Replacing Atwood GCH10A-3E water heater T-stat, ECO

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pp3harris

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Oct 28, 2012
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Older Atwood water heaters(GCH10A-3E) have separate T-stats, ECO for gas/electric heat. I am replacing the electric T-stat, ECO switches.The kit comes with springs to hold the switches against the side of the tank. The older (2000) tanks do not have these springs. Should I try to install the springs or discard them and just use the switches? Not a problem. If you try to install with the springs it makes the terminals protrude enough to interfer with reinstalling the cover and bends the retaining plate. What's wrong with just replacing the switches held in place with the retaining plate as it was originally. I'm not trying to be nitpicking but I have screwed up things in the past by thinking too much. Thanks for your help.
 
No spring?  I did the gas t-stat on an older (1990 vintage) Atwood and it has the spring.  Seems odd they would use it on gas but not on electric t-stat?

It also seems odd the spring would make it protrude more. The purpose of the spring is to hold the sensor firmly to the wall of the tank, so the electrodes should be in as far as they can go. Are you sure you are installing it correctly?
 
Oh, the joys of computer ignorance. I typed a big long reply but the forum wouldn't accept it because I was not logged in. Oh well, start over.
The gas switches are held in by a spring that is tightly compressed against the tank. The electric switches are only held against the tank with a sheet metal retaining plate. They are held firmly and apparently Atwood thought that would suffice. I thought the springs for the electric switches were some king of upgrade. I can see their usefulness but they make the terminals protrude just enough to interfer with the cover. I can make the cover fit by cutting it and altering it somewhat but I was wondering if the switches should be reinstalled as they were originally or if it was good practice to make the springs work. I guess it could just be a matter of choice.
All this started because the a terminal on the thermostate burned and melted the connector. I don't know if this was gradual or happened suddenly. Maybe if it had a spring it wouldn't have happened. Opinions are welcomed with thanks
 
Be aware older tanks do have different eco and thermostates one set for AC and one set for LP Gas and they are respectfully totally different, later models only have one set on front tank , this uses the pcb. to regulate both power supplys, but rember the switchs aredifferent! make sure the set you bought are not new style they will not takeplace off your Elect. eco and Tstat. wich is very mistaken from parts counter because they mostly are bought in a kit. if im not mistaken yours has a push rest in middle of the swich, so be carefull dont run AC through DC limit switch !  Good Luck , hope this give you some kinda Help ,  Rodney :)
 
Thanks for the advice. The kit I bought was supposedly the replacement switches for the model water heater that I have. I went back and checked and all sources confirm that it is correct. It just has those springs that confused me. I used the switches and left off the springs, which didn't fit anyway, and everything works fine. The original retaining plate holds the switches firmly against the tank and that's all that's necessary.
 
The spring is there just to insure good contact against the tank wall so its gets a reliable temperature reading. It doesn't have anything to do with the electrical connection on the terminals, so is not related to your burned connector.
 

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