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Old 02-21-2019, 09:03 PM   #1
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Model: A.C.E. 30.2
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THOR #13770
Hot Water AWOL, please help!

I lost my hot water completely last night. My water heater pilot light is out. The contol panel says its out but I didn't know that's why I had no hot water till I switched to the water pump, & only then does it only toggles the red light saying pilot light out. I haven't had a trace of warm water since, not even on the 110 electric setting (which never seemed to heat anyway), & now not on the gas setting. Before that, I could get warm/hot water at my kitchen sink with gas, but only luke warm after a prolonged time at the bathroom sink & forget about it in the shower! So I watched some videos that told me how to light the pilot & where. I came outside armed to learn something new. But when I opened the hatch I found absolutely no pilot controls of either of the types that are most common, even tho inside the hatch was a sticker telling me to move the pilot knob to light, light it and hold it the 30 seconds that's apparently standard! So I've added a pix's of my compartment. Can someone please tell me where my invisible pilot control knob is & that I'm blind for not seeing it straight away??? Thanks everyone!Click image for larger version

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Old 02-21-2019, 09:55 PM   #2
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Underneath the pilot light instructions are the instructions for electronic ignition, which is what you have. Try unplugging and replugging the white plug at the top with the bundle of wires going into it. Also make sure all of the other plugs are secure. When you turn it on on gas inside the coach, you should hear some clicking as it tries to light. There are a couple of reset buttons on the back of the heater where the thermostat is. I have no idea how to get to them on your coach. On my last one, I had to pull the whole heater to get to them, but I think most Thor units have an access door. Good luck.
Mike
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Old 02-21-2019, 09:59 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by m1noel View Post
Underneath the pilot light instructions are the instructions for electronic ignition, which is what you have. Try unplugging and replugging the white plug at the top with the bundle of wires going into it. Also make sure all of the other plugs are secure. When you turn it on on gas inside the coach, you should hear some clicking as it tries to light. There are a couple of reset buttons on the back of the heater where the thermostat is. I have no idea how to get to them on your coach. On my last one, I had to pull the whole heater to get to them, but I think most Thor units have an access door. Good luck.
Mike
Thanks Mike, I will go check the wires. Do you know why the directions say for me to "light" my pilot light, right inside the hatch, if it is completely electronic??? I appreciate your help!
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Old 02-21-2019, 10:02 PM   #4
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Sorry for the additional post, but to add, the ignitor is the white ceramic thing just above the burner tube. check to make sure it is secure where is connects to the control board also. And the little red thing right next to where it plugs in might be a fuse. If you do hear the ignitor clicking, the problem will be with the gas supply. Do you have good flame at the stove top, and is your furnace running correctly? The electric element will burn out in seconds if the heater is ever switched to electric while empty. Also, check to make sure both faucet handles for your outside shower are turned off. If left open the cold water mixes right in with the hot and you won't get better than luke warm. Again, hope this helps.
Mike
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Old 02-21-2019, 10:06 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by Soldier Girl View Post
Thanks Mike, I will go check the wires. Do you know why the directions say for me to "light" my pilot light, right inside the hatch, if it is completely electronic??? I appreciate your help!
Different water heaters have different lighting procedures. That's why there are a few different sets of instructions. You have the electronic version which lights itself on demand, and usually they work very well. With the pilot light versions, you would probably have to relight every time you move the coach.
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Old 02-21-2019, 10:12 PM   #6
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Yeah, I've got good heat, & also my stove is good. I checked all of the above, nothing seems wrong... ah well, I suppose it will havta wait till I head back to the dealer for an install on the 25th. Till then I'll havta heat water needed the ol fashion way...Thx again
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Old 02-21-2019, 11:25 PM   #7
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How long does it take to microwave enough hot water for a bath?
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Old 02-21-2019, 11:28 PM   #8
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You've been concentrating on the propane part. Your coach likely also has an electric option.. does that work?
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Old 02-22-2019, 12:04 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by JamieGeek View Post
You've been concentrating on the propane part. Your coach likely also has an electric option.. does that work?
Nope, it hasn't been working, not since I've had it as far as I know. The best I ever had was luke warm water & I couldn't be sure that wasn't just the warmth of that day. The electric water heating was one of the things I was bringing my RV back to the dealer for this upcoming Monday. Now I guess I need to add the propane water heat too.
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Old 02-22-2019, 12:09 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Bob Denman View Post
How long does it take to microwave enough hot water for a bath?
Bob, you're a funny man! As always, you bring much needed comic relief to my day, thanks. My propane stove works just fine, I use that to heat a stock pot of water, if I need more water than my electric kettle can provide...
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Old 02-22-2019, 12:13 AM   #11
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Ok does it even sound like the heater is running on propane? (When ours fires up it sounds like there is a rocket engine firing--especially if you're standing outside the coach.)

If so have you checked the winterizing bypass valves: Perhaps the crossover valve is open.
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Old 02-22-2019, 12:34 AM   #12
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Is there a thermostat or is it a static setting? One time I left my propane tank off. Also to get faster hot water you can turn on gas and electric
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Old 02-22-2019, 12:39 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by JamieGeek View Post
Ok does it even sound like the heater is running on propane? (When ours fires up it sounds like there is a rocket engine firing--especially if you're standing outside the coach.)

