faulknerwn 38 #1 May 4, 2007 The hot water heater in my RV refuses to ignite :-( It nomally lights automatically, and I have a fresh thing of propane, but its not working. The kitchen stove is working, so I know there is propane. The heater makes a clicking noise like it normally does when its trying to light, but nothing ever lights! I'm out of ideas? Anyone? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnealtx 0 #2 May 5, 2007 if you have a lot of wind, the pilot may not light just a second, there's a good webpage on stuff like that, gotta look it up edit: This is the site I was thinking of, but I'm not seeing the heater stuff... lemme look some more... Here's some good stuff. You may want to check this.Mike I love you, Shannon and Jim. POPS 9708 , SCR 14706 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shell666 0 #3 May 5, 2007 QuoteThe hot water heater in my RV refuses to ignite :-( It nomally lights automatically, and I have a fresh thing of propane, but its not working. The kitchen stove is working, so I know there is propane. The heater makes a clicking noise like it normally does when its trying to light, but nothing ever lights! I'm out of ideas? Anyone? I had the same problem with my tent trailer last summer but it was with my furnace. I have 2 propane tanks on it. One was half full, the other was full. There didn't seem to be enough pressure to start the furnace when I had the hot water tank and fridge going. I changed out the half full one with a full one and it worked great. If you have 2 tanks, maybe that's the problem.'Shell Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
faulknerwn 38 #4 May 5, 2007 The heater was working until I ran out of propane. I swapped in two brand new full tanks this morning, and have tried to light it off of both of them with no luck. ;-( And its not very windy either... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnealtx 0 #5 May 5, 2007 May be an air bubble in the line to the heater, if everything was working until the swap. FWIW...good luck!Mike I love you, Shannon and Jim. POPS 9708 , SCR 14706 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keith 0 #6 May 5, 2007 Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing - air in the line.Keith Don't Fuck with me Keith - J. Mandeville Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
faulknerwn 38 #7 May 5, 2007 How do you fix that? Spent half an hour at least trying to get the frigging thing to light... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnealtx 0 #8 May 5, 2007 QuoteYeah, I'm thinking the same thing - air in the line. With it working up until the point that she ran out of propane, that's all I can think of, too...Mike I love you, Shannon and Jim. POPS 9708 , SCR 14706 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keith 0 #9 May 5, 2007 Is there a valve on the heater you can use to bleed the line? There's usually a valve you "push and turn" to the on position. Usually if you push and hold the valve down before turing to the on position, the line is blead (sp?) of air.Keith Don't Fuck with me Keith - J. Mandeville Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
faulknerwn 38 #10 May 5, 2007 There's a valve which releases a lot of water... I tried what one google website recommended which was run the kitchen stove for a bit to bleed the line but that made no difference. What my heater looks like: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lekstrom10k 0 #11 May 5, 2007 We had an outside heater at the DZ on Propane. If it ran out of gas it too was a bitch to start.but it had a pilot light. Does yours have an electric one or a visible flame? We would sometimes disconnect the flexible line at the water tank and have someon turn on the gas at the fuel tank for a quick burst This way you know gas is at the regulator. turn it off again reconnect it then try again. If you get a few $1.00 store Grill lighters its easier to light the pilot. hold the flame on the thermo-couple too . hold the pilot thing down until it is on good rotate the knob to burn the main burners should light then . Be catreful you have it turned down first or at the designated lighting area on the knob. Our outside on went out a lot Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keith 0 #12 May 5, 2007 Sounds like she has electric ignition.Keith Don't Fuck with me Keith - J. Mandeville Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnealtx 0 #13 May 5, 2007 Can you see what make it is? I'll see if I can dig anything upMike I love you, Shannon and Jim. POPS 9708 , SCR 14706 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stitch 0 #14 May 5, 2007 My thought is your ignitor is burnt out, you can probably light it manually. QuoteAnd its not very windy either... It will be, forecast calls for 30 mph there tomorrow afternoon."No cookies for you"- GFD "I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65 Don't be a "Racer Hater" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stitch 0 #15 May 5, 2007 Quote Sounds like she has electric ignition. Yes, but she should still be able to do it manually. Or make Mark-Mark do it."No cookies for you"- GFD "I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65 Don't be a "Racer Hater" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
faulknerwn 38 #16 May 5, 2007 Tried lighting it manually with no luck. The ignitor makes noises like its trying to light (it is automatic) but doesn't work.. Seems like its not getting propane.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
porpoishead 8 #17 May 5, 2007 blow the line out(diconected from heater) , some insect may have made his way in during the swap or small debris like rust paint etc. if lines were left open ended. bad ignitor?? it may click click clickety click but can you see a spark coming from it???? hot water heater????????if the water is hot then what do you need a heater for?? if you want a friend feed any animal Perry Farrell Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
willard 0 #18 May 5, 2007 As George Carlin once asked: "Why do you want to heat hot water? If it's already hot, it doesn't need heated! cold water heater??" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stitch 0 #19 May 5, 2007 You may have a bad regulator. Try "tapping" on it lightly and see iff it lights. The gas lines have a coating inside that comes off over time and can stop up the regulator.."No cookies for you"- GFD "I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65 Don't be a "Racer Hater" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
faulknerwn 38 #20 May 5, 2007 I don't have anything to blow it out with tonight. Will try tomorrow. Tried tapping the gray metal thing a bunch when it was trying to light with no luck.. Thinking maybe some valve which is supposed to let propane through isn't opening... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 1 #21 May 5, 2007 Quotehot water heater???????? if the water is hot then what do you need a heater for?? Damn you, that was to be my brilliant revelation.My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stitch 0 #22 May 5, 2007 I was offered a trip to Sacto today, but then I remembered I didn't have my other rig. I'll get out there one of these days."No cookies for you"- GFD "I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65 Don't be a "Racer Hater" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
porpoishead 8 #23 May 5, 2007 too funny!! sup bro, stylin avatar if you want a friend feed any animal Perry Farrell Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 226 #24 May 5, 2007 QuoteThe hot water heater in my RV refuses to ignite :-( It nomally lights automatically, and I have a fresh thing of propane, but its not working. The kitchen stove is working, so I know there is propane. The heater makes a clicking noise like it normally does when its trying to light, but nothing ever lights! I'm out of ideas? Anyone? Without reading all through this . . . 1) The starter may be arcing to another part of the starter system due to corrosion and carbon buildup. 2) there may be a cutoff system that is not operating properly. Now to see how i did . . . scroll scrollI'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jenfly00 0 #25 May 5, 2007 I'm assuming you are turning the selector to 'pilot' to when you are trying this.----------------------- "O brave new world that has such people in it". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
