U270 3-way water heater installation, in response to a request for pictures...

March 01, 2015, 07:59:46 pm

I am posting this topic for someone who messaged me looking for pictures. I didn't see an option for attaching pictures in the PM, so I am starting a new topic with some pictures of my water heater installation. Maybe they will help someone else down the line as well...
In brief, I will say that removing the water heater isn't that difficult, once you have done it, but the learning process can be messy! If the water heater has the 3 way option (Motoraide?), there is a valve underneath it. Don't make the mistake of thinking just closing this valve will save you from losing coolant! (How do I know that???

). You need to have both of those hoses pinched off somehow, or have drained a lot of coolant. Conceivably, you could do it with a minimal lost if you are standing by with the right sized plug of some sort. Even so, you will make a bit of a mess just from what is in the water heater tubing that the hoses connect to.

The freshwater supply and output lines are connected via 90º pex swivels similar to what you can find else where in the coach plumbing (if it is like our 99' U270). Be prepared to make a bit of a mess here also, though if you drain all the lines and the water heater beforehand, it could save you some grief (I hope!). The electrical element needs to be disconnected at the back (remember to turn the switch off at the foot of the bed on the curbside!), but you can likely do this after you have taken out all the screws in the mounting flange, disconnected the LP line (after turning off the valve at the tank!), and separated the flange from the frame that is held in place by the still soft and sticky butyl tape (or whatever Foretravel used... this stuff will stick to your shoes and anything it comes into contact with and spread like a plague if you don't collect it all and dispose of it... now, how do I know that???

).
Finally, after doing the waterline disconnects, the coolant disconnects, and the electrical and LP disconnect (this includes the 12vdc used to control the relay, so turn off the 12 volt switch at the from of the coach first!) Finally, worry it out little by little until you can see the back or at least feel with your hands that there isn't anything hung up on it that will be damaged by the removal. The thin sheet metal flange will get a little bent up, but if you work all the way around the perimeter of the flange a bit of a time, it will survive. If there is water in it, it will weigh enough that it would be good to have a table or crate to set it on as you pull it out.

I put the compartment back together a bit differently than it was originally configured by Foretravel. I added insulation (polyurethane foam, foil blanket, foil tape) to the styrofoam sleeve that the new water heater came with. I added a J-box for the 120V A/C hook up and a few other things I don't remember now (this was a small part of a much larger project). I also added bypass valves to the top of the manibloc, and used two ball vales to isolate the coolant loop should it ever need to be removed in the future. I sincerely hope not!

I also plumbed the drain lines into a stainless manifold so that I only had to have one penetration through the floor of the compartment. I probably posted these pictures in different threads as part of my bulkhead repair, but hopefully, someone just looking for water heater help will find them easier here...
Don

Re: U270 3-way water heater installation, in response to a request for pictures...

Reply #1 – March 02, 2015, 09:53:31 am

Quote from: acousticart – March 01, 2015, 07:59:46 pm

I put the compartment back together a bit differently than it was originally configured by Foretravel.

Of COURSE you did, Don. We would expect nothing less from you!

Question: Was your old water heater 6 gal or 10 gal? We might replace our old 6 gal unit some day, and I would like a BIGGER one, if it's not too much hassle. The setup might be different in our GV...

Re: U270 3-way water heater installation, in response to a request for pictures...

Reply #2 – March 02, 2015, 10:21:38 am

Quote from: cajk – March 02, 2015, 09:53:31 am

Question: Was your old water heater 6 gal or 10 gal? We might replace our old 6 gal unit some day, and I would like a BIGGER one, if it's not too much hassle. The setup might be different in our GV...

It's my understanding that there is a 6 gallon, direct replacement tank that produces a higher temp than the traditional 6 gallon tank and uses a mix technology to make the output equal to a 10 gallon tank.

Re: U270 3-way water heater installation, in response to a request for pictures...

Reply #3 – March 02, 2015, 10:35:05 am

Our water heater is ( and was) a ten gallon. Kent is correct about the Atwood replacement models that claim to have the capacity of larger units. I think they add XT to the model number to distinguish them from the normal models.
Don
[quote author=cajk link=msg=188753 date=1425308011
Question: Was your old water heater 6 gal or 10 gal? We might replace our old 6 gal unit some day, and I would like a BIGGER one, if it's not too much hassle. The setup might be different in our GV...

[/quote]

Re: U270 3-way water heater installation, in response to a request for pictures...

Reply #4 – March 02, 2015, 01:38:55 pm

@cajk

I bought one of the XT 10 gallon models to replace my leaking 10 gallon water heater. It functions the way Kent says in that it heats the water hotter and mixes it with fresh water at the heater outlet to bring the temperature at the faucet back to normal, allowing you to not use as much of the water in the heater for a given task. It seems to work well. Do be aware that the mixing valve on the back of the unit adds more depth than the original water heater had and it was a tight fit with the fresh water tank behind it.

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