The basic functionality for most of the water heater brands is quite similar. You won’t find any unique features other than a change in the overall design.
So, as long as the brand you’re going for does not have a bad reputation, you can choose any water heater that you like. A water heater is very convenient to have in your motorhome as it can help you save some resources and make your trip more enjoyable.
In this article, we will be covering some common problems that you can expect with the DSI water heater. We will also be going over some troubleshooting methods to help you fix these common problems so that you have a steady supply of heated water.
How to Fix DSI Water Heater Troubleshooting?
- Igniter Not Working
The most common problem that you will find in the water heating system is that sometimes the igniter won’t work after you open the gas valve. If there is no spark then you won’t be able to heat any water with this device.
Usually, this problem is caused by power-related issues, and you will need to take a look at the power source to potentially fix the igniter issues.
To start, you should try checking the intensity of lights in your motorhome. If the lights are not working properly or the intensity is low then it is likely that your battery is not giving sufficient power supply.
If that is the case, then you should try checking the power output from the battery terminals using a multimeter. If the battery has gone bad then you will need to replace it.
However, if the lights are working properly and you have also checked that the output from the battery is sufficient then you will need to check the fuse box.
A fuse may be blown which is why your igniter is not getting any power from the source. Replace the blown fuse and everything should start working.
- No Gas from Valve
Another issue that you can run into with the DSI water heater is that you will hear the igniter going off but there won’t be any output from the gas valve.
In this scenario, you will keep hearing a clicking sound from the igniter going off but you won’t see any fire in your water heating unit. Most of the time, this issue is related to your gas supply.
Aside from checking the amount of gas in your cylinders, you should also check the valve to see whether or not they are in the on position.
However, it was reported by some customers that a safety system connected to your gas cylinder will turn off the gas supply when you replace the gas cylinder and turn on the gas supply too quickly.
The safety system detects that there is something wrong with the gas supply and to avoid further damage, it shuts off the gas supply.
So, to get around the gas supply problem you will need to reconnect the gas line with the new cylinder and turn on the gas supply very slowly. That should reset the safety system and hopefully, your water heater will start working after that.
- Issues with Electric Mode
Now depending upon the model of your water heater, you will also have an electricity mode in the water heater. You can use this electricity mode to heat the water when you are out of gas.
It seems to be more convenient overall, but there are a few issues that you can run into with this mode. If the electric mode is not working then there are a few things that you might need to check.
To start, you need to ensure that your motorhome is connected to shore power. The electric mode does not work on the backup batteries and you need an external power source for your batteries.
Other than that, you should also check the breaker for your electric water heater to ensure that there are no issues with the power supply.
In some of the models, you have to use two switches to enable the electric mode on your water heater. The first switch will be on the main panel and the second switch can be found next to the heating unit itself.
Both of these switches need to be turned on to use the electric mode. Use the owner’s manual if you are confused regarding any of the instructions given above.