How to Troubleshoot Your RV Water Heater (With a Mobile RV Repair Tech)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ก.ค. 2024
- Today the RV Repair Woman is walking you through how to troubleshoot your Dometic or Atwood water heater.
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Time Stamps
00:00 How to Troubleshoot Your Water Heater
01:25 Multimeter Basics
05:53 Water Heater
07:15 Power In
14:08 Brown Wire
14:54 Blue Wire
16:06 Ignitor
18:15 Red Wire
19:53 Existential crisis
20:30 ECO
22:59 Gas Valve
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RV, Camper, Fifth-Wheel, Motorhome, Fleetwood Flair, RV Maintenance 101, Mobile RV Tech, Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin, Nevada, RV Repair Technician, Save money, Save time, Certified RV Repair Tech, RV Tips and Tricks, NRVTA, National RV Training Academy, Water Heater, Dometic, Atwood, RV Inspector, RV Inspection
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Thanks for being so chill about the ECO/Tstat mixup guys. Glad people are finding this video helpful. If you would like a step-by-step tutorial on how to clean your hot water tank (which is going to help drastically with heat transfer.... especially if its been YEARS since it was last cleaned) you can find that at
www.rvrepairwoman.com/flush
YOU GOT THIS!
I love to leave your videos running in the background for hours while i study my RVTI books , your a great teacher!
This is the BEST easiest to understand video for repair of an Atwood or Dometic RV water heater. 5 stars!!
YOU are GREAT at TEACHING. I have learned more listening to you than I did at RVTI Level ll training!! Practically NO practice/ lab work done, almost all didactic. They assumed we all had experience in teching at an RV dealership. 3 week course and if we spent 2 hours in total in the lab and then not enough equipt for each student to work on each session. SO learning the practical application from you mostly and a few others but your sessions are the best, well organized and explained.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I feel i can diagnosis the issue I'm having with my water heater.
You are a good teacher and very thorough with you explanation.
You are the teacher that I need. STEP…BY…STEP! WOW! Thank you!
Omg! You’re adorable! Very helpful! I’m going to try to fix my water heater tomorrow!
What an amazing video, you are a great teacher! I hope I can troubleshoot mine now
Much appreciated!
This video is extremely helpful.
Best editing ever! Wife and I are cracking up! Our issue seems to be the propane & maybe a leak. But great video. 💜
Im a student attending a RV school and truly enjoyed your video. Very thorough on trouble shooting the LP side. Thank you for taking the time to post.
I’m so glad the LP section came across. Wasn’t sure it was too confusing with all the “if this then that”
@@rvrepairwomanhi I have a post just under this one. Any help
I am really enjoying and understanding all your troubleshooting videos. Please keep the up.
More to come!
you done an Awesome job teaching and showing what to check first and going step by step to check each component.
Glad it was helpful!
Great stuff!!! I’m a grad from a few years ago, but only ent registered. Great refresher!
Great job on videos although I've learned the hard way your doing a great job explaining how to test and troubleshoot wished you had these 10 yrs ago l keep up the great work
This is the best video I have seen you are amazing, and I don't even exaggerate my compliments because I'm an Australian. My gas hot water heater in my Van is not working after watching your video I cannot wait to get home to fix it again you are amazing thanks so much. Allan
Wow, thank you!
VERY VERY well done! Thanks.
Great video helped me fix my neighbors heater. I forgot a few steps and this helped
Great to hear!
Thank you so much this is a great video to help others..... it helped me for sure...
Glad it helped!
Awesome video ! Good job
Thank you! Glad people are finding it helpful.
Emily, luv your vids! Luv this vid. Got a Dometic 3 way frig. While on ac - while at times sitting sitting across frig, notice the lights cycling on and off between electric, propane, and battery. Sooner or later it stops cycling. What’s up with this? Thx
You are an amazing teacher!!!
Wow, thank you!
Great video and informative. FYI, my 2022 Forest River does not have an inside switch for the AC side on the suburban WH. I have to go outside to turn it on. The only switch inside is for the propane side. There will be an inside switch soon. lol
Thank you for your help on this, I have the multimeter hooked up. I’m not getting any juice whatsoever and I have checked the fuse box fuse, seems to be OK
I'm not even a tech yet. The way you explain everything I feel like a pro already. ECO/TSTAT I understood everything you said.
AW! That makes my day. Thanks for the kind words.
"not a tech yet" - are you heading to school soon?
