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Atwood water heater

Yahoo Message Number: 118117
Last year I had several issues with this unit. I was able to do the fix myself. I replaced two thermostats and the pressure relief value. All was good until this year. Water was dripping from the relief valve again!! I manually operated the valve, but did not stop the leak. I bought a new valve and replaced it in 10 minutes. Checked to be sure it was not leaking before I reconnected the bypass hose. This morning I checked the hose and it was back to dripping???

Any thoughts??

Richard
01 Affinity 42 C12 #5972

Re: Atwood water heater

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 118119
If that's the original water heater you are extremely lucky, most of them go out in less than 10 years, mine is an 04, starting to seep,
My favorite tech said I was lucky, sleeping is a start of a failure, then it's a mess, I'm going to change only the tank next week.

Jerry
204 inspire 51012



Re: Atwood water heater

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 118121
Electric water heater lesson for today from an old retired plumbing and electrical contractor:

Since you replaced the relief valve, my suspicion is that the WH is overheating, causing steam, and the relief valve is simply doing its job of protecting the heat (and you!) from bursting from the pressure. I've seen the results when a small water heater exploded when the owner plugged the relief valve because it was dripping water. (Note: It leveled a barn milk house building). Never operate any hydronic heating equipment without a proper relief valve!

There are a couple of reasons for overheating. First, the thermostat control may be faulty (make certain that you check the wiring diagram(s) of the 'stat(s) you installed....... the new one may differ from the original, and in the case of two elements and 'stats the top 'stat will be a double-throw one). Second, your heating element may be bad, even if it continues to heat the water. This occurs when the element fails, shorts itself against the grounded metal tank, then continues to heat. This most often occurs when 240 V is powering the heater, but I suspect in rare instances could occur at 120V as well. Most often there is a high-limit control switch that opens when it gets too hot, but that too can fail or not open soon enough. Finally, make certain that there is adequate insulation covering the thermostat(s). An uncovered 'stat will read the air temperature outside the tank wall and not the actual tank wall temperature, so then will keep power to the element causing the tank to overheat and the relief valve to open. Also, along with this, make certain the thermostat is firmly held in place against the tank with the bracket provided by the tank manufacturer. And always, for safety, replace the cover to the heating devices after working on it.

So there is your "Electric water heater operation" quick lesson for today. Even though I'm retired, I still carry current Journeyman Electrical and Plumbing licenses from the state of Washington.

Don Van Andel
CC 2006 Magna

Re: Atwood water heater

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 118129
Well Don, I think you are right On track about my issues. I did test yesterday to see if the water was too hot. I shut the heater off at the breaker, but it continued to drip? A few weeks ago, I had no hot water. I took the cover off the electrical unit and found one burnt wire which I quickly repaired. It was a wire connecting to one of the thermostats. I did not replace the cover!! My bad!!

So Don, you set me up for today 's project. Clean up around the electric; maybe replace the thermostat where the wire burned and "Put the cover back in its place.

Thanks Don

Richard
01 Affinity 42 C 12 #5972
 

Re: Atwood water heater

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 118131
Richard, my pressure relief valve had been leaking for a while due to calcium buildup. I replaced it a week ago with a Camco I got off Amazon. No leaks whatsoever. What confuses me is you mentioned a bypass hose. Bypass hose it's not connected to the pressure relief valve, it's not even near it so I don't get it.

Rich 2002 Magna