RV Repair: Hot Water Heater, hot water heater, amp fuse

Question
I just got into camping. I bought a 2005 Terry Quitem travel trailer. It has an electronic water heater but when I turn the switch on nothing happens. I checked the breaker and it seems to be OK is their some thing I am missing. I do not have a manual for it. Can you tell me the steps I should be taken?

Answer
Hi Bill:
Ok, water heater operation. You will need a voltmeter or a voltage test light. First thing to check is the location of the control board. Some are outside, inside the heater cover, black box at the upper right hand corner. Make sure the power plug is tight. Some newer models have a 3-5 amp fuse, check it. Other models have the board inside, usually close to the back of the heater fastened to whatever with some double sided tape. Often these come loose and the board comes unplugged.If all that is ok then it is time to check for voltages. Start at the fuse panel. Use the voltage probe, or meter, to verify voltage at both sides of the fuse. Next go outside and verify voltage to the board. If the board is outside the first place the voltage appears is on the brown wire going to a high temperature cutout. It is a little clear plastic enclosed unit(sort of looks like a diode).From there the voltage goes to the low temperature thermostat under a black foam cover. From there it goes to the upper terminal of the board. If the voltage is good to the board and the unit does not try to ignite, you'll hear the igniter spark, then the board is bad. If there is no voltage to the board then correct whereever the break is. If the board tries to ignite but does not fire then you have no propane. Either you are out or the valve is shut. There is one more thing. There is a high temperature thermostat right next to the low temperature one under the black foam cover. It is the one on the left with red wires going to it. This thermostat cuts the power to the gas valve only at about 190 degrees or so. It will keep the heater from firing by shutting off the gas but the igniter will try to ignite. If the control board is inside the procedure is the same except that the two thermostats are outside under a black plastic cover in the upper left corner. They are resetable circuit breakers and may have tripped for some reason. They reset just by pushing on the plastic tit on top of the thermostats. Good luck.
Bill