@@rvrepairwoman yes I plan on going to NRVTA sometime in 2024. Got to get this money together 1st & put a plan together.
That's awesome. I loved it there. Highly recommend.
@rvrepairwoman where you out of? All of this just came to me few months ago. I'm a trucker @ geart, but ready to hang my keys up in a bit. Out of nowhere I'm seeing all these RV's, & dealers and RV's on the side of the road.
I'm based in Las Vegas. I've got my own business now called RV Repair Woman.
Thank you for this! I would love to see a similar video on the electric side. My gas side is working, but not my electric. Thanks for explaining the multimeter, that was very helpful. I also appreciate that you showed it on the more simple meter, as that's the one I have.
Sure thing! Next time I run into an electric water heater I’ll be sure to film it.
@@rvrepairwoman Would you be able to tell me what it means when I am getting no voltage from the yellow wire on the dometic gas/electric water heater? I checked continuity and/or voltage in the thermal fuse, ETO, thermostat, white wire, checked the 2 amp fuse and even checked continuity in the wires screwed to the heating element and all good. Only thing I could find was the yellow wire is getting no voltage. Does this mean I need a new control board?
Without being there to double check myself yes that sounds like a bad board.
Thank you so much for the advice on the water heater. Mine worked on electic& proane til the fridge was disconnected & now it only works on propane. My husband thinks it is the heating element. I can't dispute that cuz I have no idea. I do know i replaced the little computer board by ordering it thru Amazon & now it continues to work on propane.... but NOT on electric. Wish I knew if the heating element has anything whatsoever to do with the problem.?????
YOU are GREAT at TEACHING.
Question:
I just upgraded my hot water heater from a gas only to a gas and electric unit (model number SW6DE). I'm also adding a Suburban Water Heater Relay 232948, and adding a switch to the control panel in the RV.
1st: Where do they typically install the relay?
2nd: Would you have a wire diagram showing the placement of the relay with the 110V wiring and the 12V wiring?
Thanks...
Great video!!
Thanks!
Yes do a suburban water heater
Great Job explaining.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks I'm going to attempt to try this
You got this! Let me know if you're able to solve your water heater!
Hi Emily just stumbled on you video's awsome job.....just wanted to find out why there are two thermostats one is labelled eco and the other is kabelled t-stat...from south africa.
Finally! Someone that explains the process and doesn’t just say check the ECO (TSTAT). lol. Anyway, great videos. You’re awesome. The problem I’m having is my gas side comes on but doesn’t go off even though all my thermostats are good.
Glad it was helpful! What do you mean when you say it doesn't turn off? Are you getting extremely hot water? I ask because if it never turned off, eventually either your P&T valve would kick in or the heater would explode...
@@rvrepairwoman the other day I was wanting to heat the water up quickly so I turned the gas side on. I noticed it was not turning off. So I went to check on it and noticed water starting to come out of the pressure valve at a fast drip. Went inside and turned off the switch and the gas turned off. I can turn it on and off manually but it won’t shut off on its own.
Hmmmm. That is a tricky one. Hard to diagnose without being there, but some things I would try.
1. Is the water getting very hot? The P&T valve should only open at 210°F. While the tstat should open at ~135°F and the ECO ~185°F. Meaning the ECO or the Tstat should have kicked in before then P&T valve does. If the water in the tank is very hot (ie over ~140°F) check to see if you have continuity at the Tstat and ECO while the tank is that hot. If you do then make sure the ECO and Tstat are installed correctly or look at replacing them - they aren't doing their job.
2. Either way you may need to look at replacing your P&T valve. If that valve has ever opened up due to temperature (ie the temp getting over 210°F) then that valve has had a small rubber part inside of it melt and it needs to be replaced.
3. Last thought is to look at "burping" you water heater. Sometimes they get an air pocket stuck in them. It takes a couple steps but its pretty easy. Give it a google I know someone has made a video on it. I'll make one in the future. That's usually the solution for a "slow drip" not a fast one, but again without being there - one man's fast could be another man's slow.
Hope one of these things helps!
Thank you !
❤ new sub great job!
Great video
Thanks!
hi I have an Atwood hot water heater Cycles on and off on both electric and gas eventually gets up to temperature but Cycles on and off along the way taking longer to heat up the hot water. Any ideas on what to check
Thank you so much I have never seen anybody explain this process so well. I’m interested in what school you went to I went to the NRVTA in Athens Texas.
