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Topic: Hot Water System (Read 1025 times) previous topic - next topic

Hot Water System

We were checking out systems in our coach this evening.  We have a 35A circuit for power to the coach.  The unit 1 air conditioner works great.  I cannot check out the second air conditioner due to not having 50A service.  The water pump seems to work fine and we have cold water running fine. The pump cycles on and off as water runs in the kitchen sink.  The toilet appears to fill and flush fine, the microwave and gas fired cook top appear to work fine.

So far, we do not have any water running on the hot water side.  I do not know why.  We have a Mannabloc distribution block for the water and it appears there is no water on the hot water side at all.  Does anyone have any idea why we are not getting any water flow on the hot water side but we are getting what appears to be normal water flow on the cold water side?

There is an electrical cord, that when plugged into a 110 VAC outlet in our garage, allows the igniter to spark and the hot water heater gas burner to come on.  The hotwater burner appears to operate fine.  I do not find any 110 VAC outlet in the bay where the cord is located.  This 110 VAC cord is forward (toward the front of the coach) of the gas line for the hot water heater burner.  I had to plug this 110 VAC cord into an extension cord plugged into an outlet in our garage.  One question I have, is where is the 110 VAC power outlet for this electrical cord to plug in inside the coach bay?

We have a plug attached to a rod (approx 6" long) device of some kind.  It screws into what I presume is the drain for the water heater tank. This plug has 2 prongs in the end and an electrical wire connects to the 2 prongs and screws to the end of the plug.  Is this an electrical heating element for the water heater or something else? If something else, any idea what it might be?

I greatly appreciate your help.

Morris
Morris and Janice
1997 U270 36'

Re: Hot Water System

Reply #1 –
Morris,

Are the water heater bypass valves in the correct positions?  It sounds like they are still in winterized status.  The heating element in the drain valve is a Hot Shot unit used to provide electric heating to a gas only heater.  It should connect to a thermostat which is a black box attached to the side of the heater.  The extension cord should attach to it.  Gas operation of the water heater does not require electricity to operate.
Regards,
Brett

'99 42' Foretravel Xtreme
'14 Brown Motorsports Stacker
'05 Chevy SSR
'02 BMW R1150R

Re: Hot Water System

Reply #2 –
Quote from: amos.harrison –
Morris,

Are the water heater bypass valves in the correct positions?  It sounds like they are still in winterized status.  The heating element in the drain valve is a Hot Shot unit used to provide electric heating to a gas only heater.  It should connect to a thermostat which is a black box attached to the side of the heater.  The extension cord should attach to it.  Gas operation of the water heater does not require electricity to operate. 

Thank you very much.  I am guessing the valves are in the winterized positions, but I do not know where the valves are located. I have not been able to find any around the hot water heater assembly when I open the bay door and check around the water heater unit from the outside.  It appears the water heater unit is behind the cabinet drawers between the sink and the shower and I do not know how to access this area.

Do you have any suggestions where I should look for these valves?  I am guessing this is the problem as a person with the group that winterized it for the lady we purchased the coach from said the same thing. I just don't know how to find the valves.

The wires do go to a small printed circuit board of some kind underneath the water heater unit on the outside of the coach. But I have not seen any place to plug in the cord inside the bay area.  If some guidance can be provided in this regard, it will be of great benefit.

Thank you very much.

Morris
Morris and Janice
1997 U270 36'

Re: Hot Water System

Reply #3 –
Look under the kitchen sink, right hand side a few  inches up should be a 4" round access hole. Inside you may see the valves.  If you don't have that access hole take out the bottom drawer to gain access.

Not 100% sure if this applies to your year and model. 
We are only strangers until we meet; however, some of us are stranger than others

Re: Hot Water System

Reply #4 –
Morris,
The hot water heater winterizing valve, if you have one is behind the water heater.  Take a flash light with you and open both doors to the HW heater compartment and the next compartment which is the main storage compartment.
 
The bulkhead which separates these compartments should have an opening (mine is a round cutout) very near to where the back of the HW heater is in the next compartment over.  Flash the light in there and see if you can see a valve with hoses going into and out of the HW heater.  If you don't see a valve, then you do not have a winterizing kit installed.
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: Hot Water System

Reply #5 –
Also, lift the bed unit up and see if there are shutoff vales under the couch bed. When the valve is in line with the water line it is open, when it is perpendicular it is closed. There also may be valves in the  compartment where the water pump is located. All valve handles should be parallel to the line.
The selected media item is not currently available.Kent Speers
Locust Grove, OK
1993 U300 SSE 40' (Restored at FOT 2009) Build 4323
720 watts Solar
6V92TA DDEC Silver Engine
2014 Subaru Outback

Re: Hot Water System

Reply #6 –
System drain valves should NOT be parallel to the lines but perpendicular.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: Hot Water System

Reply #7 –
Morris do you have the factory books on your coach? If so they may give you the answer to your problem?
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: Hot Water System

Reply #8 –
Quote from: nitehawk –
System drain valves should NOT be parallel to the lines but perpendicular.

Norm, I could be wrong but my thinking is if he is not getting any water flow through the hot water system, it means there is a valve closed that needs to be open. Therefore the valve handle sholud be parallel to the line, no? Drain valves must be closed, perpendicular to the line. But an open drain valve would be very evident by the water leaking out of the bottom of the coach.

Of course I have not had my evening Toddy yet,  so who knows if my thinking is straight or not.
The selected media item is not currently available.Kent Speers
Locust Grove, OK
1993 U300 SSE 40' (Restored at FOT 2009) Build 4323
720 watts Solar
6V92TA DDEC Silver Engine
2014 Subaru Outback

Re: Hot Water System

Reply #9 –
Thank you very much everyone.  I worked this issue all day today.  The hot water heater bypass valves are on the Manibloc water tree and Foretravel told me they did not put any valves at the connection to the tank.  I basically ran a nylon "rod" as deeply into the tubing that provides water to the water heater.  I didn't find anything that made me think I had corrected the problem.  Then I started filling the hose with white vinegar in case it was blocked with calcium sediment.

Late this evening, I took the drain plug out of the tank to see if I could look into the tank to see any problem at the water supply connection.  As I pulled the plug out, water flowed out.....I was very surprised.  I then checked the hot water side of the kitchen and bathroom sinks and got a flow that was less than the cold water side, but at least it was now running.

So I started the hot water heater and after a while, the water was getting warm on the hot water side of the faucets....then it got HOT on the hot water side of the faucets.

I truly do not know what corrected the problem....but something sure did.

Next on the agenda is to try to put white vinegar into the entire hot water side of the water tree to see if calcium/sediment has built up in the lines and is restricting flow.

Thanks again!!!
Morris and Janice
1997 U270 36'

Re: Hot Water System

Reply #10 –
Quote
Next on the agenda is to try to put white vinegar into the entire hot water side of the water tree to see if calcium/sediment has built up in the lines and is restricting flow.
When I had to remove my WH to repair cracked fitting I was really surprised at the amount of calcium build up in the tank even though I have periodically flushed it.
To flush tank, I removed the  drain plug first.  I then used a piece of 1/4 copper tube soldered only a hose fitting, put tube in drain and with full water pressure flushed tank til no particles showed.