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Old 12-12-2020, 11:39 PM   #21
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Originally Posted by Beau388 View Post
What I suggested is you test to see if the 12 volt power switch is actually supplying current to the relay and the relay is actually moving.


Sorry to be a pest, but how exactly do I go about testing the 12 volt power switch? How do I determine the relay is moving? I have a beeper and an ohm/voltage digital reader, but I’m uncertain as to how I actually test if it’s actually supplying current. Thank you.

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Old 12-13-2020, 08:06 AM   #22
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If you are gonna work on electricity you must learn to use a multi-meter or call an electrician.
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Old 12-13-2020, 02:14 PM   #23
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Cavie just said what I was going to

Get one with clips for the leads as well to help make some of the testing easier

What your up aground has-been 10-15 minutes or so with a VOM meter

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If you are gonna work on electricity you must learn to use a multi-meter or call an electrician.
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Old 12-13-2020, 07:22 PM   #24
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Cavie just said what I was going to

Get one with clips for the leads as well to help make some of the testing easier

What your up aground has-been 10-15 minutes or so with a VOM meter


Thanks for the cautionary response. I understand electricity enough not to get shocked. [emoji23]. I think positive and negative clips would be helpful as well as a better multimeter. If you’re familiar with the “relay switch” and element box and it’s location it’s almost impossible to actually use the multimeter. That is without taking the heater completely out. Holding the negative and positive prongs and reaching awkwardly under the sink is difficult. I’m trying to get the reading from the back side under the sink. When I finally opened the black box, two wires were fried. Assuming from earlier threads, the plastic nut was loose. I’m thinking that burned out the “relay switch”. The reason I asked the specific question was I am wondering if the 110 control panel switch could be bad as well. I took the panel off and tested for continuity. But I was unsure how to specifically test the “relay switch”. The early response indicated that one could see movement. My relay switch is completely enclosed with four separate connections. I’ve ordered a new relay switch and panel switch. Relatively inexpensive. I’ll replace those items and hope for the best. I’ll keep you posted. Oh I took a quick tutorial on the multimeter. Amps, volts, ohms - oh my! Hey our county is on lock down. I have plenty of time and no where to go.
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Old 12-16-2020, 01:18 AM   #25
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Finally solved. Thank you everyone for your help with this electric water heater problem. I have to say everyone’s input was appreciated, but the recommendation to print the “Atwood Master Heater Manual” and the suggestion to know how to read a multimeter” was invaluable.

I will now say trust the manual. Especially the diagnostic steps. The steps kept leading to a “replace the circuit board” but I ignored that as I had replaced it a few weeks ago while fixing the gas portion of the water heater. Little did I know that when I replaced the board, the electric portion of the water heater stopped working. The new board was flawed. The electric portion of the new board was broken but not the gas. I replaced the new board with a new board and instantly the electric portion now works. Basically I kept ignoring the signs that something was wrong with the circuit board as I had just replaced it earlier. The new board was faulty. Thanks again and trust that “Atwood Master Heater Manual”.
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Old 12-16-2020, 03:19 AM   #26
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Glad you got it!
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Old 12-17-2020, 02:14 AM   #27
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I own a Thor Windsport 29M. A few months ago while dry camping, our gas water heater did not work. I was able to fix that problem. However we are at a full hook up site currently and the electric water heater is not working. Thank you for any suggestions.

Kona Tom
Kona Tom
Atwood uses same tstat and control board for gas and electric.
Three things.
Ac relay on back of water tank defective or loose wire
Ac heater open defective
Electric on off switch
Have a great day
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Old 12-17-2020, 02:59 AM   #28
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Originally Posted by almcguire@hotmail.com View Post
Kona Tom
Atwood uses same tstat and control board for gas and electric.
Three things.
Ac relay on back of water tank defective or loose wire
Ac heater open defective
Electric on off switch
Have a great day
Did you see post # 25 above?
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Old 12-17-2020, 01:15 PM   #29
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Did you see post # 25 above?
hi guys & gals, I don't post much because I read the whole post to see if I can help. It just amazes me to see op post that he found a remedy to their problem and then a day later someone has an answer that has no good reasoning. Good luck and be safe everyone, just HAD to vent!
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Old 12-17-2020, 03:00 PM   #30
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hi guys & gals, I don't post much because I read the whole post to see if I can help. It just amazes me to see op post that he found a remedy to their problem and then a day later someone has an answer that has no good reasoning. Good luck and be safe everyone, just HAD to vent!
Chicks
Thanks for your input. After working for Dometic/Atwood doing service and training dealers for 40 years . Control board failure for AC operation is 1 in a 1000. Doing service I have replaced relays and heating elements but rarely control board for no AC operation.
Thanks Al McGuire RVIA certified.
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Old 12-17-2020, 03:42 PM   #31
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Chicks

Thanks for your input. After working for Dometic/Atwood doing service and training dealers for 40 years . Control board failure for AC operation is 1 in a 1000. Doing service I have replaced relays and heating elements but rarely control board for no AC operation.

Thanks Al McGuire RVIA certified.


Well, this was the 1/1000 then. I replaced the following: Circuit board, thermal kit including T-Stat, heating element, relay switch, panel control switch and changed the plastic melted nuts. One of those steps (Thermal Kit. - ECO and T-Stat) fixed the gas portion of the heater. However, electric did not work. After trying this forum and going back over the Atwood Master Manual I was still baffled. No electric water heater. I finally, which I should have done initially called the Atwood Help Line. To my surprise after waiting 15 minutes was connected to a service technician. I explained everything I did. She asked a few questions. One was “Do you have current coming out of the yellow wire of the circular board”? My answer was no. She said it’s the circuit board. I responded, “I just replaced that board last week”. She repeated, “I’m pretty sure it’s the circuit board”.

I removed the circuit board and replaced it. I immediately tested that yellow wire and it was hot/positive. I went inside the RV and tested the positive on the heating element and it was positive. I knew it had been fixed. Folks can post whatever, but that’s the facts. I admit up front I had a learning curve about the multimeter and understanding the Atwood Master Manual. But I learned how to use that DC setting and finding a proper ground. I also have a really good feel for that wire schematic.

Looking back, I now believe the gas was only impacted by a bad thermal coupler. When I replaced the circuit board for whatever reason that yellow lead was flawed, thus shutting down the electric current to the relay switch. I give big thumbs up to the Atwood Service Representative. She was patient, knowledgeable and confident.

I love this forum but a basic problem is that responders can be judgmental and assume that the person asking the question knows as much as him or her. For instance, the Atwood Rep says, “Do you have the multimeter grounded.” And then explains how that can be done. Also, “Take that reader and tell me the reading on each wire coming out of that circuit board”. She asked other specific questions and within 15 had it diagnosed.

Thanks again for all the help. I learned a great deal about the Atwood Water Heaters.
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