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10-26-2019, 05:06 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,809
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What the heck is this module?
I'm in the process of opening up a wire path on the driver's side between the cabinet with the heater and the underside of the bed.
I'll be installing an interior switch for the hot water tank and a built-in electric heater.
Knelt down and looked along the area by the hot water heater to make sure that the 1" hole that I was about to drill wouldn't hit anything. Saw this white module tucked up out of the way. What is its' function?
Ron
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10-26-2019, 06:34 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Interesting! It appears that the control board for the water heater is now mounted remotely. The wires from the box to the heater are visible in the photo, and a web search shows the board and plastic cover available as replacement parts.
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10-26-2019, 06:45 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,809
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Thanks Brian,
I'm a little surprised at that amount of circuity. Don't know what I was expecting in the way of electronics associated with the heater but not that much.
Glad I got down in an awkward position and looked along the rear of the panel before I drilled.
Ron
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10-26-2019, 06:45 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia
Trailer: 2018 Escape 19
Posts: 2,720
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My 2018 has this water heater control board mounted on a stud a few inches away from the water heater as well.
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10-26-2019, 06:47 PM
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#5
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,049
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Better than needing to tear off the Styrofoam blanket to get to it underneath....
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
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10-26-2019, 07:36 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC
I'm a little surprised at that amount of circuity. Don't know what I was expecting in the way of electronics associated with the heater but not that much.
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It's almost the same as a furnace, with the bulkiest part being the high-voltage source for the direct spark ignition (DSI) and the rest being the driver for the ignition and the safety interlocks. Of course the water heater doesn't have the fan motor control.
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10-26-2019, 07:38 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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An Atwood water heater, equivalent to this Suburban, has the circuit board mounted on the outside face so it is completely accessible when the outside access door is opened... but that's a hotter and potentially wetter location, which may be why Suburban chose to mount it remotely. I've never heard of controls buried under the foam insulation jacket on any RV water heater - that would be an inappropriately hot place to put it.
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10-27-2019, 08:58 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Baytown, Texas
Trailer: 2017 21' Escape - upgraded version
Posts: 2,697
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P
An Atwood water heater, equivalent to this Suburban, has the circuit board mounted on the outside face so it is completely accessible when the outside access door is opened... but that's a hotter and potentially wetter location, which may be why Suburban chose to mount it remotely. I've never heard of controls buried under the foam insulation jacket on any RV water heater - that would be an inappropriately hot place to put it.
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The Suburban hot water heater in my Casita had the control board mounted on top of the insulation - not under it. But still difficult to access. The way Suburban does it now is better - easier to get to when it dies. Hopefully with the voltage regulator I installed, it will have a longer life.
__________________
Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Engineers believe in fixing it so that it never breaks.
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10-27-2019, 11:36 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,809
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P
with the bulkiest part being the high-voltage source for the direct spark ignition (DSI) and the rest being the driver for the ignition and the safety interlocks.
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Good to know, forgot about the DSI
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P
I've never heard of controls buried under the foam insulation jacket on any RV water heater - that would be an inappropriately hot place to put it.
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I feel the same way about the exterior on-off switch. The location isn't the best, not only for convenience but because it isn't the driest location around.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tdf-texas
The way Suburban does it now is better - easier to get to when it dies. Hopefully with the voltage regulator I installed, it will have a longer life.
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Based on your photo it looks like ETI has slightly shifted the location of the module so that it's further away from the hatch opening and higher. On mine I had to kneel down, stick my head right down into the opening and look sideways to see it.
There's been lot's of furnace issues etc. but I don't recall circuit boards for the water heaters failing. Has this been an issue?
Anyway, good to know where and what the module is if I ever have a problem.
Thanks
Ron
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