Replacing Atwood water heater

[danoinvt]

I have a new-to-me Atwood six-gallon propane water heater (G6A-8E). The tank is blown out under the pressure relief valve (I suspect freezing damage). This model is no longer available, although replacement tanks are to be had.

I'm looking at replacing it with a Dometic six gallon propane unit. The Dometic is smaller and requires a door/conversion kit. Wondering if anyone has done this? Are the electrical connections the same, or will it require new fittings? Any issues with the gas line connection?

Any experience or advice is welcome. Thanks.

[mikec557]

Following...

[GaryUT]

Originally Posted by danoinvt

I have a new-to-me Atwood six-gallon propane water heater (G6A-8E). The tank is blown out under the pressure relief valve (I suspect freezing damage). This model is no longer available, although replacement tanks are to be had.

I'm looking at replacing it with a Dometic six gallon propane unit. The Dometic is smaller and requires a door/conversion kit. Wondering if anyone has done this? Are the electrical connections the same, or will it require new fittings? Any issues with the gas line connection?

Any experience or advice is welcome. Thanks.

Atwood is Dometic now. They have replaced all the old Atwood heaters with new models that don't fit the opening for the old heaters. They sell retrofit doors, they have flat pieces of metal covering the gaps in the sides of the opening. The new heaters are also longer, and may not fit.

Replacing the tank on your old heater is going to be more work, but it will be cheaper. You will need the Atwood 96010 ring and gasket kit along with the replacement tank, the rings hold the tank to the frame of the heater, the old ones will be destroyed when removing them.

Suburban makes a 6 gallon water heater that fits in the opening and space of the old Atwood.

https://parts.unitedrv.com/collectio...ct-spark-saw6d

Unfortunately they seem to be out of stock everywhere.


Gary

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by danoinvt

I have a new-to-me Atwood six-gallon propane water heater (G6A-8E). The tank is blown out under the pressure relief valve (I suspect freezing damage). This model is no longer available, although replacement tanks are to be had.

I'm looking at replacing it with a Dometic six gallon propane unit. The Dometic is smaller and requires a door/conversion kit. Wondering if anyone has done this? Are the electrical connections the same, or will it require new fittings? Any issues with the gas line connection?

Any experience or advice is welcome. Thanks.

If you had the water heater drained for winter there's no way it would/could burst at the pressure relief. If it wasn't drained in order for it to freeze 6 gallons that hard it would have had to been damn cold. I'd be more inclined to think the relief valve failed, the tank overheated & burst judging from the area it burst.
My advice is while replacing the tank to also replace both the 12 volt & 120 volt thermostats, the heating element & relief valve if the replacement doesn't come with them.

[danoinvt]

Thanks for the tips. I found a Suburban SW6D at United RV for $320, plus another $50 for the door kit. Cheaper than the Dometic and an easy retrofit.

[danoinvt]

Thanks. The guy I bought it from said he was going to drain and winterize, but I'm thinking he didn't... both faucets also has stems blown out. It was definitely cold enough up in northern Vermont to freeze six gallons of water. (I had several spackle buckets with ice blocks, outdoors, mind you.) Thanks to GaryUT, I'm going with the Suburban replacement.

[chuckster57]

If he didn’t winterize his trailer, I’d be afraid of what else “exploded” like water lines.

[danoinvt]

Thanks, chuckster57. As I noted, there were blown faucets on both the kitchen and lavatory sinks. I just hit me that in both cases these were the hot water taps. It was as if the faucet shaft just blew out. No issues with the tub or toilet. Makes me think that he did empty the cold lines. I have bypassed the water heater and capped off the supply lines temporarily so I could at least get running cold at the tub and flush. Installed a new kitchen faucet, but need a couple 1/2" nipples to connect those supply lines. Lavatory faucet should be here today. Oh, BTW, I'm in the RGV of Texas now for the winter.