Hot water heater issue - help please!!!

[RedStick]

Looks fine. Nothing tripped. Fuses look good.




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[BobHanke]

Same situation this summer. Found the info that my heater had dual capability so flipped the AC switch on with extreme difficulty. No heat and the switch was frozen on. No amount of force would switch it off. RV repair shop replaced both the AC heat element and switch. Works great now. Think first owner screwed it up and didn't tell me.

[RedStick]

Originally Posted by BobHanke

Same situation this summer. Found the info that my heater had dual capability so flipped the AC switch on with extreme difficulty. No heat and the switch was frozen on. No amount of force would switch it off. RV repair shop replaced both the AC heat element and switch. Works great now. Think first owner screwed it up and didn't tell me.

Yep. I'm going to have to replace the switch and heating element, I'm afraid.

Looks easy enough to fix!



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[RedStick]

Ok!!!

Gets more and more interesting as I tinker around.

When I noticed that the GAS on/off button wasn't lighting up (blue) to indicate that it was on, I started messing with the switch.

I could get the switch to "light up" when I kept the toggle right in the middle, not on or off.

The red led light would stay on until I heard the hw gas ignite.

It took a few tries but now I was able to move the gas toggle to "on" and it stayed lit.

I'll wait a while and send my son to the shower at least.

I suppose this switch is bad too???

Thoughts???

So many issues with the hot water heater this trip. In the nearly three years we've owned the Roo, I believe this is the first issue with hw that we've experienced.


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[youroo]

Like I said in Post # 6 you have SEVERAL issues! Youroo!!

[lesteradams6060]

Same thing happened to me on a trip in October. The switch was frozen and no mater how hard I pushed the thermostat would not reset. You will need to replace the switch and the thermostat. Both can be found at Amazon. Instructional video can be found on YouTube. I went on ahead and replaced the element and the anode at the same time. They also can be found on Amazon.

[Evereddie]

I have had 2 of the control panel switches fail in the first 2 seasons of my trailer. I keep a spare of each kind now.

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Post # 3 said he tried to reset them but didn't notice a click or anything out of the ordinary.

This is just academic now but post 3 says the OP tried the thermostat resets. Says nothing about the Circuit Breaker for the AC volts heating element.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by bubbles

This is just academic now but post 3 says the OP tried the thermostat resets. Says nothing about the Circuit Breaker for the AC volts heating element.

You are correct.
My apologies bubbles.

[RedStick]

The good news is that we all showered - and with hot water!

The switch on the control panel controlling the gas hot water energy source is faulty, but I got it to work.

I'll add the faulty switch to the other items I'll purchase and replace:

Electric heating element
Socket to remove heating element
Switch to turn on/off electric energy source
Electric thermostat and element - just to be sure

Am I forgetting anything - like the kitchen sink

Thanks for all of the help....I appreciate it!




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[dcheatwood]

Good job. Glad you solved it. Now enjoy the rest of your trip.

[Bumby]

First of all the switch on the tank (suburban) is to control electric side only. If stuck replace it.The reset button is soft but doubt it would be the problem . The switch inside is for the gas and could have one for the electric.
Make sure you have power at the stuck switch.use a multi meter.it should be110 or 120 volt.if not check breaker for being tripped. Next if u have power check the element by taking offthecover which is located behind the gas muffler. Use the multimeter to check ohms by taking off the wires. U should have 10.5 or close.
If you do then the element is good. Then check the wiring to the element. With
The wires on the element put one probe (red) from your meter to the black side and the other to the tank for ground.if you read 120 volts good then check the other side (white) if you get 120volt then you have short in the wiring. Look
In the junction box on the back of the tank

[dcheatwood]

Originally Posted by Bumby

First of all the switch on the tank (suburban) is to control electric side only. If stuck replace it.The reset button is soft but doubt it would be the problem . The switch inside is for the gas and could have one for the electric.
Make sure you have power at the stuck switch.use a multi meter.it should be110 or 120 volt.if not check breaker for being tripped. Next if u have power check the element by taking offthecover which is located behind the gas muffler. Use the multimeter to check ohms by taking off the wires. U should have 10.5 or close.
If you do then the element is good. Then check the wiring to the element. With
The wires on the element put one probe (red) from your meter to the black side and the other to the tank for ground.if you read 120 volts good then check the other side (white) if you get 120volt then you have short in the wiring. Look
In the junction box on the back of the tank

Good info. Thanks.

[A32Deuce]

On your inside WH switch, only stays lit until gas is working then goes out.

[RedStick]

Thanks, Bumby.

I'll check everything via the volt meter when we get home (and the projected rain stops).

I have confirmed that the breaker didn't flip. I have not confirmed if the stuck switch has power.

This morning I was curious if my gas hw switch worked on the control panel. After we got cleaned up last night I shut down the gas to the hw heater as we slept.

Success! The switch lit up and seconds later I heard the gas light up. I think the switch is still faulty and will replace.




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[MNtraveler]

If the electric switch is shot, I would suggest throwing the circuit breaker just for safety - if it doesn't disable anything else you need, but assuming/hoping it's on its own line. You will need to do that for the switch work anyway. Then don't forget to turn the darn thing back in after you fix the switch. Sorry for so much trouble and hope you are back up and running soon!

[RedStick]

Thanks, MNtraveler!

Some of the parts are starting to arrive since I ordered a few things Monday.

I received a new outdoor electric hw switch (and a spare) as well as an indoor illuminated hw gas switch (and a spare).

I also ordered a thermostat for the electric side just in case.

I flipped the hw breaker off as I thought I better be safe than sorry since the electric switch is stuck in the "on position" at the hw heater until I can replace the broken switch.

When we arrived home Tuesday, I went ahead and drained the hw heater in preparation for the upcoming work.

I'm actually fortunate that I was able to get the gas source hw heater to work.

This job seams easy enough, just hope it isn't a short that I won't recognize so that this stuff happens again.




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[VinceU]

Originally Posted by RedStick

Thanks, MNtraveler!

Some of the parts are starting to arrive since I ordered a few things Monday.

I received a new outdoor electric hw switch (and a spare) as well as an indoor illuminated hw gas switch (and a spare).

I also ordered a thermostat for the electric side just in case.

I flipped the hw breaker off as I thought I better be safe than sorry since the electric switch is stuck in the "on position" at the hw heater until I can replace the broken switch.

When we arrived home Tuesday, I went ahead and drained the hw heater in preparation for the upcoming work.

I'm actually fortunate that I was able to get the gas source hw heater to work.

This job seams easy enough, just hope it isn't a short that I won't recognize so that this stuff happens again.




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Probably when the element failed it pulled excess current long enough to fry the switch. Doubt if you have more issues, you've had enough!


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[RedStick]

That makes sense.

The element won't arrive until around the first week of January, but I'll probably tinker with the two switches first.

We are scheduled to camp mid-January so plenty of time to get the repairs in!




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[BobHanke]

Would suggest replacing the electric heating element and outside AC switch at the same time. Why risk frying the new switch if the old heating element took it out. Turn off 120V circuit breaker inside before any work. Might make that breaker and the outside switch a two step process in the future to remind yourself that the tank MUST be full of water before activating. (Gas heating side needs 12V for igniter).