😂I also went the the NRVTA
I took notes..lol!! I'm 3 days from closing camp and my water heater won't work ugggh! I was just going to fix it in the spring but decided to try to fix it now instead. I actually ordered EVERYTHING before knowing what's wrong (Amazon Prime days 😅) I hear the click but no tick tick tick. The parts will be here tomorrow and I'll update you later. I'm a stubborn 67 year old lady and I will fix this😊
Oh I've been in deep on an amazon prime day myself. Love a good stubborn woman. Please let me know if you're able to fix your water heater yourself!
My 1997 Moho water heater sometimes requires clicking the on / off switch inside many times. Sometimes just a few times to ignite.. That’s after it’s been off for a while. Once it ignites It will relight itself once it is hot and the thermostat will relight as needed automatically. Can’t figure it out. I replaced igniter and Testator / eco.
Keep getting e1 error code on my suburban st60. Takes about 5 tries on only hot water for it to ignite properly. Is this air in my propane line or what would you consider first?
I just wanted to know how to set the tank valve. I only bought this jayco a couple of weeks.First time
I have a GCH 10A-3E water heater that is 24 years old and i have replaced 4 control boards and this last board i just installed goes into startup and it fires and stays clicking with fire going and shuts gas off and does this 2 more times before going into thermo shut down.
Thanks ❤fixed
Glad it helped!
Question! Water heater gas only, lights for 11 seconds, good flame, 12v everywhere. Will relight, same same. 11 seconds flames out! Thoughts???
Thanks so much for this which I found clear and easy to follow. Unfortunately, I’m still a bit stumped as I have an older Suburban SW6D propane fired unit and couldn’t find a few of the items you referenced. (Specifically, the Eco sensor and thermal cutoff). I’m getting 12V to the TStat, indicator lamp, and valve. I can hear the valve click but no clicking of the electrode and little smell of propane. I’ve held the igniter wire close to the ignitor and can see some arching at the CB but there is no arching at the electrode which I’ve since cleaned. The electrode looks solid and properly gapped. I have 12VDC on the brown and blue wires at the circuit board. At this point I’m leaning to the CB as there was some moisture around it over the winter (water leak), but I guess the only other potential problems are a faulty electrode or gas valve. Any wisdom you can pass my way would be greatly appreciated.
If there’s no arching at the electrode then that is most likely your problem!
Smell for propane to make sure it’s coming out. But to get heat we need air, fuel, and spark. And it’s sounds like you have no spark.
Great video!! Best I've seen yet...but please...I forgot to take note of which brown wire the thermal fuse went on and now I cannot find a single thing on which brown wire to attach it to
. The one to the top or the one on circut board??
The thermal fuse goes in-between the T-stat and the circuit board!
Would this be relevant for a model GC6A-6 in a 1992 model Fleetwood? As far as i can tell, this is pre-computer/circuit board. The pilot light stays lit. I put in a new thermocouple. The burner will light, but the water does not heat. I suspect the element, but i don't want to just start throwing parts at it. My daughter lives in this full time, so please reply if you can
Can I use a 16A ECO instead of a 15A mine is a KSD 020 15A AND THEY SENT ME A KSD 301 16A WILL IT HURT TO USE THE 16A FOR MY DOMESTIC HOTWATER HEATER
Great job! Well done!! My question is , I have flame ,tick,tick keeps ticking and ticking while the flame is burning. After a few seconds it turns off and retrys starting again before turning off and going in to lock out. I have Changed the inginter and burn tube. So you think it's my circuit board? Thanks and keep the videos coming!!!!
Update, replace the control board. Water heater is working properly!!!! Thanks
Just replaced the board, ignitor, and thermal cut off. I wasn't getting anything before I replaced everything. Now, it ignites for 3 seconds, 3 times, and stops. I get 12 volts, and continuity on everything but, the blue wire. What now? Love your vid btw, didn't throw me off in least bit.
Good video 👍... please help! I replaced my circuit board and tstat,EOC and now the igniter ticks non stop but the hot water heater will ignite for about 5 seconds three times on its own and the igniter never stops ticking but then shuts down.
Without being there to look at it myself;
1. That really sounds like a bad board. The igniter should try to light three separate times with a pretty long pause in between the three times. (That’s three sets of tick tick tick ticks)
But I know you said you had replaced the board.
