water heater

superduty08 · Mar 23, 2009

I just got back from our first trip this year and while camping found that I only had luke warm water (and not much) while using the electric portion of the water heater. I had both electric switches on and will check the element tomorrow. My rig was a year old in Jan. and I used it a lot during the winter while hunting. My big problem is that I could not get the gas portion to work. I can't remember the last time that I used the gas as I have been using the electric to save propane. I had my wife turn the switch on and off while I monitored the heater outside. I never heard the igniter click and I never smelled propane. Does any one know how to check this?
__________________

superduty08 · Mar 23, 2009

I checked the element and it read around 11 ohms I also have good voltage. The big surprise is that now the gas portion works. I did not do anything but drive 180 miles to home. From what I have read the electric element should be good but I still have no hot water.

jbeletti · Mar 23, 2009

Wonder if the WH is in Bypass mode?

Jim

cookie · Mar 23, 2009

Bobby, a few things come to mind here. Lets cover all the bases. First off, are the LP tanks full and turned on? Next be certain to purge the gas line of air, by lighting the stove burners. You are turning on the switch that is located on the waste tank monitor, correct? And the last thing I would look for is a breaker that is tripped. I don't know which one feeds the igniter on the HW heater. Turn the LP HW switch (located on the tank monitor) on and leave it on for five minutes. You should hear the igniter. If none of this helps then some in depth trouble shooting is in order. Dig out your multimeter. Good luck and let us know what you find.
Peace
Dave

superduty08 · Mar 23, 2009

Jim Beletti said:
Wonder if the WH is in Bypass mode?

Jim

Jim, I checked this afternoon and both valves are in the normal position.

jmgratz · Mar 23, 2009

At one time I could not figure out why mine was not working properly in the electric mode and then figured out I forgot to turn on the switch for the electric which is on the water heater. You might check that. It is a black on off toggle switch on the outside accessed by removing the outside water heater access door.

LBallard · Mar 25, 2009

Had the same problem last January. Took the unit to the dealer and they replaced the Normal/Bypass valve. It appears the valve was stuck in the winterize position and not allowing sufficient hot water to pass thru.

superduty08 · Mar 25, 2009

Well today after trying to heat the water one last time, I decided it had to be the heating element even though it looked good when I tested it earlier. When I started to relieve the pressure on the tank to remove the element, I found the water to be very hot. I then started thinking that maybe the bypass valve could be defective when I noticed the outside shower and realized that I had not checked it. I knew that it could mix the hot and cold just like the inside shower that I had checked. Sure enough the valves were open. I guess the tech at the dealer had opened them while it was in for warranty work during our low teen temps this past January.Thanks for all the info that I have picked up on this forum. It's priceless.

Mariposa · Mar 26, 2009

another water heater?

Water heater was singing on elec and now is doing it on gas. Sounds like a tea kettle boiling water, for lack of a better description. Does it mean anything? Like time for replacement of something? Wife is worried that it is going to blow up.

wdk450 · Mar 27, 2009

Cookie:
Just a bit of terminology clarification and a general gripe.
The propane ignition is controlled by a 12 volt DC circuit, therefore is protected by a FUSE not a BREAKER (which protect 110 Volt AC circuits). There is probably a breaker for the 110 volt AC electric heater element.

I have spent a couple of days trying to get the propane side of thewater heater to light up. If you look at the documentation from the tank monitor manufacturer, you are told that the "heat" switch on the monitor is for winter holding tank heating, not for turning on the water heater. The Heartland owner's manual does not address this. The TRUE documentation of which switch turns on the propane water heater IS NOT IN THE LITERATURE, NOR IS IT CLEARLY MARKED ON THE SWITCH PANEL AREA!!!

Bill Knight
2008 Bighorn 3670 RL
Sacramento, Ca.

boatto5er · Mar 27, 2009

Mariposa said:
Water heater was singing on elec and now is doing it on gas. Sounds like a tea kettle boiling water, for lack of a better description. Does it mean anything? Like time for replacement of something? Wife is worried that it is going to blow up.

I'm not a plumber and I don't play one on TV - However - The last time my house HWH did that, the pressure relief valve had to be replaced. It's an easy DIY. You might try it to see if that helps.

superduty08 · Mar 27, 2009

wdk450 said:
Cookie:
Just a bit of terminology clarification and a general gripe.
The propane ignition is controlled by a 12 volt DC circuit, therefore is protected by a FUSE not a BREAKER (which protect 110 Volt AC circuits). There is probably a breaker for the 110 volt AC electric heater element.

I have spent a couple of days trying to get the propane side of the water heater to light up. If you look at the documentation from the tank monitor manufacturer, you are told that the "heat" switch on the monitor is for winter holding tank heating, not for turning on the water heater. The Heartland owner's manual does not address this. The TRUE documentation of which switch turns on the propane water heater IS NOT IN THE LITERATURE, NOR IS IT CLEARLY MARKED ON THE SWITCH PANEL AREA!!!

Bill Knight
2008 Bighorn 3670 RL
Sacramento, Ca.

Bill, I too found no documentation on the panel heater switch but found out through experience that it does work the igniter on the gas. I turned it on and when the little red light on the left side of the switch went out the igniter fired off the gas. Good luck.

Mariposa · Mar 30, 2009

Water heater?

when using gas to heat water, does the little red light on the switch stay on all the time?

leftyf · Mar 30, 2009

Mariposa said:
when using gas to heat water, does the little red light on the switch stay on all the time?

The light is just to draw your attention to the fact the switch is on. It's not a an indicator that you have hot water.

jnbhobe · Mar 30, 2009

Mariposa; The light sould go out after the HWH lites. JON

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