26 replies to this topic

[WillTheThri11]

Hi there. I’m a newb to FWCs and only had my Ranger since September. I kinda got screwed and didn’t have enough time to thoroughly check out the onboard systems before purchase and couldn’t get the heater to fire or the fridge to work before I took possession of the camper. I got pretty lucky with the fridge (on propane and 120V so far) but the heater has never fired. Sail switch must be good I think because the fan starts, the solenoid clicks open and I hear the igniter clicking. It doesn’t light and then the solenoid clicks off. I’ve read what I think are all the threads here about it but haven’t found anything that worked. I took apart what I could with the heater still in the camper (blower shroud, turbine, etc...). Blew out all the orifices I could find with a piece of tubing attached to an air nozzle on my compressor. Tried the slow opening of the propane valve, although I’m not sure that’s applicable to this vintage of camper.

It seems to me that the computer board is working, but maybe not giving enough power to the igniter?

Maybe the valve isn’t fully opening and allowing propane to flow? I tried lighting again this evening and smelled the exhaust port after it failed to light and didn’t detect any propane smell, so maybe it’s that.

Any other ideas?

It’s a Hydro Flame 8516 II

The control board is a hydro flame series 05-30 DSI (pn 3802)

[byrdlover]

I had the exact same issue with my Atwood heater. Finally called out a mobile RV repair guy, who took the unit apart and fixed it. Apparently, something became misaligned, probably during off-road driving. He was able to quickly make an adjustment and it has worked perfect ever since. Sorry I can’t offer more specific information regarding the exact connection point that was causing the problem but I hope that helps.

[okiedavid]

[Stan@FourWheel]

Have you flipped the reset switch off, then back on again?

[Ruck_and_Roll]

Don’t know much about Atwood heaters but my issue was the positioning of the spark electrode.

[Stan@FourWheel]

And is your stove working?

 

Have you tried lighting your stove?

 

I'll probably be down in Orange County for a trade show on March 7th or 8th.

 

https://fourwheelcam...om/events/4780/

 

Would be happy to take a look at it for you if you wanna bring the camper, and haven't fixed it by then. I can meet you in the parking lot. Probably won't have anything to do on the 6th anyway (just a set up & move-in day).

Edited by Stan@FourWheel, 23 January 2020 - 05:26 PM.

[WillTheThri11]

Have you flipped the reset switch off, then back on again?

I think i have an older heater without a reset switch.  I do have the automotive-style "breaker" button, but it's not tripped so I'm not sure there's a way to "reset" it.  However, the battery has a disconnect and I've definitely had it off for long enough to reset the control board.

 

 

Don’t know much about Atwood heaters but my issue was the positioning of the spark electrode.

 

Interesting, how did you find the spark electrode?  Did you have to remove the entire heater?  I started disassembling and went as far as I felt I could without trying to remove propane connections and removing the entire heater from the camper.  Didn't come accross the ignitor and burner assembly unfortunately.  I'm thinking the whole thing may need to come out.

 

Thanks for the video! I think i have an older heater doesn't work on shore power and I'm not sure I have a "reset switch" but also, according to the video reset switch is if you don't hear sparking and I can here the sparker.

 

I'm wondering if the valve is not fully clicking open since I don't smell propane at the exhaust and now I think the electrode positioning could also be off.

[patrkbukly]

Hey call me. I am in Fairplay Colorado and live at 10,000 feet and have gone through quite a bit of troubleshooting to fix my Atwood issues.

 

I can probably help.

 

719 838 1023

[Bigfoot Dave]

I had an issue with my furnace occasionally lighting. You could hear the ignitor clicking and trying to light the pilot light. Turned out that the ceramic around the base of the electrode was cracked at the mounting bracket and the sparking was happening there instead of the tip of the electrode. I replaced it and adjusted the gap. Works great now. 

Good luck, Bigfoot Dave

[Smokecreek1]

Check your battery!  For several years after I first got my 05 Granby (on 99F150 4x4) in 05, especially on some cold mornings , the heater would not kick over-even after pushing the electric on/off switch in and out a couple of times , so the  next step was to get out  of the FWC and get into the cab  and start the truck up and presto the heater  would start right up (several other people over the years have had this same type of  problem.). So one day I put a 40wt solar panel on the roof and never had that problem again-I should mention here that I went completely  solar  a while after that and eventually added two 100 wt panels, and a second camper battery, a comptroller  and a compression frig and have been happy ever since !

 

Smoke