# No Hot Water On Electric, Only On Gas



## ethernetguru (Dec 17, 2008)

Hello! 
I'm a brand new Outback owner (2005 28BHS, as of last Saturday!), and we've already camped in it 4 days! We love the trailer, but the only main problem we had was the water heater only worked when it was on Gas.

When we switched it to electric, and left it most of the day, there was no hot water.

1. I've read all the posts I can find on this subject, so sorry for another topic, but I haven't gotten my problem aswered! 
2. We were on Shore power. 
3. My control panel has 3 switches; 1 for the pump, 1 for water heater Gas, and 1 for Water Heater electric. 
4. When I switchted on the water heater electric switch, the light in the switch lit up. 
5. The 110 breaker was fine. 
6. I used an OHM meter to measure across the two terminals marked "TSTAT" in my water heater compartment. It OHM'd out at 0. (I got the tone on my OHM meter)
7. I turned the water heater electric switch on at the control panel, with the two brown wires disconnected, and got no voltage on those terminals. 
8. I looked inside on the back of the water heater for a switch, but there is none. Just the black box. 
9. I can't find any switch outside to switch it to electric operation. 
10. I reseated the connections on the logic card on the water heater.

What am I missing? What are the red wires going to the two "ECO" terminals?

Thanks very much! I've already learned a ton from this site, and look forward to participating!

Chester


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## jozway (Jan 28, 2008)

Check for a switch on the outside of the water heater its kinda hid back there. You will have to take the cover off and should be able to spot it. If that dont work you possibly have a bad element. Also check the breaker at the invertor if you havent already.


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## mountainlady56 (Feb 13, 2006)

I no longer have an OB, but I had a similar problem, and it turned out to be short in the switch, if I recall correctly. Good luck tracking the problem down. Did you check the inverter to make sure the fuse is okay for it? Just a thought.
Like your name.......it was my dad's name.








Darlene


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Can you do a ohm check on the heater element itself to make sure it is not open (burnt out).


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## ethernetguru (Dec 17, 2008)

CamperAndy, 
I thought I did. I pulled the two brown wires that were connected to the TSTAT (in the picture), and when I OHM'd them, I got a "0" reading on my ohm meter. Is that correct? Did I do the right thing?

<I tried posting my images here, but I can't get them to link in from my Gallery. If you look there, you'll see these pictures>
See the brown wires there? The two on the right? The two red wires go to something that is labeled "ECO".

I've searched and searched for a hidden switch, but no luck. Am I missing something?

Chester


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## egregg57 (Feb 13, 2006)

ethernetguru said:


> CamperAndy,
> I thought I did. I pulled the two brown wires that were connected to the TSTAT (in the picture), and when I OHM'd them, I got a "0" reading on my ohm meter. Is that correct? Did I do the right thing?
> 
> <I tried posting my images here, but I can't get them to link in from my Gallery. If you look there, you'll see these pictures>
> ...


 I don't believe you're missing anything. If you are reading 0 ohms across the element then the element is shorted and will need to be replaced. Look at the schematic for the water heater and make sure you are reading across the element. you should read some resistance. I am not sure of the value. If you are getting a tone from the DVM it is probably shorted. You can verify that by measuring from one of the terminals to ground and then the other.

This should isolate your problem.

Eric


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

ethernetguru said:


> CamperAndy,
> I thought I did. I pulled the two brown wires that were connected to the TSTAT (in the picture), and when I OHM'd them, I got a "0" reading on my ohm meter. Is that correct? Did I do the right thing?
> 
> <I tried posting my images here, but I can't get them to link in from my Gallery. If you look there, you'll see these pictures>
> ...


The TSTAT is in the control loop, not the power loop to the element. The element is on the back of the water heater and should not read 0 ohms, more like 8 or 10 ohms.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

You asked about ECO it is the Emergency Cut Off, melt type link. It is in series with the TSTAT and shuts off all control the the water heater.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

You have to open the black box on the back to get to the element terminals where it connects to the 110 vac.

Looking at the photos in your gallery the water heater is bypassed so you really do not want to be turning on the heater. Is it still full of water??


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## ethernetguru (Dec 17, 2008)

Eric and Andy,

Thanks for the help. I was looking in the wrong place for the element!

I'll go locate the element, and see what I can measure with my DVM.

Andy: The bypass is bypassed because I just winterized yesterday. So the water heater is drained now. I'm NOT going to turn the electric element ON now, but I believe I should be able to OHM it, correct? I'll just disconnect the 110 power, and then measure across the terminals with my DVM.

(sometime, I'm going to need someone to explain how to put my images in my posting like you did!)









Thanks!

Chester


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## NJMikeC (Mar 29, 2006)

I would back jozway's suggestion.

I don't know what kind of water heater you have but I will assume it is the Atwood XT with the circuit board visible when you open the cover.

When you hit the switch you have to hear a click inside of the water heater itself. It is faint but you should be able to hear it.That click is the relay closing via 12 Volts to supply 120 to the element. I looked at the whole wiring diagram and traced 12V all the way inside of the water heater cover. Take the foam cover off and I bet the relay that supplies 120 V to the element just isn't working due to a bad connection. Pull the connection and make it tighter and I bet it works.


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