20 Most Recent RTO Atwood DSI-RV Water Heater-6 Gallon - Page 9 Questions & Answers

Have you checked for additional switch, perhaps on rear of water heater on side of cover that wiring goes into for element. How far have you gone with it?

Try cleaning electrode and insure that it is in line to get heat from flame when burner ignites. That electrode is also a flame sensor. let me know if that helps. How long does it run when it does light?

Shut off hydro/breaker (110VAC) to water heater element. Remove nuts on cover at back side of tank, where you see hydro cable entering. Carefully pull metal, or plastic cover off to expose wiring, element, thermostat,ECO,etc. Double check , no hydro power present with Multimeter, or circuit tester. When your 100% sure no hydro (110VAC) to it, take a close look at all the connectors on little rounds discs, (thermostat and ECO) and make sure they are on good, and making good connections. Once that's checked, and making sure no bare wires are touching studs for cover, or any wires are touching each other, Turn 110VAC breaker back on and Very carefully attach or touch your ground on multimeter or tester to copper wire for hydro, and your positive to screw at element that has the black (hot) wire attached to it. You should read 110-120VAC. If yes, shut off hydro again, and replace element. If no, leave ground where it is, and carefully test voltage at each terminal of the thermostat, and ECO discs. You Should get 110-120VAC at each, if not, the one with voltage in, but not out is defective, and should be replaced, after shutting power off obviously. This is assuming yours doesn't have a thermostat, with a push-in type reset that may have tripped, so look for that as well. Also, some thermostats, or ECO's will have a small pin in the center between the 2 spade connectors that is a reset as well, so if you have those type, push in on those to check for reset as well. When/if you do have that style, shut power off, while resetting to avoid chance of shock. Keep me posted please.

You'll probably have to install a small expansion tank on the line. They are available at Home Depot, etc and they should be able to help you size it appropriately. The directions with them are pretty straightforward. Good luck.

can you turn it up ... ? Maybe the burner needs cleaned ... might have spider web in the burner ... blow out with compressed air or canned air ...

Obviously a serious problem, so don't attempt running it until a certified technician checks it. May just be a spider web in burner tube, but just in case it's a leak, shut propane off at tanks, and have it checked a.s.a.p. by a technician.

If you've checked at pressure relief valve ( careful, not to burn yourself just in case it is hot) by pulling lever and catching some water that comes out in a cup or whatever. If it feels hot out of there, check that by-pass isn't faulty. Not uncommon for valves to seize, and only partially open, or close, and end up mixing hot with cold.

Have you checked your by-pass at rear of water heater to make sure it's in proper position? If it's still in bypass, you will only get cold water from either tap. Cold water goes in bottom, and hot comes out top. Any valves in between those 2 lines need to be off. Let me know what you find, as they use a few different ways to do the by-pass.

How many valves on by-pass, or what style by-pass have you got on there? Remember water has to go in bottom (cold) and then out top (hot) . No valve in between should be open. Valves going direct in to cold, and out hot need to be open.

If contacts have no continuity when tank is cold, it must be faulty.

Depending on how big the split is, we have in the past taken it to a welder who can weld aluminum, and had them repaired, but price for repair got as high as replacing, so we stopped that. If he's good and pressure tests it after at a reasonable price, maybe, otherwise buy new.

Make sure switch on water heater at back where electrical wire is attached is in the on position, as well as any breaker marked for water heater. Some RV's also share a connection at a switch by counter in kitchen that only allows either microwave, or water heater, not both at same time. Possible that ECO, Thermostat assy in behind black cover on outside may be faulty, but not very likely. If you verify that there is hydro to connection at back of tank, I would suspect element is faulty. Not uncommon to burn element out if it was on, before tank was full of water, or when tank was emptied for some reason.

Check that the by-pass valve(s) on or near back of water heater are in the proper position. If your stumped on how they should be for normal operation, remember this. Cold water has to flow into bottom of tank, so that valve needs to be open straight into that fitting. Then the hot comes out the top, so that valve has to be open as well. Any valves in between those lines need to be closed, otherwise it will mix cold and hot . If still not sure, get back to me, with location of any valves there, and I'll guide you through it.

Yes. If your using it in an RV, your converter can supply the needed 12 volts, if it's not already there.

They get hot, just like a regular bulb. It will burn your fingers. Ever see a car's brake lights that have melted through the lens? Hope this helps.

I'm having the same problem! Bought new thermacoupler and thermostat and it still won't stay lit.

When you say on do you mean operating on propane?

If that answer is yes I would suspect a grounding issue, if it is showing a fault code operating on A/C power you may have a bad monitor

If your lighting and not getting hot water then you have a valve closed or your by pass is in the wrong position, if it is burning on gas it will heat water

You may have a control board issue, there is no sensor that is IN the water tank your thermostat controller are exterior to the tank under the black foam looking piece which I think is where your trouble lies

Normally the red light stays on for hydro operation, so within 1/2 hr or so you should have hot water. Red light on gas means problem lighting. A few things to check. Make sure switch at back of water heater is on as well as breaker in panel, for hydro operation.
As far as gas side goes, try going outside and drop cover down, and pull the connectors of and on a couple of times at the spark module, just to make sure you have clean contact, and have someone try switch after, and let me know if it's at least trying to spark. If still not working, there should be a thermal cut-off switch in the brown wire running to center area of water heater to the thermostat, and ECO. ( where square piece of black foam covers them) That thermal cut-off has a clear plastic sleeve over it. Take that out of the circuit. Simply pull it apart at both ends, and then connect wire from spark module directly to THERM/ECO, where it was before.( your just eliminating that piece, and going direct.) See if it lights now, and let me know. Do you have a 12 volt test light, or multimeter? Also, with it turned off, take your finger and push in between spade connectors on the THERM, and ECO, and make sure there isn't a little reset in center that has tripped.