Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: jor on September 16, 2019, 10:28:52 pm

Title: Water Heater Air Bubble
Post by: jor on September 16, 2019, 10:28:52 pm
I'm looking for some advice from you non-Aqua Hot guys. I keep having the same problem with my water heater. When it heats fully water drips from the pressure relief valve. As I understand it, the leak is the result of an insufficient air bubble at the top of the tank. I've tried several methods to establish that bubble. Here's the latest one:

To re-establish an air pocket in the top of your water heater . Turn off all water supplies ( shore and coach pump ) open a hot tap somewhere in the coach , and open the tank drain . Drain about a gallon of water and close the drain . With the hot tap still open inside the coach , turn on the supply and bleed out excess air through the tap . The hot out line from the tank is lower than the top of the tank and the relief valve.

Didn't work. I've had three of these things with water heaters and this is the only one I've had this issue with. Thanks.
jor

Title: Re: Water Heater Air Bubble
Post by: stevec22 on September 16, 2019, 10:40:17 pm
Could you just replace the pressure relief valve?
Title: Re: Water Heater Air Bubble
Post by: DavidS on September 16, 2019, 11:00:34 pm
Roll the coach over.. slowly :)) 

to fast and you wont be able to hold everything down... the bubble will work its way out... ^.^d

other way is maybe force the water through with a hose or something to get the bubble out?
Title: Re: Water Heater Air Bubble
Post by: fkjohns6083 on September 16, 2019, 11:16:21 pm
Why do you want an air bubble in the hot water heater??  I seem to be missing some thing here.  All I can imagine that doing would be the same thing that your bladder tank does.  Do you have a bladder tank??  I would replace the relief valve and go from there.  Have a great day  ----  Fritz
Title: Re: Water Heater Air Bubble
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on September 16, 2019, 11:17:02 pm
Might need to add a expansion tank of some kind to absorb the slight increase in water volume caused by heating.

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Title: Re: Water Heater Air Bubble
Post by: Barry & Cindy on September 17, 2019, 12:38:09 am
John, we fixed ours by changing temp-pressure valve.

We also routed the valve's outlet via a hose through the compartment floor along with the other three water drain hoses. Now any drips end up on ground and not in compartment.
Title: Re: Water Heater Air Bubble
Post by: FourTravelers on September 17, 2019, 07:19:24 am
Replace the pop-off valve and add a bladder tank.
Never have I considered if there is or isn't a bubble in the hot water tank

Title: Re: Water Heater Air Bubble
Post by: bbeane on September 17, 2019, 07:49:39 am
Replace the pressure relief valve. Some hardware stores have them just be sure to get one with 1/2 NPT threads.
Title: Re: Water Heater Air Bubble
Post by: Twig on September 17, 2019, 07:52:52 am
Valves go bad. No need to make other alterations.
Title: Re: Water Heater Air Bubble
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on September 17, 2019, 08:25:35 am
Replace the pressure relief valve. Some hardware stores have them just be sure to get one with 1/2 NPT threads.
Post below (Reply #2) shows the one I used.  Could not find it in local stores with correct threads.

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Title: Re: Water Heater Air Bubble
Post by: mark f on September 17, 2019, 09:54:06 am
I had the same problem. I replaced the valve.
Title: Re: Water Heater Air Bubble
Post by: jor on September 17, 2019, 10:02:36 am
Quote
Why do you want an air bubble in the hot water heater?
That's the way they work.

I have replaced the valve twice in the last three years. I think I'll do so again after this trip and go with Barry's solution of routing the outlet through the floor like the fresh water overfill fix. Thanks to all.
jor