Water Heater issues in 2019 Arctic Wolf 5th wheel.

RoaminRoberts · 05-23-2019, 12:20 PM

So our new 5th wheel will not let me run the water heater. I have checked everything I can think of, with no success.

The Outside switch in the water heater area is ON. There is water in the heater itself. The gas is turned on. We are on 30 amp shore power. I ran the stove burners for about 5 minutes to pull air from the lines. I made sure the winterization knobs are turned to allow water into the hearer (as noted above).

What happens is, AS SOON AS we turn the inside water heater switch ON, the fault light turns on. There is no delay. In my old camper, it would do that after three lighting attempts, but there would be about a 30 second delay from turning the switch on to the fault light. This is immediate.

I cannot find anything online that is helping, so hoping someone here may have experience with this.

TIA

Semperfi24 · 05-23-2019, 12:43 PM

I would check the module board. Notorious for failing.

That back story on my water heater issue was it worked fine for a full season on propane and on electric. First trip out for the second season, no problem. Second trip out. Didnt work on electric, and wouldnt fire up on gas (but I was able to find a video that showed me how to manually light it).

Local tech at the campground showed me where the board was, but he didnt have any. So we ordered one, replaced it, and that solved the gas issue. We were able to use the water heater on propane for the rest of the season.

After the season,w e brought it to a local RV repairman, and in the end, they simply replaced the wire that goes from the inside switch to the water heater. Cost us 1 hour of labor and it was good as new.

This may not be your module board, but it will be similar. Though I am admittedly making some assumptions, my water heater is Suburban. If yours isnt suburban my "help" might be useless to you.

https://www.amazon.com/Suburban-5208.../dp/B003G9J4RC

Cost4133 · 05-23-2019, 12:47 PM

did you try and hit the reset button on the unit itself?

**ES_FR** · 05-23-2019, 01:14 PM

RoaminRoberts,

Thank you for being a part of the Cherokee family.

Please accept our sincerest apologies for any inconveniences that you have experienced with your new Arctic Wolf. Your satisfaction is very important to us; accordingly, we invite you to contact Mikala Yoder in our Customer service department through the following personalized and direct link: Forest River RV Direct Service Contact - Forest River, Inc..

This direct link is provided for your convenience in order that we may resolve your concerns as quickly as possible. We will strive to respond to you within 24 hours of receiving your correspondence.

Respectfully,
Forest River

Iwannacamp · 05-23-2019, 01:20 PM

X400 on the board. Get to the board. Unplug the connector and take over off the board. Look at the solder side for hot/burned marks. If normal it will be obvious.

I would buy a Dinosaur brand board if you need to purchase out of warranty.

Here is the contact info I got for Suburban when mine went out. I sent in the old board and they sent me a new one.... took a couple weeks total.

Here you go....

Dear Sir;

Please contact our Tech support group to discuss operational issue. Phone number is 423 775-2131 extension 7102. Have model/serial number of the appliance when calling.

Ronnie Ellison

Service Manager

Airxcel,- Suburban Division

676 Broadway Street

Dayton,TN 37321

Office: 423 775-2131 Extension 7007

Fax: 423 775-7015

www.Airxcel.com
__________________

RoaminRoberts · 05-23-2019, 01:45 PM

Awesome thanks for all the ideas.

At this point, it worked. It seems to have done so via electric because it did not use propane (no sounds from the propane heating it) but it did give us hot water with no fault light. Should the issue come up again, I will follow up with the support team.

Iwannacamp · 05-23-2019, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoaminRoberts

Awesome thanks for all the ideas.

At this point, it worked. It seems to have done so via electric because it did not use propane (no sounds from the propane heating it) but it did give us hot water with no fault light. Should the issue come up again, I will follow up with the support team.

I am a bit confused... not unusual.

If the unit is on electric you will not get a fault light(at least on suburban). If you mean it's working now on gas.... mine worked a few times...then. Just be aware. Camp on.

onetonford · 05-23-2019, 11:00 PM

On my suburban unit as soon as you turn on the switch the red light comes on and as soon as it lights it goes out. Did you have a Atwood before? which I think is different in the way it works. Also the electric side on the Suburban has no fault light so the only way you can tell is no hot water. On Suburban unit outside there are thermal reset switches under rubber covers that if the unit overheats it shuts it down and when it cools back down then you have to reset them by pushing on the rubber covers to click them back on.

CHICKDOE · 05-24-2019, 06:54 AM

the gas and electric side of a suburban water heater are completely separate and operate completely independent of each other. the fault light and the control board have no bearing on the electric side of the water heater. both sides do however have their own separate thermal resets.

you say the electric side is working so we'll leave that alone.

get a helper and one of you needs to be at the heater while the other turns on the gas switch. the person at the heater needs to verify if the heater is sparking or not. if it is sparking you probably have a gas supply issue. if it is not sparking the control board could be the problem.

CHICKDOE · 05-24-2019, 06:55 AM

my error! i just noticed this is a 2019. it should still be under warranty. let the dealer resolve this.

**wmtire** · 05-24-2019, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoaminRoberts

So our new 5th wheel will not let me run the water heater. I have checked everything I can think of, with no success.

The Outside switch in the water heater area is ON. There is water in the heater itself. The gas is turned on. We are on 30 amp shore power. I ran the stove burners for about 5 minutes to pull air from the lines. I made sure the winterization knobs are turned to allow water into the hearer (as noted above).

What happens is, AS SOON AS we turn the inside water heater switch ON, the fault light turns on. There is no delay. In my old camper, it would do that after three lighting attempts, but there would be about a 30 second delay from turning the switch on to the fault light. This is immediate.

I cannot find anything online that is helping, so hoping someone here may have experience with this.

TIA

This thread may help explain the operation of the Suburban tank type water heater, as well as the two separate independent heating modes.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ore-36197.html

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