Lesson Learned - Know about your Water Heater 2amp fuse

[BigDinMB]

Thanks for the tips!
On our last trip, we had problems getting our WH-6GEA working (neither gas nor electric was working) but reseating all electrical connections on the water heater fixed it, that time.
Today, I ordered these parts, to have as spares for future trips:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (2 amp fuses)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (thermal fuse kit)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (thermostat/ECO switch kit)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (gas igniter kit)

Without hot water, my DW would NOT be a happy camper!

Safe travels to all.

[Dadeo6472]

Been there, done that. You should also keep a spare control board, high temperature cut off sensor and thermostat on hand too. Don't be surprised when you give up in frustration and replace the water heater with a competing brand in a couple of years......

[Vanteer]

Been there, done that. You should also keep a spare control board, high temperature cut off sensor and thermostat on hand too. Don't be surprised when you give up in frustration and replace the water heater with a competing brand in a couple of years......

Well that is discouraging, what brand did you decide was better? How long has the new one been trouble free, and what brand and model did you replace it with?

[Dadeo6472]

Well that is discouraging, what brand did you decide was better? How long has the new one been trouble free, and what brand and model did you replace it with?

I haven't given up on my OEM Atwood/Dometic heater just yet. Because my warranty was paying, it was "rebuiit" instead. A rebuild was cheaper than replacement. It got an aftermarket control board, igniter, (adjustable) thermostat, high temp sensor, burner, and more parts I don't remember.. The rebuild cost me $0.00, but cost the warranty company about $350, somewhat less than the replacement Suburban brand water heater my technician found for it. He commented that the only reason to keep the original one was that I didn't have to pay the $500 for a replacement. Next time it dies it will probably be removed.

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Then there is my experience where I have never had an Atwood or Atwood/Dometic water heater ever fail on me in over 25 years.
Is Dadeo6472 unlucky, or am I lucky?

[Dadeo6472]

Then there is my experience where I have never had an Atwood or Atwood/Dometic water heater ever fail on me in over 25 years.
Is Dadeo6472 unlucky, or am I lucky?

Its probably a bit of both. The technician at my dealer was telling me that they'd seen more problems with recently manufactured water heaters that used the same board. The board that my dealer put in is obviously different from the original. I wish I had taken side by side pictures. The biggest difference to my eye was that the new one's circuitry was coated, while the circuitry on the old one looked like it was encased in semi clear plastic. To me it looked like the old one was better protected, but the techie thought that encasing it in plastic might have made heat dissipation more difficult, so they were failing.

So far we've camped for over 3 months since and it hasn't failed. But then only the tank is the same as what came in the trailer when I bought it!