Water Heater ignitor keeps running until water is hot

[Randy_in_Ohio]

Hi guys! We've been enjoying the heck out of our 1984 Elandan that I picked up this Spring.  I've been having an issue with the water heater. It has an electric starter and it fires right up, the problem is, once it lights the igniter  keeps ticking "tick, tick, tick tick..."  until it gets the water hot then it shuts off.  I had a loose connection on the white wire running to the thermocouple which I thought was the problem. I cleaned up the terminal and put on a new connector but it's doing the same thing. I think I need to get a new thermocouple for it but I can't figure out what type of water heater I have. The label is faded and I can not make out anything on it. Can someone help me identify this thing so I can order a new thermocouple for it?

[DonD]

That looks like the Atwood I recently removed and replaced with a pilot model.

[Randy_in_Ohio]

Thanks Don. that may narrow it down... I still need to figure out the modle number and/or replacement sensor. I'm pretty sure it has to be that sensor. Hm?

[salplmb]

all thermocouples are pretty much the same. the only difference usually is the length of the copper tube. just pull out the old one and pick one up from home depot or any hardware store should have it. just make sure the flame hits the big bulbed end. if its ticking it sounds like a self igniter. if so it might b the control box not sensing the flame after ignition. if the thermocouple went bad u would not b able to lite the heater.  if it has a standing pilot its a Manuel valve.
hope this helps a little
sal

[DonD]

The white wire goes to the flame sensor.
o-brn
o-vacant
o-blue
o-red
o-white
o-green

The models I'm somewhat familiar with are:
GH6-4E, G6A-4E, GCH6-4E.

[DonD]

The board may be bad. Dinosaur RV http://dinosaurelectronics.com/  can help.

"Here is the sequence of events.

Thermostat calls for heat (NOTE: IT can fail to make the call)
Mother board opens gas valve and starts the Spark Generator.
Burner ignites
Flame sensor heats up (It too can be defective)
After about 3 seconds if the flame sensor is not hot enough (or if it is not working) mother board shuts down to prevent gas explosion. (or it keeps working)

A poor connection on many of the connections on the Control board can cause a failure.. A bad T-Stat will prevent the call for heat.  Spark gap mis-adjusted prevents ignition (But that is not your problem) A Flame Sensor that is either improperly adjusted or defective won't signal "FLAME ON".  A bad control board wont' read FLAME ON

ANd a burner that is out of adjustment wont' get hot enough to read FLAME ON"

[Oz]

The website is actually Dinosaur Electronics.  They have stuff for all kinds of old units including refrigerators.  The link is in the Resources Section > Electrical.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

That is almost identical to our Atwood, the one I just fixed by replacing the pressure relief valve, then the thermostat/ECU switches, then finally the circuit board with a universal board from Dinosaur Electronics.

Looks like one of the GH6 series to me.

Part number for the ECO/Thermostat switches is Atwood 91447...cost me 12 bucks.  Part number for the Dinosaur Board was UIB-S Post Rev.10, (although I accidently ordered the small board and had to drill 2 more holes...you can get the UIB-L Post and it will be a direct fit), and cost me 68 bucks.  The new cover for the board was an additional 9 bucks, since the old cover won't fit over the new board.

The way the new board works, it doesn't use the sensor on your ignitor...it senses the flame right through the existing spark electrode, so you don't have to worry about a thermocouple or anything.

Kev

[Randy_in_Ohio]

Thanks for the replies.  I think the next thing I should do is check the connections at the board. If that looks good I guess I will go ahead and replace the board and the spark igniter, and probably that thermostat too. It will probably be a couple weeks... I'll follow up with how I come out. 

[Randy_in_Ohio]

I finally got to tinkering around with this water heater. I took the board out and cleaned up the contacts and tinned them with some solder. That didn't work. Then I cleaned up the thermocouple and igniter. While reinstalling the tube and thermocouple/ignighter assembly I noticed that when I would adjust the air vent in the tube the igniter would slow down and speed up.... Once I got it adjusted right the igniter turned off! So it wasn't a bad board, bad sensor, not even a bad connection... I just needeed to adjust the air vent.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Excellent!  Its always gratifying when you figure something out and fix a problem, and it doesn't cost you anything but some time and thought...


Kev