Help!!! with gas/electric water heater

[Abagpiper5]

Hello all,

I have a 2005 Jayco 23B hybrid Travel Trailer. After a wonderful stay at the Fort for Halloween last year, I ran into a problem with my gas/electric water heater.

It works fine on gas, but not on electric. While at the Fort I notice a electrical burning smell while we started it halfway thru our stay on electric. I turned it off and just heated the water with the gas when needed.

I would like to try to fix this myself as I am pretty handy and like to see how things work first hand. Is this an easy fix? I am thinking that it’s just something I need to slide out of the unit and replace, but not sure where on the water heater to look.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and pictures would help a lot.

Thanks.

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Just taken a guess, but I'd look for a loose wire. I do know from experience that loose wires can cause a burning/burning smell.
I'd check the wires from the switch to the heater,,and then wires to the converter and breaker boxes.

 

[mnsprk]

I would like to try to fix this myself as I am pretty handy and like to see how things work first hand. Is this an easy fix? I am thinking that it’s just something I need to slide out of the unit and replace, but not sure where on the water heater to look.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and pictures would help a lot.

Thanks.

The electric element is accessed from inside the camper.

Here's a link to the manual..http://www.atwoodmobile.com/manuals/waterheaters/MPD 93050 PS 4.9.09.pdf

 

[Abagpiper5]

The electric element is accessed from inside the camper.

Here's a link to the manual..http://www.atwoodmobile.com/manuals/waterheaters/MPD 93050 PS 4.9.09.pdf

THAT'S PERFECT!!!!!!!!!

Now I will have to see if I can get to it from the inside.

Thanks for your help.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I know for a fact that Camping world in Kissimmee carries new elements for the cold water heaters.

 

[Abagpiper5]

Yesterday after I came home from work, I had time to open up the back of the water heater. I removed the Styrofoam casing and notice some melting on top of the plastic black relay box that covers the electric element.

One of the yellow plastic electric connector caps is melted off the wire and all that’s left is the medal inside still on part of the wire. (What’s left of it can be seen on the left side on the floor.) It also burn some of the other cap.

I also notice greenness on what looks to be where the short started. To my knowledge, I always thought that was a sign of moister, but I could be wrong.

Please take a look at the pictures and tell me what you all think. I am thinking that maybe the water hit the electric element inside the tank and it shorted out the weakest spot in the circuit at the connector.

 

[mnsprk]

Could just have been a loose wire nut. If the connection's not tight that's what you will get. One other culprit could have been condensation. Most tanks "sweat" as the water first heats and it could have collected in that connection box.

 

[Abagpiper5]

Could just have been a loose wire nut. If the connection's not tight that's what you will get. One other culprit could have been condensation. Most tanks "sweat" as the water first heats and it could have collected in that connection box.

In the back of my mind I was thinking the same thing with the condensation. I know the first few days before Halloween was hot, but it cool down nicely the rest of the week. What’s kind of scary is that it didn’t blow out any fuses first.

So I guess I will try to clean up the wires and reconnect them with new caps and see how that goes.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

If I have to access an area of the trailer I typically check the boxes for tight connections and any corrosion. I dont go opening walls or anything like that but if I am in the area I spend a couple minutes looking for problems like that.

 

[big kahuna1]

They do sell water proof twisty thingys at Home Depot or Lowes. Or maybe just wrap in electrical tape just to be safe in case is was moisture.

 

[mnsprk]

At a closer look, it was the netural that got hot, that tells me it was loose or bad connection at the wire nut. The one end looks like it was barely inside the wire nut. I should have looked closer earlier(sorry). That will be an easy fix..

 

[Abagpiper5]

I just wanted to thank you all for your suggestions on what the problem was. After clipping away the burnt part of the wires, I replace the caps with new ones and tape them up.

We took that Trailer out with the wee ones over the weekend and everything seems to be working.

Here is a pic of my handy work.