If so have you checked the winterizing bypass valves: Perhaps the crossover valve is open.
Where the world do I find that, & what does it look like? --- I think I mentioned a long ways back that I used to luv tinkering on pre-computer motorcyles but couldn't manage to transfer that luv to cars/trucks (even Army ones) with their huge engines that my small hands didn't feel at all comfortable with? Guess how the RV systems make me feel??? But I suppose the difference now is that I luv this bloody RV, so I damn well better learn how to get my small & rather arthritic hands to feel comfortable messing with the giant sized mechanical regions of my new home!!!
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Old 02-22-2019, 12:40 AM   #14
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Jamie the geek, that's what I was thinking, the bypass valve might have been left on winterize. One thing to check is lift the over pressure relief valve. If water comes out, the tank is getting water and should heat, BUT depending on the piping, water should not be coming in the out line with any temp change. The clicking on the ignition would indicate the unit is trying to light. If the gas smell is present, then the line is working. You could also try -when you get the clicking to light the gas in the big silver tube - be careful. There is a safety mechanism that will shut off the gas flow if the temp on the pilot feed is not lit and it sound like that pilot feed is blocked. Little spiders like getting into these lines. I've cleaned mine on the fiver several times. JUST be careful Soldiergirl.
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Old 02-22-2019, 12:44 AM   #15
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Also if it doesn’t light within a certain time it will time out
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Old 02-22-2019, 12:47 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by Soldier Girl View Post
Where the world do I find that, & what does it look like? --- I think I mentioned a long ways back that I used to luv tinkering on pre-computer motorcyles but couldn't manage to transfer that luv to cars/trucks (even Army ones) with their huge engines that my small hands didn't feel at all comfortable with? Guess how the RV systems make me feel??? But I suppose the difference now is that I luv this bloody RV, so I damn well better learn how to get my small & rather arthritic hands to feel comfortable messing with the giant sized mechanical regions of my new home!!!
You are in luck: The valves aren't giant sized.

The winterizing crossover valves are usually on the inside portion of the water heater behind and access panel or a drawer or something.

Looking at the 30.2 floorplan and pictures (here) it looks like your water heater is directly below the kitchen window (below the sink). I would look for a panel that can be removed in the cabinet below the sink.

On the inside of the water heater you should find 3 valves: one on hot, one on cold and one on some piping going in-between hot and cold. For normal operation the crossover valve should be closed and the hot/cold valves should be open (open=handle is in line with the pipe, closed=handle is perpendicular to the pipe).
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Old 02-22-2019, 12:55 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by Soldier Girl View Post
Bob, you're a funny man! As always, you bring much needed comic relief to my day, thanks. My propane stove works just fine, I use that to heat a stock pot of water, if I need more water than my electric kettle can provide...
I just wish that I could offer something more useful...
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Old 02-22-2019, 12:57 AM   #18
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Another point: Keep in mind as you look around the inside of your coach: Any wall panel that you see held on with screws means you can remove it and look behind it. Wall panel's held on with staples aren't meant to be removed. This includes any vents (cold air return), and even drawer's (remove a drawer and who knows what you may find back there ! LOL).
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Old 02-22-2019, 01:32 AM   #19
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Hello OK if you look at your first picture that you put in and almost in the center a little to the right and up you’ll see a valve there got a little blue ring around a little lever that that is your overheat valve in it that’s why he’s talking about open that lift that little lever up and see if water company comes out in a little bit a water might come out anyway but see if it has a steady flow of water and if so that tells you that there’s water going into the hot water heater and go ahead and close close that back down and if you look right below that you’ll see some letters in there ECO and TStat those are your emergency Cut off and thermostat for the hot water heater if you look at the T-Stat you will see two brown wires connect into them the one on the right also has a little plastic looking thing in there that is also emergency shut off switch is designed that if you have a fire within the hot water heater area it will automatically shut off the gas sometimes it goes bad in it and it keeps the hot water heater from lighting you can actually disconnect that and bypass it for for troubleshooting but it’s not recommended to leave it off you can buy new ones fairly cheap at most RV supply stores or you can also order them from Amazon it’s one of the first things that needs to be checked when you’re on your hot water heater don’t work sometime does this put a bad dirty connection on on those plugs as well check that out
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Old 02-22-2019, 01:34 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bjones3211 View Post
Hello OK if you look at your first picture that you put in and almost in the center a little to the right and up you’ll see a valve there got a little blue ring around a little lever that that is your overheat valve in it that’s why he’s talking about open that lift that little lever up and see if water company comes out in a little bit a water might come out anyway but see if it has a steady flow of water and if so that tells you that there’s water going into the hot water heater and go ahead and close close that back down and if you look right below that you’ll see some letters in there ECO and TStat those are your emergency Cut off and thermostat for the hot water heater if you look at the T-Stat you will see two brown wires connect into them the one on the right also has a little plastic looking thing in there that is also emergency shut off switch is designed that if you have a fire within the hot water heater area it will automatically shut off the gas sometimes it goes bad in it and it keeps the hot water heater from lighting you can actually disconnect that and bypass it for for troubleshooting but it’s not recommended to leave it off you can buy new ones fairly cheap at most RV supply stores or you can also order them from Amazon it’s one of the first things that needs to be checked when you’re on your hot water heater don’t work sometime does this put a bad dirty connection on on those plugs as well check that out
That isn't the valve I'm talking about.
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