Water Heater blues

HarleypsychRN · 10-20-2019, 05:17 PM

Pilot to hot water heater is out (as evidenced by the red light on the control panel). The furnace starts but blows cold air for about a minute, before shutting off.

Are these related?

How do I relight the pilot for the water heater?

Does anyone know what type of water heater is in a Thor ACE 29.4?
Thanks as always!

Bob Denman · 10-20-2019, 05:24 PM

Is your propane valve open?

halfprice · 10-20-2019, 06:54 PM

Not familiar with your coach but I thought all of these water heaters had electronic lighters. The red light indicates water heater is using propane to heat. Light on 110 means electric to heat

HarleypsychRN · 10-20-2019, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Is your propane valve open?

Yes and all the over burners lit when I tried them.

**16ACE27** · 10-20-2019, 09:16 PM

You don't have any pilot lights (except maybe in your oven).

The water heater "Pilot light out" LED is a hold-over from the days of pilot lights but what it means with today's water heaters is that you have an error in the logic of the circuitry that lights and runs your water heater on propane. Essentially: if the circuitry tried to light your water heater on propane through 3 cycles and failed to see that it was lit you get the error indication and it quits trying until you reset it by turning the "gas" switch off, and then back on again.

There's two ways this could be related to your furnace issue:

Both use propane but apparently your valve is open and the stove burners light and run fine - so not likely a propane issue.

Both use 12 VDC for control power to their circuitry including power to open the electric valves that allow propane to the appliance (as does you fridge if it is a standard RV absorption fridge). Hows your house battery voltage?

Lt Keefer · 10-20-2019, 10:46 PM

Is this the first time you have used the water heater and furnace? Does the refer work on propane? Do you have 12 volt power? If you do, you may have air in the propane lines. I was told by an old propane guy that sometimes air gets in the lines and it has to be purged but the electronics of the propane appliances see it as a fault. This happened to me once and the fix was super easy. I lit the burners on the stove and let them burn for 5 minutes, then tried the water heater. Once the water heater fired and the fault light went out, I fired the furnace. Then the refer. Not saying it can't happen, but the chance of two or three appliances crapping out at the same time are slim.

HarleypsychRN · 10-21-2019, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

You don't have any pilot lights (except maybe in your oven).

The water heater "Pilot light out" LED is a hold-over from the days of pilot lights but what it means with today's water heaters is that you have an error in the logic of the circuitry that lights and runs your water heater on propane. Essentially: if the circuitry tried to light your water heater on propane through 3 cycles and failed to see that it was lit you get the error indication and it quits trying until you reset it by turning the "gas" switch off, and then back on again.

There's two ways this could be related to your furnace issue:

Both use propane but apparently your valve is open and the stove burners light and run fine - so not likely a propane issue.

Both use 12 VDC for control power to their circuitry including power to open the electric valves that allow propane to the appliance (as does you fridge if it is a standard RV absorption fridge). Hows your house battery voltage?

Brand new house batteries

HarleypsychRN · 10-21-2019, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lt Keefer

Is this the first time you have used the water heater and furnace? Does the refer work on propane? Do you have 12 volt power? If you do, you may have air in the propane lines. I was told by an old propane guy that sometimes air gets in the lines and it has to be purged but the electronics of the propane appliances see it as a fault. This happened to me once and the fix was super easy. I lit the burners on the stove and let them burn for 5 minutes, then tried the water heater. Once the water heater fired and the fault light went out, I fired the furnace. Then the refer. Not saying it can't happen, but the chance of two or three appliances crapping out at the same time are slim.

The water heater and furnace have been working fine. Will try and relight the stove and let it run for several minutes.

We noticed something strange though when I went to turn the propane on...someone (we recently had the RV at a shop for emergency slide topper repair) had turned the propane knob all the way on (it only needs to be turned a quarter turn). Neither my wife or I did it. Wonder if that could have contributed to air in the line?

**16ACE27** · 10-21-2019, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarleypsychRN

The water heater and furnace have been working fine. Will try and relight the stove and let it run for several minutes.

We noticed something strange though when I went to turn the propane on...someone (we recently had the RV at a shop for emergency slide topper repair) had turned the propane knob all the way on (it only needs to be turned a quarter turn). Neither my wife or I did it. Wonder if that could have contributed to air in the line?

No, it is supposed to be all the way on so the backseat prevents leaks around the stem.

And new batteries does not mean charged batteries.

HarleypsychRN · 10-22-2019, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

No, it is supposed to be all the way on so the backseat prevents leaks around the stem.

And new batteries does not mean charged batteries.

Point well taken, no the house batteries are fully charged

HarleypsychRN · 10-24-2019, 03:29 PM

Propane is reading empty (duh). Going top have it filled tomorrow. Probably the reason...will update after I have a chance to retry it.

Bob Denman · 10-24-2019, 03:31 PM

Let's hope that this is the problem: it's the easiest one to solve!

HarleypsychRN · 10-26-2019, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Let's hope that this is the problem: it's the easiest one to solve!

Yes, when I got Propane heater fired right up. Learning more and more every day...

LSTEFAN · 10-26-2019, 07:39 PM

My Hurricane 29M had similar issue act like it was going to light but not ignition, I had gas. Ended up being the mother board, so on input from this forum someone suggested going with "Dinosaur Board" vs factory replacement. I had good results in the past with a toy hauler w/ Dinosaur Board so I went in that direct and not had a problem.

Thank you to all the people on the forum who have been helpful in resolving our issues, and for all the cool upgrades they share.

Lonnie

pengoquin · 10-26-2019, 07:41 PM

Check all your line connections. When my RV was new I found several loose line connections, the one to the main tank was only finger tight and leaking. Just snug them down with correct fitting wrench and test wit leak detector or soapy water.

aa0ri · 10-27-2019, 10:02 PM

My 07 Vegas has a simple reason for these appliances to fail lighting. When the coach was built they put the walls up, strung all the wiring and propane lines. They then installed the kitchen cabinets and pinched the propane lines between the wall and cabinet, the only way to fix it was to cut out the old hoses and install a complete new set.

Hope your problem is easier than that to find!

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