Good Sam Club Open Roads Forum: No 110 Volts to Hot Water Heater Element
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 > No 110 Volts to Hot Water Heater Element

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#1Flyboy

California

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Posted: 02/01/23 12:03pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

BB TX… I’ll give your suggestion a try in a day or so; if’s I still don’t show 110 volts do you think it would be the outside switch?

enblethen

Moses Lake, WA

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Posted: 02/01/23 12:11pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Have you tested the 120-volt control switch? It sends power to the coil of the relay.


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BB_TX

McKinney, Texas

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Posted: 02/01/23 12:21pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

#1Flyboy wrote:

BB TX… I’ll give your suggestion a try in a day or so; if’s I still don’t show 110 volts do you think it would be the outside switch?

Very well could be. Those cheap switches have been reported failed a number of times.

But the best course of action is to use a meter and the schematic. You can quickly determine if you have power to that switch, and if so, if you have power out of that switch. That will determine whether the problem is the switch itself, upstream of the switch, or downstream of the switch. Then you will know which direction to proceed. And point to point testing from there.

The above is assuming you are knowledgeable of and comfortable with troubleshooting live 120 vac. If not, then you should call a mobile RV repairman. There is an element of danger there.

#1Flyboy

California

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Posted: 02/01/23 12:31pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

BB TX … Tried your suggestion of 1 lead to the hot & other to frame; getting 12.5 volts that way..

enblethen

Moses Lake, WA

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Posted: 02/01/23 12:46pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

The outside switch is or should be 120-volts AC.
Are you one AC or DC scale?

#1Flyboy

California

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Posted: 02/01/23 12:47pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

AC scale.. getting 125 volts from the plug.

enblethen

Moses Lake, WA

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Posted: 02/01/23 01:05pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Where is the Plug? The thermostat for the water heater normally has a red reset button. It is a bi-metal type.

#1Flyboy

California

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Posted: 02/01/23 01:18pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

enblethen….. When I tested the voltage from my Honda 2200 it was showing 125 volts at the plug. When I tested power at the element and the frame I was getting 12.5 volts ( Honda was on ECO mode & not on high revs )… Did a continuity check on outside switch and values did not change either on / off. Bad outside switch?

wa8yxm

Davison Michigan (East of Flint)

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Posted: 02/01/23 03:04pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

As I recall Surburans have 2 switches in the 120 volt side and two thermostats (Min and High Temp cut out) and possibly a thermal fuse (do not know on that).

The 120 volt side is independent of the Propane side

Atwood has just one set of thermostats and a control computer.


Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
Kenwood TS-2000, ICOM ID-5100, ID-51A+2, ID-880 REF030C most times


wnjj

Cornelius, Oregon

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Posted: 02/01/23 04:56pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

enblethen wrote:

Manual. Manual
Yes, there is relay

This is helpful. Look at figure 7 for the AC wiring. The 120V power from the breaker panel connects to the relay. Then when 12VDC is applied to the coil (refer to figure 6), the relay should pass the 120V to the switch. Then once the switch is on, it feeds the hi-limit cutout and finally to the element itself.

If you're comfortable checking with power on measure it at each place, starting with the input to the relay. If you aren't comfortable doing that, find a way to connect the meter while the main power is disconnected and only turn it on long enough to read the meter.

If you suspect the outside switch, try temporarily shorting the pins or better yet pull the wires off the switch terminals and find a way to connect them to each other (with the power off).

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