Water heater circuit snapped

[relic57]

Went to turn on the water heater by electric and nothing, even noticed my monitor panel wasn't working. Changed the 10 amp circuit breaker and when i turned it on it snapped again.???? This breaker only controls my monitor and water pump??? Any ideas on this , it has been working perfectly. Also tried the propane gas switch, that snapped the breaker too any help would be appreciated.
Dave

 

[JohnDar]

Sounds like you have a short circuit to ground someplace. Check the switches for melted wires, as well as any wires around the water heater.

 

[wdk450]

Unless monitor and water heater basic wiring has changed, it sounds like you have a combination of 12 volt DC (monitor panel and water heater propane switch) and 120 volt AC (circuit breaker and water heater electric switch) problems. I would shut off the 120 volts AC power, and look at the wiring behind the monitor panel.

 

[danemayer]

If you have an Atwood water heater, both the 120V AC and 12V DC/Propane operation rely on the circuit board getting 12V DC. Your short circuit could be inside the junction box where the water heater wiring connects to the trailer wiring. It's probably located inside, on the front edge of the water heater.

 

[relic57]

Yes, Both electric and gas switchs pop the 10 amp fuse, when that happens i also have no monitor lights. Will check all the wiring behind the panel first, then the water heater box

 

[relic57]

CHECKED ALL THE WIRING i COULD, DID NOT FIND ANYTHING LOOSE, BURNT ,BROKEN. TRIED THE SWITCH AGAIND WITH THE 120 VOLT BREAKER OFF AND THE FUSE TRIPPED AGAIN. i THINK IT IS IN THE 12 VOLT SOMEWHERE, BUT MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE COME IN TO TEST EVERYTHING.

 

[danemayer]

You didn't mention whether you have a Suburban or an Atwood water heater. On Suburban, the 120V AC is completely separate from the 12V DC/Propane operation. On Atwood, both need 12V DC to the control board in order to operate.

 

[relic57]

Have an Atwood, with 120 on ,still popped the fuse.

 

[danemayer]

I think you'll want to check out the junction box. The wire nut may have come off the 12V DC wires.

 

[relic57]

checked the junction box and crawled way up into the bay to see all the wiring, could not find a thing going on. At a loss, have to have someone come check it out i guess.
Dave

 

[Lou_and_Bette]

Did you take the Wire Nuts loose n the junction box. Had a problem with one of my 120v circuits that I couldn’t seem to find a problem. As a ”last” resort, I was going to test each wire separately, so I removed the Wire Nuts and found one of the wires was not twisted into the bundle with the other ones and was not making a connection. Manually twisted the wire with the others, replaced the nut and all was good.

 

[relic57]

Traced all the wires, and found when I took the wires off the circuit board, it did not trip the fuse. Got new circuit board ,now have lights on the switchs, but no ignition of gas and electric will not heat up water. Any ideas.

 

[wdk450]

Time to get a certified professional RV repairer on the job.

 

[relic57]

Had a guy look at it and it seems it was the two wires going to the lights for the switchs so we unplugged them, and the hot water tank fired up in propane mode. When we went to electric mode, the propane lit???? any ideas on why that happened.
Thanks
Dave

 

[danemayer]

Had a guy look at it and it seems it was the two wires going to the lights for the switchs so we unplugged them, and the hot water tank fired up in propane mode. When we went to electric mode, the propane lit???? any ideas on why that happened.
Thanks
Dave

Maybe there's an internal problem with the switch for propane operation. I'd get a new switch and reconnect the wires.