Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Atwood Water Heater (Read 480 times) previous topic - next topic

Atwood Water Heater

I have a leak in my Atwood GCH10A-3E water heater. Does anyone have a lead on a used tank or unit? I just missed an new old stock tank on ebay. I would like to keep the 3 way option if possible. I am willing to put in a slightly used 2 way GC10A-4E if I need to but was hoping to keep the motoraid option. Also I dont want to modify my bay door for the exhaust. I found a two way available that is a slightly used 06 model. Let me know your ideas Fo Fum Crew?

Regards, MAZ
The selected media item is not currently available.
Mark and Tanya
Milton , Florida
US Navy Veteran (DV)
1999 U270 Special 40' CAI , 2015 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

Re: Atwood Water Heater

Reply #2 –
Thanks Michelle. I talked with them as well. I found a clean used one for less but am holding on for a week or so to see if I can find a new tank or used unit to replace mine. Also the used one is a newer 4E revision.

Mark
The selected media item is not currently available.
Mark and Tanya
Milton , Florida
US Navy Veteran (DV)
1999 U270 Special 40' CAI , 2015 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

Re: Atwood Water Heater

Reply #3 –
OK Michelle I purchased the GC10A-4E model from Visone. I now need to supply a second 12V switched wire to the unit to activate the electric element. The 4E model uses one thermostat on the front and a switched 12V relay at the back for the element control. I am trying to figure out a good wiring route. I have a wire to inside the left side of the closet. Is there a chase somewhere to go from one side of the coach to the other? I may have to just hide a switch in the closet somewhere. Thanks for any advise fofum crew.

Mark
The selected media item is not currently available.
Mark and Tanya
Milton , Florida
US Navy Veteran (DV)
1999 U270 Special 40' CAI , 2015 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

Re: Atwood Water Heater

Reply #4 –
My water heater and controls in the coach are both on the right side.  The gas and electric control switches are mounted on the side of the bath vanity.  I tapped the light circuit in the water heater bay to power the solenoid.

If you need to cross the coach, I would first look at running the wire through the bay and then up into the coach directly into the cabinet/vanity where you want to mount the switch.

Rich
Rich and Peggy Bowman
2002 U270 3610 WTFS, build #5939--"Freedom"
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 4xe
SMI AirForceOne brake system
PakCanoe 15
 

Re: Atwood Water Heater

Reply #5 –
If you want to use the new inside switch that comes with heater, and decide to run a new low voltage wire, you could run several wires at the same time.  One thing some find practical is to use one new spare wire to connect to the circuit board wire that powers gas solenoid and another new spare wire that powers the 12v relay for the 120v heating element.  Connect these wires to a couple inside LEDs.  When LEDs are on, water heater water is still being heated and not quite ready for that shower.  Depending on your floorplan a large hole could be drilled up into the coach into a curbside closet or under sink.  A larger hole will allow future wires to be run for other custom projects.  Run wire from curbside to streetside within the bay and not within the living space. 

Some prefer kitchen mounted switches for water heater and water pump.  Because leaving coach with water pump control switch on could find one returning with an inside flood if there is a plumbing failure, some have added a new lighted switch at exit door on front dash panel to be extra sure water pump control switch and LED is off as one exits coach.  Even if one always turns water pump off when unoccupied, it is nice insurance to look at the LED to really know pump is off.

On the same idea, is to run a wire from the pressure switch on the water pump that buzzes when pump is running, which can give you heads-up that there is a leak if all faucets are closed.  A switch could be put on buzzer circuit to silence this alarm.

There is an interesting dilemma with the water heater 12v electric heating element relay being mounted on back of water heater.  If you want to measure resistance across the 120v heating element to determine if the heating element is burned out (like from draining tank without turning off the 120v circuit) you may not be able to access the relay controlled 120v contacts.  Some have relocated the relay to a curbside accessible location with a 120v wire run to the heating element which can be measured at the new relay location.