I am getting hot water at the faucets without the AH being on electric or diesel fired heating. When I select the electric heater element on, I get a increase in electrical load. When selected off, load goes down. I am on shore power and water. Can someone explain how this is happening?
Thanks, Mike
Have you been driving for a while when you checked and notice the hot water?
While going down the road the engine coolant will warm the water in the water heater.
No, have been parked for a couple of weeks.
Mike
Mike,
Is your water hose out in the sun with you being hooked up to shore? If so perfect example of solar heating.
Mike
If that were the case, I wouldn't have cold water, which I do.
Mike
Hope Rudy checks in, I don't know if the engine pre-heat could cause your issue, but make sure it is off.
Block heater and engine preheat on?
Nope.
With electric element and diesel burner switches OFF, a source of heated water is from the water hose laying in the sun or, if using the coach fresh water tank, a warm tank in the closed basement with the coach sitting in full sun. These would not produce hot water in my opinion.
Engine block heater switch in the ON position and engine preheat switch ON can produce some heating of the heater coolant tank by circulating warm engine coolant through the engine preheat loop in the coolant tank especially if sitting overnite and no hot water use. Might be enough in hot summer conditions to provide warm water but not for very long.
If he is getting warm water at the cold faucet, the first suggestion is my first choice. If only at the hot faucet, then the block heater and engine preheat ON is my choice.
If he is getting HOT water from the hot faucet, a problem could have the heater on with switches off.
Warm water is water at 100 degrees F or higher. Hot water is water at 115 degrees F or higher.
As Sherlock Holmes would say if you have eliminated all of the obvious possibilities the answer is whatever is left no matter how impossible. If your diesel is off you are somehow getting power to the electric element even though you see a power draw when the the electric switch turned on. How long have you waited after turning the diesel and electric off to allow the tank to cool?
Are all of the faucets including the shower affected?
If only one faucet then it could be the faucet mixing valve going bad. Just another road to go down.
Yes, all faucets. I'm kind of thinking that although there is no indication of electrical draw with switch in off position, the electrical heating element is getting some kind of power to it, but don't know how to check for that.
Mike
How long has it been since you turned off the diesel and power? The tank holds heat for a long time.
Reply #2 says a couple of weeks.
Turn the breaker to the water heater off.
That was a reply for have you driven it lately, not no power to AH.