Hot water heater not working on gas - Replaced with dinosaur

[Overtaxed]

My gas side of the hot water heater gave up the ghost on this trip. Electric still worked fine so no terrible issue, but wanted to pass on the fix. As expected, it was the control board, nothing visibly wrong with it, but it wasn't working at all; no spark, no gas, nada.

Bought this to replace it:
https://www.amazon.com/Dinosaur-Elec...ignin?ie=UTF8&

Working well. Just wanted to pass it along; it's an easy fix IF access wasn't terrible. On my 351M, I have to take down all the basement walls and then basically do the replacement by feel. I could kind of see it, but it was NOT easy to actually get to it. Once I had it in my hand, it was a dead simple replacement, 2 wires (one harness with about 5 wires, the other a single wire for the ignitor). Just hook them up (all quick connects) and away you go. My OEM board wasn't actually stuck down to anything (shocker, right?). I took my new board and mounted it to a small piece of 1/2 plywood and then attached the whole contraption to the tank insulation using double sided velcro tape (in case I need to service it again).

Supposedly the dinosaur board is built much better; it's certainly looks beefier, bigger caps, more solder.. Time will tell if it outlasts the original (almost exactly 1 year), I'm hopeful though. These boards are supposed to be built the "old way" and a last forever type purchase. I am still under warranty, but.. Well, let's say the warranty wins in the case, the board was only 80 bucks (for the dino version) and I just didn't have it in me to fight with my dealer or OEM to get a new crappy board that had already failed in ~1 year. Forget it, just get the better version and be done with it.

This is the 2nd thing I've had to rewire, I also did my fridge to get all the fans off the control board because if a fan stops, the board will blow a fuse and then you'll lose a whole fridge worth of food! Ask me how I know. This would come under the same heading, the fans used on the fridge are the cheapest computer fans I've ever seen. Why, why??? A good fan costs 20 bucks, a cheap one is 5, why would you use a 5 dollar fan in an application where it's basically built into the wall and impossible to replace without pulling the fridge. And this ignitor board for the water heater, why?? Why would you use a cheap board that's buried in the depths of the basement? It's like these RV companies hate us and love to think about us going to impossible contortions to change parts!

Any questions, please ask, but this was about as simple as it gets. Pull it, put new one in, connect wires, done. Just getting to the point where you can "pull it" will test your will to live.

[Jerryr]

Good choice with the dinosaur board. When my original board went Dometic sent me a replacement under warranty but I had to return the ld board to verify failure. I bought a Atwood board on eba ad then bought a dinosour that I now keep as a spare.

[TheLexx]

I had the same issue with ours. The oem board appears to be a weak point and prone to failure.

[orbiker]

SO
Should one have a dinosaur control board as a spare for the water heater? KEN

[Overtaxed]

SO
Should one have a dinosaur control board as a spare for the water heater? KEN

I'd do the replacement before it fails; this isn't something you want to do in a park without a full compliment of tools available. You could, but I was really happy I wasn't doing this in a park. Thing is, if it does fail, you can still heat on AC, just no more propane. But if I'm spending the money for a dino board, I'd put it in and keep the old one as a spare. If you don't need one yet and don't want to put it in, this is something Amazon has and offers next day delivery, I think I'd go that way for my "stock".

[Aridon]

Yeah access is horrendous on our momentum. We had the plastic check valve bust on us and when I pulled the hot water tank I noticed it's all plastic garbage back there. If anyone pulls their tank just go ahead and swap those for brass while you're at it.

[orbiker]

I'd do the replacement before it fails; this isn't something you want to do in a park without a full compliment of tools available. You could, but I was really happy I wasn't doing this in a park. Thing is, if it does fail, you can still heat on AC, just no more propane. But if I'm spending the money for a dino board, I'd put it in and keep the old one as a spare. If you don't need one yet and don't want to put it in, this is something Amazon has and offers next day delivery, I think I'd go that way for my "stock".

I did the Dinosaur water heater board on my old pickup camper a long time ago. It was pretty easy, except for the narrow area.

Do I order the large one in the link you attached? Thanks, KEN

[Jerryr]

This is the one I used on my Atwood/Dometic water heater in my Reflection 337RLS.
https://www.dinosaurelectronics.com/UIB-64.html

https://www.amazon.com/Dinosaur-Elec.../dp/B0130Y8I1K

[Overtaxed]

I did the Dinosaur water heater board on my old pickup camper a long time ago. It was pretty easy, except for the narrow area.

Do I order the large one in the link you attached? Thanks, KEN

I used the small one (from the link in my first post). They are electrically identical AFAIK, just a different board size. I figured smaller would be easier to find a place to mount. I mounted the board to a piece of 1/2 in plywood that I cut to the same size as the board, and then I used strong double sided velcro tape to attach the board+plywood to the water heater. My thought is, if it fails again, I want to be able to just reach in and pull it out rather than trying to fight with it. It's a very tight space, you really don't want to need a screwdriver in there. The failed board was attached with a zip tie and a piece of double sided tape and getting a tool in there to cut the zip tie was a serious PITA.

[Scramjet]

I just had the same problem. The water heater works on AC but does not work on gas. We only used it on gas 3 to 4 times. It is two years and seven months old and the Dometic customer service rep would not warranty replace the control board. I have a new Atwood/Dometic 91365 replacement coming on Tuesday from Amazon but I think I will get a dinosaur for a back up.