Water Heater not working (brand new)

mcgarry · 06-17-2021, 10:49 PM

Hi,

I just bought a 2022 THOR Chateau 28z. The Dometic water heater will not turn on via LP or 110v. I have verified the winterizing valves are allowing water to it. I have popped open the pressure relief valve to verify water come out. Obviously I have turned it on at the control panel. The soonest I can get into service is 3 weeks. Any ideas I can try to fix it myself?

Thanks!

Pete'sMH · 06-17-2021, 11:59 PM

Bummer! Depends on how “handy” you are. Has it ever worked? Is the gas turned on at the tank and at the gas valve? Does the gas valve open and can you hear the igniter trying to light the burner? If nothing at all is happening grab a voltmeter and make sure the control unit is getting the needed 12V power. The control boards fail with depressing regularity but there is a procedure for verifying that it’s the problem. YouTube is your friend. It isn’t a complicated machine and you should be able to diagnose it and maybe even fix it yourself. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

jjoster56 · 06-18-2021, 01:09 AM

Yes, Check the voltage to the controller. Mine was bad. There has been a bad batch of controllers from China (I think there is a forum on it somewhere here).
If no power, it is easy to remove and your dealer may have one in stock. Mine was free under warranty. Took less than 5 minutes - other than the drive to the dealer!

**EA37TS** · 06-18-2021, 04:24 AM

Did it work during the PDI

Pete'sMH · 06-18-2021, 12:50 PM

My controller failed on my first trip as well. I have no doubt that I could have had it replaced under warranty but that would have got me the same cheap Chinese board. I bought a board from Dinosaur (brand) that I believe to be much higher quality. Ordered from Amazon and was about $100 vs $55 for OE. Simple DIY plug and play installation.

Chateau_Nomad · 06-19-2021, 05:54 AM

Agree with others... it's a pretty simple device. I always like to start with the simple (stupid

) stuff first. Believe me... I'm a professional when it comes to stupid!

Hot water tank full/water pump on
Shore power plugged in
Other 120 volt outlets working
Check breakers/fuses
Propane stove burners light okay
Listen for igniter "snapping" noise from tank area

With no joy, then I'm getting out the volt meter and digging deeper.

chunker21 · 06-19-2021, 12:18 PM

I had an issue with the water heater not getting 12v on my toy hauler this spring. When I disconnected all power, including the 12v disconnect, it reset the controls. Worked fine then. Didn't have to dig any deeper.

Bob Denman · 06-19-2021, 12:28 PM

I wonder if he found the source of the problem yet?

**16ACE27** · 06-19-2021, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

I wonder if he found the source of the problem yet?

Drive-by. Hasn't even come back to read the responses to his OP.

waynetaylor55 · 06-19-2021, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgarry

Hi,

I just bought a 2022 THOR Chateau 28z. The Dometic water heater will not turn on via LP or 110v. I have verified the winterizing valves are allowing water to it. I have popped open the pressure relief valve to verify water come out. Obviously I have turned it on at the control panel. The soonest I can get into service is 3 weeks. Any ideas I can try to fix it myself?

Thanks!

I had the exact problem on our first trip out in our 28A. About a half a tank of hot water and then nothing on LP or AC. Turns out there is a thermocouple that is between the power and thermostat accessed from the outside of the coach. If there is an issue with the propane coming back it heats up and disconnects the WH.

https://www.amazon.com/Atwood-93866-...24232479&psc=1

I ordered two sets just so I could have enough spares.
BTW I don't know why they include the extra connecting wire. I didn't use it.

chunker21 · 06-19-2021, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

Drive-by. Hasn't even come back to read the responses to his OP.

I think further responses to the OP are a waste of time until he/she comes back with updates.

The Gritz Carlton · 06-19-2021, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EA37TS

Did it work during the PDI

This little question is the root of most issues people have with a new RV's and it so solemnly answers itself so quickly. There's no better time for checking systems and negotiating fixes than when the money is still in YOUR pocket. There's always a service bay open for a quick fix prior to the sell.

MLP · 06-19-2021, 03:28 PM

I had a problem with no hot water on my Palazzo. I did not wast time. I used a jumper from the positive battery post to the connector in the water heater. You should have a schematic in the documentation that came with your rig. ID the proper connector pin for gas or electric and connect. I used a pin and a alligator clip. Fix it when I got home. It was a relay that went bad.

**EA37TS** · 06-20-2021, 01:10 AM

This morning as I was dumping my black tank using the Sanicon another Coach owner came up to see what I was doing and how I was doing it. He has the same system and doesn’t know how to use it. I provided some instruction and at the end he told me he has owned his coach (MSRP around 250k) for two years and he is getting ready to hire an RV inspector to give him a 4 hour class on how to use the systems.

I also showed another person how to connect the Grand Cherokee for flat towing. He tows a Wrangler but doesn’t like the ride so he wanted to see how easy connecting the WK2 is.

I was finally able to hit the road about 11:30. Lucky today was a short 3 hour drive.

cgeace29.3 · 06-23-2021, 08:36 PM

You have to have both gas and power on, power to ignite and gas to heat the water.
Have someone turn the power on while you stand near the unit with the cover open.
You should hear clicking from the power trying to ignite the burner if not your not getting power to the wh.
I had the circuit panel go bad bought a new on on Amazon

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