1. Try cleaning your igniter
2. Blow some compressed air through the tube the igniter is in to make sure it isn’t filled with dust.
I'm not getting any volts anywhere,but I took it out and put another one in. Using all my old electrical parts. So I know rhaey are good and my other tank was just leaking. My switch inside is not lighting up ? Any help
And not sure what the white wire is ,I think ground ,but not sure ....from the inside ,but they are not hot either
Hey! My water heater doesn’t always come on, mind you it’s 30 ish years old. A year ago it wouldn’t ignite and then scuffing up the ground at the board helped. So now I removed and put back the connectors and that has improved how often it does come on. So, seems like my terminals are corroded. How should I clean them? I’m worried I will damage my ECO ahem Tstat terminals (both actually) I’m scuffing them up. The black patch is sort of crumbling off.
😂a good old pink eraser on the back of a #2 pencil is going to be your best friend.
Hot water heater stopped working in Reno, NV (no clicking ,no sound) drove to Pahrump, NV and now it works. Still going to go through cleaning the connection, is that normal?
I'd check and make sure all your connections are tight and clean like you're doing. And then maybe look at your thermal cut off - that sucker likes to fail in weird ways sometimes.
Hi, sospose it will light for a few seconds and go out? What could it be? Thanks
It will light everytime,,but I'm guessing 15 to 30 seconds it will go out,,but"" a small flame will keep burning inside tube coming from valve, almost like a pilot light would,,,I took another valve off another heater and it done the same thing with that one,, ???? Thanks for any help you can give me,
Can't have 12 volts on ground
12 volts only on power supply
How do I check Atwood water heater relay
Hey! check out my video titled "Answering your RV Questions while waiting for a tow truck" - I answer your question in depth there.
Well I appreciate the help. I’m not getting power to the tstat but I’ve yet to figure out why.
Check your fuses, switch, and the wires connecting everything.
yes maam we are working on it. My sons coming tomorrow to help cause he’s better at electrical stuff
@@rvrepairwomanwell we got it figured out. Bad circuit board. Have one tomorrow from prime. Appreciate the video
I have a 2000 Tahoe travel trailer that the water heater is leaking ? Is there a fix for it or do I need to replace it? If I have to replace it where is the best place to get one?
For the most part If the tank is leaking you’re looking at replacing the unit
Where is the best place to purchase one?
Hi question my water heater kicks on heats the water for a while. And then a hour later we have warm water not hot. Could you help to send me in the right direction. I’m using propane! 2019 fleetwood dp
Do you have an outside shower? Go be sure that the hot and cold faucets on the outside shower are both turned off. That's usually the culprit...
It does but they are both off!
Then the next place I'd check are your water heater bypass valves, make sure they are all facing the directions they should be.
bypass valve isn't closing properly and needs replacing
Hi I am having a problem with my RV propane water heater everything is working the burner runs but it is not making hot water do you have any ideas?
When’s the last time you cleaned your hot water tank? I’ve seen water tanks that have enough hot water build up inside that the heat can’t transfer to the water.
@@rvrepairwoman Hey thanks for responding I just got the trailer so I never did I will try that today 👍
Hi there is no water flowing through from the cold side to the hot side it has very little air coming out and is making noises hey I will
Mine turned out to be a loose wire under the fridge that Thor hadn't gotten all the way into a wire nut.
Yup that sounds about right
I’m laughing cause I’ve got army ears. I can’t hear the tone on mine. Had no idea it made noise 😅
8:55
You took one female plug out of TSTATE out and then another female plug into it. You did not explain where on earth did that other same color wire female plug came from that you plug into that TSTATE...? It is obviously not a probe of your multi meter.
My water heater is pretty old and the connections are kind of loose. So when I went to walk back the connector on the Tstat one of the connectors on the thermal cutoff fell off. I just reconnected it.
Im sorry but u should say put the black to ground and the red to the power side.
Yup! Was trying to keep this video as short and sweet as possible given it’s already a little in the weeds. But if you want to be really pro put the black probe on the green screw and use the red to poke around the circuit. If you go the other way your meter will give you a minus sign. Pretty easy to ignore.
🤦♂️
TEE stat
The level of drama and bullsh!t you go on with is off the charts. Can you not just skip all the drama and theatrics and just talk normally. This is not an LA production. It's just a dang tutorial.
😂😂😂I bet you’re a blast at dinner parties. good luck with your water heater.
The "drama" is called emotion and its what bonds us humans together. She made me laugh out loud with the T-Stat realization. Without that emotion the videos would be very dry and boring, perhaps even annoying, like your comment. Be a human, not a troll.