Atwood Water Heater - Leaking

[UK-RV]

Hi Guys

I notice lots of water pouring out under the RV today.

Given the area I figured it was the Atwood Water Heater, so bypassed the water from the heater and the leak stopped.

Next, was to remove a couple of covers inside the RV where I found the area under the Water Heater flooded.

With the help of a (much slimmer) friend, we turned the water back on and found the leak.

The problem is that it could be from one of two things.

If it is the first item, shown to the left on the attached photo, then it is just an elbow replacement.

However, the other candidate (shown to the right on the picture) isn't shown as a replacement part on any literarature. Im worried that this could involve a complete heater replacement.

What are your thoughts guys - do you think that item is replaceable or part of a much bigger unit (the heater itself)?

Thanks
Paul

PS The unit is just about under warranty - whether Atwood will honor that warranty outside the US and Canada remains to be seen. Non of their service manuals etc state a North American limit so "fingers crossed".

 

[Karl]

Paul,
What's the model number?

 

[UK-RV]

Hi

It's GE16TE - 025095 - serial 94025 223904

Thanks
Paul

 

[Lou Schneider]

Atwood uses an aluminum tank and presses steel inserts into it for the inlet and outlet plumbing.  I've had two Atwood heaters fail due to corrosion of the steel inserts.

Corrosive elements in water attack the weakest point.  Atwood claims their aluminum tank is impervious to corrosion so their tank doesn't need an anode rod to attract the corrosive elements found in most water.  But without a sacrificial anode the steel at the inlet and outlet become the weak points and corrode instead.

There is no way to replace them.  If they're leaking it's time for a new heater.

 

[UK-RV]

Lou

The warranty states a new heater will be sent in cases of corrosion to the water heater.

Is this an area they are able to wriggle out of their warranty, by claiming the rods are at fault and not the heater?

Paul

 

[Lou Schneider]

I don't know - both of my heaters were out of warranty when they failed.

The length of time until failure depends on the nature of the water you're putting into the tank.  Hard water in the desert southwest contains more minerals and is more corrosive than the softer water found in other parts of the country. Fill up with some of the highly alkaline water in Death Valley, llet your coach sit for a couple of months and you're virtually guaranteed to ruin a perfectly good hot water tank.

 

[Ron]

We have had three different Atwood water heaters on three different coaches and have never had a problem with any of them.  The present one has been in continuos service for 9.5 years.  About seven of those years winters were spent in AZ. I drain and flush the water tank twice a year.  Had a neighbor in AZ had to replace his Suburban two years in a row. Was not a happy camper since his rig was only little over 3 years old.

 

[Ned]

Our Atwood lasted just about 9 years.  Fortunately it failed just before we left for Alaska in 2006.  We had spent part of all of our winters in AZ for the 9 years.  The failure was a leak in the tank due to corrosion.  Nothing lasts forever

 

[Ron]

Hopefully you are not telling me we are past due for a WT problem.  When the time comes I suspect I will have the same problems you had when you installed your new one.

 

[UK-RV]

Hi Guys

Do any of you have an email address for Atwood please?

I could only find the contact form on their website, which Ive completed - but Im always wary of using these forms, especially as I have no proof of what was written and what time/date it was sent etc.

Thanks
Paul

 

[Tom]

Paul,

Phone number from their web site: (574) 264-2131. I'll try to find an email address.

 

[Tom]

Had to wait for the missus to get the heavy box of manuals from a high cupboard in the kitchen....

There's no sign of an email address in the Atwood owners manual, but they do list a fax number: (815) 877-7469. However, if they're like many companies, they'll have lots of fax machines around the company, each with their own number. There's no way to know that your fax will get to the right department.

 

[UK-RV]

Hi Tom

Yes, I have those details too.

Ive just heard back from a UK company who handle Atwood products so we shall see what happens.

They were unsure whether the warranty would be honoured outside the US, but the manual (unlike most appliances we have within the RV) doesn't make reference to a "North America" clause etc.

I will let you know what happens.

Paul

 

[Jeff]

Paul:

If you want to hear from Atwood directly go their home page here and click on the Email button in the right margin.

 

[UK-RV]

Thanks Jeff - that is the form I previously refered to.

Unfortunately, I dont get a copy went completed and I have no record of date/time sent etc.

HOWEVER, your post did remind me to try something different;

I typed      @atwoodmobile.com site:atwoodmobile.com    into my search engine and it listed each page within the atwood website which contained the email @ symbol.

It gave me

[email protected] (seems obvious now doesnt it)
[email protected]

So I will give those a go and let you know.

Also, does anyone know if Atwood are part of a larger company? - if they dont reply I can try their parent company instead.

Cheers
Paul

 

[UK-RV]

As promised, here's an update on the Water Heater.

Firstly, my new friend at the campground offered to help take out the water heater to see if we could see exactly where the leak is.

We found the rod from the heater was OK but a plastic elbow joint had cracked (see photo).

We managed to buy a metal replacement part and fitted that - only to now have several small drips instead of the one heavy dripping one.

Thankfully, I managed to contact Atwood using the "service@" email address.

Chantal, a nice lady at Atwood, has agreed to send to me, under warranty, replacement parts for every item at the back of the water heater, including two new hoses.

It is going to cost me $97 for 2 day air shipping to the UK, but it will be worth it to replace everything - my only concern is whether to use their new plastic elbow or use the metal one we purchased.

I will let you know how we get on.

Paul

 

[Tom]

Thanks for the report Paul. Good to know that Atwood will send you free replacement parts.

Looking at that photo, it looks like that plastic fitting might have been over-tightened.

 

[UK-RV]

Tom - several people have made the same comment re over-tightening.

I'm pleased to say the drips have all stopped - the guy who helped take out the water heater did say he felt it all just needed warming up again, and he was spot on.

Atwood have sent me all the replacement parts I requested under warranty (which I now dont seem to need) - so a huge thanks to Atwood.

One important thing to mention is they sent me all 6 individual parts listed in the manual AND they sent me a whole new set-up for the rear of the water heater.

They changed the design at the rear of the heater in models from 2005/6 - and all the new fittings are metal, so they seem to have found a common fault with the plastic bits.

If any of you find your heater to be leaking at the rear, the new kit is known as MPD 92690 (and there is a sticker showing the Valve Position, which comes separate MPD 92828  ;D).

I wanted to upload an info sheet detailing the difference between the two set-ups but it loses quality if I try to reduce below 200k (the attachment limit). If I manage it I will upload it later.

Anyway, now I have a working water heater and TWO sets of replacement parts for it - well done Atwood!!

Paul

 

[Tom]

Thanks for the report Paul and glad to hear you're now leak free.

 

[Ron]

Glad you are now leakless Paul.  Thanks for the followup and additional info.