DSI Atwood propane only water heater

[nephi007]

Hello. We fired up the Atwood this morning via a DSI switch in travel trailer. 20 minutes later hot water aplenty from the 6 gallon tank. Left switch on and left for awhile. Returned and no hot water or warm water it was cold. So whatever recycles the hot water heater to turn back on when I assume it goes below a certain temp did not happen. Or is there another explanation?. There is plenty of propane. This is a new 2016 model and if I need to take it back to dealer if I will, Advise please.

[nephi007]

Sorry Ye Old Biscuit I was seeking direction relating to symptoms/cause and effect which the fine help here (including yours) provided. I am not mechanical to any extent (retired banker) so actual hands-on intervention must come from elsewhere. At this point I think it's handled.

[Old-Biscuit]

nephi007 wrote:
Hey guys thanks for the help. I called my dealer explained problem..dealer gave me phone of warranty rep..called him..he confirmed that symptoms indicate circuit board is bad..long story short..going back home on July 5 but buttoning up trailer and leaving it here in Seattle..then we return in August with new circuit board obtained via my dealer's help and have Coach Net mobile mechanic install it..then we bring back trailer home by Labor Day..again thanks to everybody!

SO no Fault Light (RED Light)?

SO not going to try the simple things ......connections/contacts/visual observation?

So reason for posting was?

[bobndot]

Well done 007 , good job by all .

[nephi007]

Hey guys thanks for the help. I called my dealer explained problem..dealer gave me phone of warranty rep..called him..he confirmed that symptoms indicate circuit board is bad..long story short..going back home on July 5 but buttoning up trailer and leaving it here in Seattle..then we return in August with new circuit board obtained via my dealer's help and have Coach Net mobile mechanic install it..then we bring back trailer home by Labor Day..again thanks to everybody!

[westend]

Left "for awhile" and "water was cold" sounds like a bypass valve is open. I'd check those to make sure one isn't opened or in the wrong position. A tank full of heated water should provide at least warm water for a few hours.

[bobndot]

I have the same new WH as the OP with the same symptom . As Old Biscuit describes , is exactly what my unit was doing. Red light on next to on/off switch. 'DSI FLT'
"
Fault Light will also come on when burner fails to light off and prove it lit.
Control module will make 3 attempts to light main flame/have it prove t lit and then 'lock out'
Again RED light would be ON and you have to reset it "

I did the steps as O-B describes to eliminate those possibilities. I was hoping that it would be a loose connection . In my case, once again, it was the board. Simple to do, it just unscrews and unplugs.

If you are on the road under warranty, the MFG. will authorize any RV repair shop to do this for you.
I have been shipped new parts to me while on the road and did the repair myself if it was a simple switch the part kind of thing.
(A repair shop is only going to do the things that Old-Biscuit described anyway, relay that to the MFG. )
It saved them the labor to an out of network repair shop.
I too, still had a month of travel ahead of me and did not want do a manual restart all the time.

[Old-Biscuit]

At anytime did RED light come on?

IF ECO (Energy Cut Off ---high temp t-stat OPENS if water temp reaches 180*F) does open it will cause the FAULT Light (red light) to come on.
Fault light will STAY on until water temp comes down below 150*F and YOU reset it (to reset you have to turn switch OFF wait 30 seconds and then turn it back ON....ECO will CLOSE when water temp cools down)

So IF no Fault Light.......ECO didn't OPEN (t-stat OPENS at 140*F)

Fault Light will also come on when burner fails to light off and prove it lit.
Control module will make 3 attempts to light main flame/have it prove t lit and then 'lock out'
Again RED light would be ON and you have to reset it


Pull connector on control module....check that pins in connector are not bent and clean contact surface on control module with a pencil eraser.

Then check that spade connectors on t-stat (brown wires) and on ECO (red wires) and on gas valve solenoids (red and black wires) are making a clean tight contact.
Rotate t-stat and ECO by hand back/forth checking that they make good contact with tank wall.

While watching the burner/sparker have someone turn switch ON (with water cold)
You should hear a click at solenoids and hear/see strong sparking at electrode
Flame should ignite and it should engulf the end of electrode turning it red

Spark GAP should be 1/8" and be directly in path of flame

Check those items and post back results>>>>>>>>>>>

[nephi007]

Yes I saw that video and it is informative. Of course when I went to look at the water heater compartment it looked different from the video. I have Coach=Net Premier coverage which I believe provides a phone counsel with an rv techm and a mobile service as well. But since this coach is under warranty I don't know how that factors into things. The manufacturer did tell me that warranty coverage could be okayed out of my dealers service area by an approved shop. We won't be back home with trailer until late August so it's a bother. for now we have hot water but not all the time and on continuous demand.

[bobndot]

Anytime I have had problems with a WH or furnace, it was the circuit board.


see how to check things out .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYzqP2BFrMk

[nephi007]

yes indeed when the Atwood is initially firef up the water is always hot. So wife daughter and me stagger out bathing in 8 hour increments. Thanks for your input we are out of town with the trailer and will take it in for a look-see by dealer when we get back.

[wildtoad]

Was the water really really hot when it worked? Could be a bad thermostat. If I remember correctly there is a thermostat and an Emergency Cut Off (ECO) which is a fail safe should the regular thermostat fail to turn off the burner. Could be the switch turned on the wh and the ECO turned it off. It will not turn back on by itself if the thermostat is bad.