How to Troubleshoot Your Electric RV Water Heater

Today the RV Repair Woman is walking you through how to troubleshoot your Dometic or Atwood water heater on electric!
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Time Stamps
0:00 Intro
2:06 Ground
2:44 White Wire
3:40 Brown Wire
4:40 Tstat
7:09 Thermal Cutoff
8:36 Brown Wire 2
9:40 Yellow Wire
10:14 Dc Vs AC Power
12:44 Heating Element
15:41 Clean the Tank
17:21 AC in
18:16 Relay
19:55 Outro
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RV, Camper, Fifth-Wheel, Motorhome, Fleetwood Flair, RV Maintenance 101, Mobile RV Tech, Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin, Nevada, RV Repair Technician, Save money, Save time, Certified RV Repair Tech, RV Tips and Tricks, NRVTA, National RV Training Academy, Water Heater, Dometic, Atwood, RV Inspector, RV Inspection

[@terrymccune29]

This is amazing. Need a new relay. BOOM! THANK YOU SO MUCH

[@rvrepairwoman]

Yes!!!! You got this!

[@mikebarfknecht2705]

I just recently found your channel. Love the videos so far. You explain things very well for those that don't know all the terminology. Can't wait to start my classes.

[@higgy4409]

Awesome video , one of the most detailed and easy video to follow and understand, thank you 👍

[@rvrepairwoman]

Glad it was helpful!

[@irishsetter48]

Funny, energetic, bundle of knowledge. Thank you for an entertaining and comprehensive trouble shooting video. Easy to follow. Finally fixed my hot water heater after 2 months of frustration. I was one day away from buying a new one. Thank you again.

[@rvrepairwoman]

So glad we kept a fixable unit out of the landfill and that you have hot water now!!

[@AFasitgetz007]

Glad I just found your channel. Can't wait to get to learning, and how to better fix my motorhome! You explain exceptionally well. Grateful! Please keep the channel going!

[@tukaruss8680]

I've just come across your KZbin channel. And your videos are going to help me out with my fleetwood flair 6.5L turbo diesel chevy p32 1996. 😊😊

[@TRAVISGOLDIE]

Just stumbled across your channel, i love how you describe things for the layman!!

[@archi190]

V-E-R-Y G-O-O-D. this the BEST video about this kind of water heaterwhne you used it only on electric

[@philgalvan7777]

Very good. Easy description. Thank you

[@diverm2371]

That was actually interesting looking forward to more.

[@markhawthorne6345]

Emily, Your video helped very much. As an RV owner I went to the NRVTA Fundamentals Course within the 1st month of ownership. I just wanted to know about the systems to do my own repairs or troubleshoot before engaging a technician. I knew I could troubleshoot my water heater, but was not sure where to start. Your video laid it all out. It was very informative and entertaining. I wish you great success with your business. Mark H.

[@rvrepairwoman]

Thanks Mark! I'm glad you got your hot water heater fixed!

[@ahmadshekib7602]

Love your videos, learnt a lot from your videos, really useful content. If you can please make more content about on demand water heater,would be really useful. I have searched a lot for videos regarding on demand water heater but couldn’t find any videos specifically about it. Thank you!

[@rvrepairwoman]

Noted!

[@stancole5833]

Thanks!

[@rvrepairwoman]

Thank you!

[@chattanoogafiberglass]

2011 open range 34rl. I tested everything in this video twice other than the relay. I did find a video on bypassing. But unfortunately for me, the DSI light comes on, when I switch to Gas or Electric. And yes there’s water in the tank. 2 12 hour nights tracing wiring still can not figure out

[@daviscrt]

great job. don

[@kengilliskg]

I have an Atwood hot water heater that Cycles on and off both electric and gas and there is a clicking until the the hot water heater is up to temperature. Any ideas on what this could be.

[@brendaanthonyrealestateage3233]

Is this with the water heater electric turned on

[@thebelt24]

If the white wire is switching between doing 0, ~7, ~68 volts how would you diagnose the issue from there? The breaker which controls the water heater is outputting 120 volts and I am unable to figure out why it would work but the wire isn’t

[@stephenbourne1681]

Hi, great information on your video, Question for you, everything checks out good on mine but the voltage coming from the yellow wire is only 10.5 volts and it won’t close the relay, does that mean the circuit board is shot, I had just replaced it last year as well.

