120 but not on gas or VV. Either way it needs 12v to operate the controls.

Whatever, do report the exact model of the WH so the experts here can provide some actual help.

[rk911]

to clarify...is your issue the light or there is no hot water? are you heating the water with LP or electric? LP tank empty? other 120vac appliances working?