Posted 2009-06-24 8:24 PM (#107007) Subject: No Hot Water
Member
Posts: 18
I'm just wondering if anyone has any info on hot water heaters in a LQ trailer We just got back from Buffalo river in Arkansas. The heater was working in our exiss trailer and it just quit. Does anyone know the most common thing to go out? Mu husband can fix most anything but i'm noit sure which thing has gone out. He believes it's the circuit board.It is a suburban brand.
Posted 2009-06-24 9:12 PM (#107014 - in reply to #107007) Subject: RE: No Hot Water
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
Before you change the board, clean the contacts to the board and try it again. It will try to light three times, then you will have to reset the switch and try again. If one of you were outside with the access panel open when a start is initiated, you should hear the electronic ignition trying to light the propane. If you can't hear any sparking, it may be the board or the connections to it.
If you do hear a sparking and it doesn't start, it may be a propane problem. Check the burner and orifice for little critters or dirt. Check the burner tube for nests and cobwebs.
Posted 2009-06-29 8:33 PM (#107304 - in reply to #107014) Subject: RE: No Hot Water
Member
Posts: 18
Mu husband wants to know where are the contacts to the circuit board? All the other stuff we tried. It wil light and run then it quit it never got to full capacity. Then it quit toally. and would never light again, the reset button didn't work. After we left it off awhile and tried again it did the same thing. Boy any help is apreciatated. We don't really have the money for a circuit board.
Posted 2009-06-29 9:06 PM (#107309 - in reply to #107007) Subject: RE: No Hot Water
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 368 Location: Georgia
If you have a toggle to drain the water heater..there might also be a bypass toggle. I accidently left this bypass open and it caused my water heater to not work. It would light, but not heat the water and it would not stay lit for very long.
Posted 2009-07-01 6:50 PM (#107448 - in reply to #107007) Subject: RE: No Hot Water
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 420 Location: Florida
All of the above. Pull the name and model and google it. The RV forums are great places to find out about these things. Do you have a cooktop? If so run the burner and watch the flame. It should be blue and strong. Your propane tank may need bleeding. It may have a buildup of air in it sometimes new tanks need to be purged.
Posted 2009-07-04 2:06 PM (#107515 - in reply to #107309) Subject: RE: No Hot Water
Member
Posts: 18
Is there a bypass toggle on the suburban hot water heater. The bypass is closed. It has been drained, refilled the cooktop works. and it lights and then goes out. Thanks
Posted 2009-07-04 5:26 PM (#107522 - in reply to #107007) Subject: RE: No Hot Water
Elite Veteran
Posts: 714 Location: Minnesota
If it lights then goes out, it sounds like it might be a thermo coupler. I had one go bad on a previous trailer. Not hard to fix and fairly inexpensive. I was able toget one from my plumber/furnace man.
Posted 2009-07-05 5:58 PM (#107562 - in reply to #107522) Subject: RE: Still no hot water
Member
Posts: 18
We tried the hot water heater again. It lights then goes out. Any more suggestions any help is really appreciated. There is no thermo coupler in this one it's a suburban SW6D.
Posted 2009-07-06 8:04 AM (#107592 - in reply to #107562) Subject: RE: Still no hot water
Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...
Originally written by ride the shocker on 2009-07-05 5:58 PM
We tried the hot water heater again. It lights then goes out. Any more suggestions any help is really appreciated. There is no thermo coupler in this one it's a suburban SW6D.
When it goes out does it try to relight?
And out of curiosity, are you assuming that it is going out because the light on the switch turns off. The light on my switch is only on when the switch is on and the heater is not lit.
Posted 2009-07-09 8:27 PM (#107764 - in reply to #107592) Subject: RE: Still no hot water
Member
Posts: 18
The flame is visualized then it goes out and won't relight. My husband is convinced it's the circuit but everyone on this forum said that they rarely go out.
Posted 2009-07-09 8:56 PM (#107765 - in reply to #107007) Subject: RE: No Hot Water
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
If it's lighting and then goes out, the ignition circuit is working. If there is air in the tank, the unit will short cycle and shut down. Chances are you have a gas supply problem. See the recent threads about the refrigerator that had similar problems. The two appliances are exhibiting similar symptoms.
The suburban direct ignition board will try to light a flame three times. If the flame doesn't put out enough heat to satisfy the thermocouple, the unit shuts down and the switch has to be reselected.
I would check to see how good a flame is present when it lights off. It may be weak. If it is, I would check the orifice and then the thermostat, and then the gas supply. Are all of your other gas appliances working?
If you can locate a manometer and check the pressure at the thermostat, you can quickly trouble shoot the whole supply system.
Posted 2009-07-10 8:10 AM (#107775 - in reply to #107007) Subject: RE: No Hot Water
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
The measurement of gas pressure is a little confusing, as it isn't calibrated in PSI. It uses inches of mercury as compared to atmospheric pressure. The author of the article was quite astute in constructing his own "gauge".
Almost any mechanic who works in the gas service field, owns these instruments. It's as common to them as a multimeter is to an electrician. Without knowing if there is an adequate supply of gas being delivered at the right pressure, it is impossible to properly trouble shoot the appliances.
No Hot Water