[@rvrepairwoman]

I would double check that the relay closes when you give it 12V separately. Juuuuust to make sure it’s not the relays fault. And then yeah my guess would be bad board. I don’t love how new the board is and that being the diag. I’d double check that fuse if you have one, switch it out even just to be sure.

[@stephenbourne1681]

@@rvrepairwoman Hi the relay works perfectly when I connect it to a 12 V battery. And that two amp fuse is good on the circuitboard. Just wondering why the voltage coming from that yellow wire is lower then 12v and will not operate the relay. Thanks.

[@billrhodes3958]

2008 Winnebago Tour KD, My RV water heater gets super hot on propane function but on electric function, the water only gets warm. What is my problem? Thanks

[@rvrepairwoman]

Hi! Hello! Don't forget that if your hot water heater has NEVER been cleaned then that is going to cut down the heating power of your tank DRASTICALLY. You can get a step-by-step tutorial on how to clean your hot water tank at. www.rvrepairwoman.com/flush YOU GOT THIS!

[@kellyohara806]

Thanks so much for these videos. You are gifted at teaching! I'm not sure if you're monitoring comments on this release anymore, but here it goes. Two questions: 1) Concerning the screws on the relay, we did get about 120 volts on one of the screws, but only 1 volt on the other, rather than the 3-5 volts mentioned in your video. Is this a problem? 2) Our water heater does work in propane mode, but sometimes when it fails to light on the first try, it lights with a loud "poof", as if too much propane is entering before ignition. Is this normal, and if not, is there a solution? Thanks again for all you do. You are very helpful!

[@rvrepairwoman]

Hey Kelly, thanks for commenting. 1. 1 V should be totally fine on that heating element. If you’re not sure if it’s working double check with the resistance test. But seeing only 1 V should be fine. 2. I would look at cleaning your igniter and checking the gap on it. Most of the time I’m having ignition problems it comes down to either the igniter needing to be gapped or sometimes the burner being dirty. I’ll admit the propane side of things is less of my forte than the electrical. Also try just blowing some compressed air into that burn chamber and just making sure there isn’t too much dust and debris in there. You got this.

[@kellyohara806]

Thanks again! I removed the igniter and found that it was coated with soot and had a gap well over the specified 0.125". Once cleaned and regapped, it works flawlessly every time.

[@Jeff-xz5ww]

My hot water tank beats up till it burns your hands and will not shut off. It keeps pulling 8 A. I'm thinking it's thermostat and with your air conditioner running your breaker.

[@mrguzzi]

I'm having a issue with the water heater overheating. Turning it on electric, after it heats up it will blow water out the overflow, like it's overheating. Do I need to replace the overflow valve? Also is there a way to adjust the temp of the water? It's extremely hot, and I'm not sure if this is related to the problem. Thanks for any help.

[@AFasitgetz007]

I'm not a tech but after watching some videos I'd say try changing out the tstat & eco. It shouldn't get hotter than the eco temp limit.

[@user-ej7yz9be9y]

How would you fill the tank with vinegar to clean it out?

[@rvrepairwoman]

A funnel system through either the anode rod or the plastic plug hole. You can go to to rvrepairwoman.ck.page/6f5b2abf97 to get my maintenance guide that has a step by step tutorial. Or just wait for next Weeks video, which is on this exact tooic

[@jameskotch8390]

Can you leave the electric on all the time or should you turn it off when you are not using it? Will it harm the hot water heater?

[@chuckcurtice7752]

If you have the water heater on with no water in it, then it will blow the heating element in a minute or two, or less. If there is water in it, and you are leaving it on without using it, I've heard/read that it will shorten the lifespan of the heating element.

[@jameskotch8390]

@@chuckcurtice7752 hey just another question? Could you possibly put a house hot water tank in a trailer like maybe a 10 or 15 gallon tank? And use the existing electrical wire?

[@MaddyKistler-ue1rg]

Support your t-stat like you would your sister!

[@rvrepairwoman]

Always!