# Water Heater Fried Wires



## gregjoyal (Jan 25, 2005)

This spring I accidentally turned on my water heater before filling the tank and as expected the electrical element no longer heats... I finally got around to getting an element, and when I went to open up the box at the back of the heater to change it, this is what I found..

Some burnt wires and melted marettes...
















Lots of corrosion...









It's an Atwood dual electric/gas water heater. It's 10 years old (2004 Outback 28RSS) and I've never had any problems with it before. Here's the label with model number.









Full Disclosure:
- Trailer is permanently parked at a campsite and has been for 5 years now.
- After I accidentally turned the electric element on, I tried the gas thinking that would at least get us by and the 15amp plug-in fuse blows in the converter fuse board.
- It has been probably 3-4 years since I tried the gas burner.
- Last spring we had mice in the trailer and I guessed that they came in through the electrical wire opening behind the converter.... I foamed it shut after cleaning up. Electric heater worked fine, no other electrical problems so figured I was good.

Any thoughts? Can blowing the element cause some burn back? Is it potentially a ground fault due to mice coming back this winter, finding the hole foamed shut and trying to get it? Seems to me that much corrosion won't happen overnight. Should I just call in a professional and have the heater replaced?

I'm trying to avoid dropping the underbelly.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

If you have any questions about your ability to safely do this work then yes call a professional.

The level of corrosion is indicative of a poor connection with some amount of moisture present. It is also likely due to long term and not just with the heater burning up.

Electric element damage should not affect the gas mode function, so it sounds like you have two issues.


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## gregjoyal (Jan 25, 2005)

CamperAndy said:


> If you have any questions about your ability to safely do this work then yes call a professional.
> 
> The level of corrosion is indicative of a poor connection with some amount of moisture present. It is also likely due to long term and not just with the heater burning up.
> 
> Electric element damage should not affect the gas mode function, so it sounds like you have two issues.


I emailed the pictures to a local RV repairman and he suggested a poor connection that simply degraded over time. Good to hear that seconded. I did find moisture damage to floor under the linoleum by the heater - looks like it's coming in the pass-through storage door (caulking is good) during heavy rains and getting under the linoleum through screw holes.

I read elsewhere that if the "over temp sensor" was fused, then that is what causes the 15 amp fuse to blow. Is it possible when that connection finally fried the sensor fused and now that's causing the gas mode function to blow the fuse? I know the electric mode wouldn't have as the connection was so fried that the hot connection was disconnected.

After 10 years, the water heater owes us nothing (never had a single problem with it) so we're contemplating replacing the entire unit and feeling good that we ought to be safe and have a reliable water heater again.

(we've had our trailer for 10 years and the most serious problem has been this and the AC unit being shoddy)


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