Recommended RV Water Heater For A 1975 Airstream

Question:

I need to replace the atwood water heater in my 1975 AIRSTREAM. It is a model G10B 9.9 gallon. It is a gas only unit with a pilot light. It measures 20 inches deep, 15.5 inches tall and 15 inches wide. What can I get to replace it, the opening can not be made any bigger.There is no wiring to it so I need a replacement with a pilot light that is lit with a match.

asked by: Matthew M

Expert Reply:

You'll be hard-pressed to find any kind RV water heater that doesn't require wiring and still lights via a match so you will have to run a few wires to get a functioning water heater.

I recommend the Furrion RV Tankless Water Heater # FR98SR, which will fit inside of the 15.5" x 15" opening that you have. This unit is slightly smaller so you will need to build a little bit of framing inside of the opening for the unit to mount to and then you can cover the opening with the 16" x 16" door. I do recommend using some butyl tape # AL28FJ and non-sag-sealant # 344270341437-1 to prevent any water from leaking in.

This unit has four wires that have the following functions:

Black: 12v power (you'll need to run this either to the battery or to a DC distribution panel)
White: Ground (you can run this either directly to the frame or to a ground bus bar in your power center)
Blue: Both of these wires need to attach to the thermostat. You can run these wherever you need to mount the thermostat.

It is a bit of work but this is one of the top RV water heaters on the market in terms of performance and will let you set your temperature to a specific degree instead of the old fashioned arrow knob most heaters typically have. I've attached a video below where Dave will walk you through the installation process. If you have more questions please let me know.