Dometic HWH Question

**finz04** · 05-16-2021, 06:37 PM

I have a 6 gal Dometic gas/electric HWH in my Reflection 295 RL. Both gas and electric are working. There's plenty of hot water either way. However when on gas, the burner ignites as it should, but there seems to be a lot of "sputtering" throughout the burn cycle. I've watched the flame and it burns blue as I think it should but when it sputters it it flashes yellow. I've looked it over as best I can and I don't see any signs of critters or bugs, no nest, webs, mud daubers or the like.

I don't think it's a supply issue. Both the furnace and the stove/oven run fine. The stove top burners burn normal so I don't think it's a problem with the gas itself. As I said there is plenty of hot water. But I've not experienced this persistent sputtering before. I know the control boards on these things ae historically junk. I've replaced them on two previous trailers with Dino boards. Is it possible that this is another bad board symptom? Or is that just the way these HWHs run these days.

Thanks for any suggestions.

**Second Chance** · 05-16-2021, 07:42 PM

Check for oil residue on the burner and gas orifices. Also check for oil residue on where the hoses connect to the LP tanks. It's not unheard of to get some oil contamination in an LP tank or lines which can cause issues - and it sounds like your equipment is OK.

Rob

**finz04** · 05-16-2021, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by Second Chance

Check for oil residue on the burner and gas orifices. Also check for oil residue on where the hoses connect to the LP tanks. It's not unheard of to get some oil contamination in an LP tank or lines which can cause issues - and it sounds like your equipment is OK.

Rob

Thank you for that Rob. I'll check those points in the AM.

**finz04** · 05-17-2021, 06:09 AM

So as Rob suggested I checked the burner and gas orifices as well as the tank side connections and it all looked ok to me. There's no soot anywhere so it appeared to be burning correctly other than the sputtering. So I thought the easiest next step might be to remove the two "gas stop" valves to see if that might make a difference and sure enough it's roughing smoothly now. A little sputter in the beginning as the lines charged back up, but soon it smoothed out. I still get a little burp every couple of minutes (almost sounds like the burner re-ignites) but nothing like before where it was doing it every 15 seconds or so. Probably should have taken them off one at a time to determine if it was one valve or the other or both. But for now I'm just going to leave them off.

This would be the third season with the valves. Last year we ran mostly on electric for HW because we were take monthly trips and overnighting at campsites where we weren't paying for electric. SO if the valves were bad last year we wouldn't have noticed it. This year we are basing from a seasonal site between trips and paying for electric so we are using the gas side of the HWH most of the time. No problem with these valves on a prior trailer. Upon inspection they look fine, but obviously can't see inside. I'll have to research a possible replacement. I like the security of a gas shutdown should there be a leak.

Rob, thanks again for for the direction.

**760volvo** · 05-18-2021, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by finz04

I have a 6 gal Dometic gas/electric HWH in my Reflection 295 RL. Both gas and electric are working. There's plenty of hot water either way. However when on gas, the burner ignites as it should, but there seems to be a lot of "sputtering" throughout the burn cycle. I've watched the flame and it burns blue as I think it should but when it sputters it it flashes yellow. I've looked it over as best I can and I don't see any signs of critters or bugs, no nest, webs, mud daubers or the like.

I don't think it's a supply issue. Both the furnace and the stove/oven run fine. The stove top burners burn normal so I don't think it's a problem with the gas itself. As I said there is plenty of hot water. But I've not experienced this persistent sputtering before. I know the control boards on these things ae historically junk. I've replaced them on two previous trailers with Dino boards. Is it possible that this is another bad board symptom? Or is that just the way these HWHs run these days.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Sound like what mind was doing found out I had to much
Air come in loosen the screw on the burner tube slide it back
about 1/2 inch and that did the fix