Hot water heater Red Light?

[dkr1946]

Our hot water heater seems to be working okay. But the red light in the control panel (30 SK model has several of the light switches, HWH controls, tank levels, etc near the entry door on the wall) seems to be coming on randomly. I don't recall it EVER coming on before. I thought it was supposed to come on when the heater element was actually ON, much like when LP was being burned to heat the water if LP were being used.

Anyone know what this red light on the panel is supposed to mean? We only use the electric heating element; we have only used the LP instead once of twice in two years.

Thanks.

[csham]

The red light indicates a failure in whichever system you are using to heat the water. It should normally be off.

[lenny]

The only time ours has ever come on was when I ran out of propane, with it on gas mode.

[mwebber78]

Mine turns on when the propane mode is not working right.

[gtoguy1967]

On gas it tries to light, After three failing tries it will stop and the light will shine. Most times you can just turn it off and back on again and this would be enough to bleed the air out of the line.

[Fiddich]

The red light will come on when your water heater is attempting to light in GAS mode. If it cannot light for some reason, it will stay on. If it lights successfully, it will go off as soon as it detects successful ignition. That is why it seems to come on randomly.

[coolbreeze1]

As others have said, the light will come on if the gas does not light after 3 tries, if it comes on while using the electric side there must be some problem.


Coolbreeze1

[dkr1946]

We don't use the LP to heat the hot water heater, so replies about that are NA to my situation. Using electricity, the hot water heater is working perfectly...........except for that annoying red light that seems to come on randomly. So I am still stumped.

By the way, on our previous FW (Wildcat 27RL), there was a red light associated ONLY with the LP heating system. It turned red when gas was burning to heat the water, and went off when gas was no longer being used. I have no idea if this is how it' supposed to work, but I suspect maybe so. And maybe there is some electrical short or whatever that makes the red light randomly come on when I'm using electricity to heat the water. Very odd........

[BDLuke]

It also comes on if itover heats and locks down the system. I had it happen several times until I threw away the cheap water pressure restricter I bought at WalMart. I now use a Watt pressure regulator and it hasn't happened since. I figured it was caused by insufficient water pressure.



See page 4 under Electronic Ignition Operation #5.

http://bryantrv.com/docs2/docs/operating/atwood1.pdfEdited by: BDLuke

[Ridgeman]

Doug,

csham's response was dead on. The light is atrouble light for both gas and electric operation. Which ever sytem you have it on.



I had a similar problemwith mine on electricexcept it only came on when the water heating cycle was complete. My water still got hot, maybe too hot. The problem was the thermostat/eco sensors. Camping world sells a replacement kit which includes both the thermostat and the ECO for about $15. I changed both of them as the Atwood tech I talked too recommended and problem was solved.



Changing them is a bit of a pain as you have to bend the little tabs that hold the sensors in and then bend them back. Not a very good design as I suspect those tabs will break off after a few change outs. Anyway that was about a year ago and all is working great.



Kurt