Can't ignite water heater using propane

[rvcycleguy]

Thanks Bill. I did not know what the function was of that black plastic rectangle. Now I know.

RV

[Brittany Dogs]

Originally Posted by Brittany Dogs

Newer TrailManor units might not have a sparker but now have the hot glow wire starter like many clothes dryers have. My water heater does not make a sparking noise and is quite silent in operation. The only noise I hear is the quiet roar of the LP gas burning.

As the old joke says, never say "hot water heater" because you don't need to heat hot water.

My post #8 above is in error regarding my statement about the glow wire. After owning this TrailManor unit for 14 months or so, for the first time last week I heard my water heater doing the electronic sparking to ignite the flame.

I stand self corrected. My assumption was solely based on never hearing the sparking sound and thus assumed the glow wire.

I guess I can appreciate the sparking sound being so quiet.

[terryflats]

We had a similar problem on our maiden voyage of our preowned 2720sl a couple weeks ago at Banning KOA in Ca.
We had been on electric water heat in the campground for a day and the water was quite HOT, possibly contributing to the leak I now have at the hot water side of the galley faucet. I could not get the dsi to light the propane heater for the water no matter what I tried, even after running some hot water out of the tank (to lower the temp).

Eventually, I turned the 110V off (at the breaker) for quite a while and left the propane dsi side enabled and it lit, after about an hour. This is not our first, second or even third trailer, so we have plenty (too much) of experience with dsi water heaters but I have not seen this in any of the Atwoods we have had. This one is suburban. I'm not sure why the settings for LP or electric heat would be different, and have been too sick since that trip to find out. But I will let you know if I ever get time to look over the schematics find a reason for the difference.
Just a word to the wise to check both functions (AC and Lp) independently to ensure an accurate diagnosis.

Scott in Arizona