water heater won't ignite

berghild · 04-11-2010, 02:05 PM

well we have limped in Henderson Nevada with Chevy giving us fits. weird tranny code and blowing and ignition fuse repeatedly.
now the gas water heater. can't get to a shop until truck is fixed and we are dry camped so woluld like to use gas for the water heater.
it ignites and then quits, repeatedly.
any ideas?

sje · 04-11-2010, 09:34 PM

I dont know if the newer water heaters are made like they used to be, but the ones i have dealt with have had some kind of thermocoupler. if it was bad then the flame would not stay lit. safety device to shut off the gas if it would not light. sje

billr · 04-12-2010, 12:25 AM

If you gain access to the themocouple mentioned already, it may just need the start flame gap adjusted to warm it up better to light the main flame. I had one do that before. Once adjusted a tiny bit it worked fine. Might be worth a look.

Motor31 · 04-12-2010, 01:17 PM

Check the wire connections as well. Don't forget to look at the exhaust to see if critters have set up housekeeping in there or by the main gas line outlet.

Jack in Alaska · 04-20-2010, 02:32 AM

I have found that over time the electrical connections corrode and lose contact. Unplug them one at a time, clean up the contacts, spray with WD40 and reconnect. Works wonders sometimes.
Do the same on the refrigerator.

GlennWest · 04-20-2010, 05:06 AM

Have you tried unhooking your Edge. They are notorious for what you are describing about the truck.

berghild · 04-21-2010, 09:43 AM

Glenn....yes gave up the Edge a couple of years ago. The com[pany would send us new versions but they all would die at the most inconvenient times.....like total stall on the freeway in traffic in Seattle!

berghild · 04-21-2010, 09:46 AM

the water heater is fixed....i can't remember exactly what it was ....but something about the igniter was dangling loose...they put it back and fastened and now everything is fine!

RonS · 04-21-2010, 05:44 PM

I have same truck, so please post what you find out on repairs. I had injectors go out at 35K but has been strong ever since. Did not throu any tranny codes, but at the time I thought it was limping, or that I got some bad diesel. Could not get any power. Of course I was on road and hundred of miles from home with 5er attached. Not a good feeling. But chevy stood behind repairs 100%.

berghild · 04-21-2010, 07:00 PM

we had problems with injectors twice at chevy expense. we hav e been using stanadyne ever since and never have had a problem. we now have 147,000 miles on it and it is totaly awesome truck. there was a message that said transmission inhibited. found two loose wires....one under hood under the fuse box and the other was dangling down on the tranny. we have only towed a few miles since then but will head next week for colorado hopefully all is fixed!