Freeze-Damaged Atwood Water Heater Repair or Replacement

[Gary RV_Wizard]

That doesn't look like any Atwood or Suburban water heater I've ever seen. What brand is it? I can't tell much from the photos, but is that a sight glass on the right side, just above the red circle?

 

[CharlesinGA]

That doesn't look like any Atwood or Suburban water heater I've ever seen. What brand is it? I can't tell much from the photos, but is that a sight glass on the right side, just above the red circle?

Thats a very close up of an Atwood. Note the white Styrofoam insulation and the black plastic box that is the back of the heat element and contains the relay for the heat element. The thing to the right above the red circle is the water inlet fitting for the tank.

Charles

 

[Brad Buchanan]

As I noted in post #11, the correct replacement for your model Atwood is SAW6DEL. If it does not have the L on the end, there is no relay to operate the electric heat element and your inside electric switch will not have anything to connect to. You will be stuck running outside and opening up the door to switch the electric on and off with the red rocker switch.

See this brochure

If you go the Suburban route, when you cut the wires, cut them on the water heater side of the splices. This will make it easy when you come back here and ask how it hooks up. The trailer companies don't use standard colors, so you might have a green connecting to a Blue on the water heater, etc. Totally unpredictable what they might do.

I still urge you to remove it and see if a welder can repair it. Even if split wide open, it can be reformed to close the gap where it split open and a decent aluminum welder can weld it up.


No, thats a 6 gallon model, actually the most common and the last model of the Atwood, Gas and Electric, electronic control, spark ignition.

Charles

I weld aluminum and to disassemble a small water heater and weld a very thin aluminum radiator (yes, that is what it is) you would probably be in it for $500.00.

If the water heater is new that might be justified but with an elderly one the math might not work out.

 

[CharlesinGA]

This is not like a radiator, its a simple tank, probably one eighth inch thick. Removing it is a hassle, disconnect gas, wires and water lines and a bunch of screws and pull it out. Cut two banding straps that hold the molded styrofoam insulation together and the tank is fully exposed. Not much else to remove.

It is not necessary to break it down to this point to repair it, a leak on the back needs the stryofoam removed and that is all. I'm just showing this to show what it looks like.

 

[Brad Buchanan]

This is not like a radiator, its a simple tank, probably one eighth inch thick. Removing it is a hassle, disconnect gas, wires and water lines and a bunch of screws and pull it out. Cut two banding straps that hold the molded styrofoam insulation together and the tank is fully exposed. Not much else to remove.

It is not necessary to break it down to this point to repair it, a leak on the back needs the stryofoam removed and that is all. I'm just showing this to show what it looks like.

View attachment 2456497

That should be easily weldable.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

That should be easily weldable.

For those with practical experience in welding aluminum, yes. But for the rest of us, finding a welder and paying a fair wage for his work makes this a more challenging repair. When I lived in a rural area it wasn't too hard to find somebody able & willing to do a simple weld like that, but in my present metro area I'd have to find a professional welding shop and pay high overhead prices.