# suburban sw6de waterheater (rv) won't light



## 1kzwoman (Jun 12, 2014)

I have a fail to light issue with my RV waterheater. A suburban SW6DE .(seldom used) Electric element water heating functions fine but don't want to use generator for short trip.
LP bottles full, lines bled
Ignitor sparks, battery fully charged
Electrical contacts clean, ground checked, circuit board looks good
No I don't have voltmeter,
Tank full of water
I think gas valve /solenoids may be at fault. No gas seems to be passing through.
Orifice clear, burn tube some carbon 
will clean.
Anyone have suggestions on how they dealt with similar issue on their SW6DE


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## Highbeam (Jun 12, 2014)

I've had the gas valves fail in open and in the closed position. Cheap to replace. You're getting no gas? no smell? Can you run the gas range at full blast?


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## 1kzwoman (Jun 12, 2014)

Hi,
Thank you for reply.
Yes cooktop and furnace both function and I bled lp line ahead of water heater gas valve.
No gas, and no smell getting past valve.
When ignitor sparks, valve should open, it has two solenoids.
I don't use water heater much, so think valve is stuck closed. Guess I have a reason to camp more and use it once I get it fixed.
I've "tapped soundly" but no change in operation . I have a valve/solenoid set ordered.


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## 1kzwoman (Jun 13, 2014)

Got the new valve and installed it, water heater now working Thank you again for input


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## 1kzwoman (Jun 14, 2014)

Found that bleeding lp line triggered safety shut off by new style storage tank as if it were a leak. Had to think a bit on that when I installed new valve and had line stop flowing as I bled it for a longer period.
Also  tested and found bad solenoids on old valve prior to removal. Age and it looked as if moisture had entered .


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## begreen (Jun 14, 2014)

There are a multitude of issues that can happen in a heater that stands idle much of the year. We have a 3 way refrig that runs on AC, DC and propane. It wouldn't light when I tried last month. Here's what I found in the refrig's burn chamber.





Mud wasps had also built nest up the air intake pipe. Got that cleared out and found there was no spark. I had to replace the relighter module too. Now it starts up on gas instantly.


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## Highbeam (Jun 14, 2014)

begreen said:


> There are a multitude of issues that can happen in a heater that stands idle much of the year. We have a 3 way refrig that runs on AC, DC and propane. It wouldn't light when I tried last month. Here's what I found in the refrig's burn chamber.
> 
> View attachment 134312
> 
> ...



Didn't know you were an rver bg.


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