Electrical water heater not working.

[Zebrafive]

Hello to all.

I am hoping I can find some help troubleshooting my electric water heater.
I have a Prowler 22, 5th wheel camper with both Propane and electic water heating. I am presently parked in the yard on 30 amp outside 120 AC.

The propane heat works fine but when I switch to electic no heating occurs.
Below is a picture of the exterior compartment.
I do not know what needs to be "On" or what might need to be "Reset"

Presently, The small On/Off switch in the lower, left corner is "On" and the large Red Illuminated switch inside the camper marked "Electric Water Heater" is also On.

Am I missing a step?

Any help would be greatly appericated.

Jim

Zebra-5

 

[TrailCreek]

Hello to all.

I am hoping I can find some help troubleshooting my electric water heater.
I have a Prowler 22, 5th wheel camper with both Propane and electic water heating. I am presently parked in the yard on 30 amp outside 120 AC.

The propane heat works fine but when I switch to electic no heating occurs.
Below is a picture of the exterior compartment.
I do not know what needs to be "On" or what might need to be "Reset"

Presently, The small On/Off switch in the lower, left corner is "On" and the large Red Illuminated switch inside the camper marked "Electric Water Heater" is also On.

Am I missing a step?

Any help would be greatly appericated.

Jim

Zebra-5

View attachment 68665

Have you ever flushed it? How old is the unit?

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[Zebrafive]

Have you ever flushed it? How old is the unit?

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The camper is a 2015. I have never flushed it. I have had it for one year and it has always been in the backyard as a place for my step-daughter to live. She has since moved on and I am getting ready to sell it and I am making sure everything works, This is the last item on the list.

I do not know if the previous owner flushed it as I purchased it from a dealer. I believe it worked when we fisrt bought it home last October.

Thank you very much for the reply.

Jim

 

[rhodies1]

You have a possibility of 2 items that could be burned out. The TSTAT or the element. First try pushing the resets in the water heater itself. On the left side you see a square rubber boot. There are 2 resets there. One is for the 110 volt and the other fir the 12 volt system. Push them in and see if they reset. Chances are the 110 is burned.With a meter you can just to see if power is going to the element. If no power TSTAT is gone. 20 dollar replacement BUT when replacing shut off your 110 volts to the trailer and your battery disconnect to ensure you don’t short something out. Easy replacement

 

[TrailCreek]

You have a possibility of 2 items that could be burned out. The TSTAT or the element. First try pushing the resets in the water heater itself. On the left side you see a square rubber boot. There are 2 resets there. One is for the 110 volt and the other fir the 12 volt system. Push them in and see if they reset. Chances are the 110 is burned.With a meter you can just to see if power is going to the element. If no power TSTAT is gone. 20 dollar replacement BUT when replacing shut off your 110 volts to the trailer and your battery disconnect to ensure you don’t short something out. Easy replacement

All good thoughts. Be sure to flush it. It could be full of calcium and burned the element out, and the annode is likely toast. Take it with you to an RV dealer or buy the exact replacement on Amazon.

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[Zebrafive]

You have a possibility of 2 items that could be burned out. The TSTAT or the element. First try pushing the resets in the water heater itself. On the left side you see a square rubber boot. There are 2 resets there. One is for the 110 volt and the other fir the 12 volt system. Push them in and see if they reset. Chances are the 110 is burned.With a meter you can just to see if power is going to the element. If no power TSTAT is gone. 20 dollar replacement BUT when replacing shut off your 110 volts to the trailer and your battery disconnect to ensure you don’t short something out. Easy replacement

Sounds good. Is the element located under the black retangular cover in the bottom of the picture I posted?

Thanks for the info.

Jim

 

[Zebrafive]

All good thoughts. Be sure to flush it. It could be full of calcium and burned the element out, and the annode is likely toast. Take it with you to an RV dealer or buy the exact replacement on Amazon.

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How long do I flush it for? Should I disconnect the incomming water supply?

Thanks

Jim

 

[Zebrafive]

Sounds good. Is the element located under the black retangular cover in the bottom of the picture I posted?

Thanks for the info.

Jim

Also, how long does it take for the water to get hot? I know the propane is very quick.
It seems like the hot water from the kitchen sink is a bit warmer than the cold.
Am I just being impatient and the darn thing has been working all along?

Jim

 

[TrailCreek]

Use the water heater bypass. Release pressure with the T&P valve. Remove the bottom plug and use a water heater flushing wand (Amazon or dealer). You will know when the crud stops coming out. Clean the threads, install the anode plug and clean up the water heater, and siding below it after the flush. Replace the element, if required.

Turn the bypass back on and use the T&P valve to vent air, then a faucet. After you fix everything else and bleed all air, turn it back on.

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[david-steph2018]

Sounds good. Is the element located under the black retangular cover in the bottom of the picture I posted?

Thanks for the info.

Jim

You can also buy these parts at Lowe's, Home Depot, etc.....

 

[Zebrafive]

Use the water heater bypass. Release pressure with the T&P valve. Remove the bottom plug and use a water heater flushing wand (Amazon or dealer). You will know when the crud stops coming out. Clean the threads, install the anode plug and clean up the water heater, and siding below it after the flush. Replace the element, if required.

Turn the bypass back on and use the T&P valve to vent air, then a faucet. After you fix everything else and bleed all air, turn it back on.

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Thank you for the info. Could you please help me identify the components you mentioned.

• T&P valve: Is this the spigot located at the upper right/center of the picture I posted?
• Water Heater Bypass: Where is this located?
• Heater Element: Is this located behind the black cover at the bottom right of the picture?

Thanks for all your help.

Jim

 

[Zebrafive]

Thank you for the info. Could you please help me identify the components you mentioned.

• T&P valve: Is this the spigot located at the upper right/center of the picture I posted?
• Water Heater Bypass: Where is this located?
• Heater Element: Is this located behind the black cover at the bottom right of the picture?

Thanks for all your help.

Jim

New obseration:

I removered the lower black cover and found the element.
With the inside switch "On" and the exterior switch "On", I am not reading 120 VAC across the element.
Is there any other condition that needs to be met and do the black and white wires to the element come right from the breaker in the fuse panel?

Thanks

Jim

 

[Zebrafive]

New obseration:

I removered the lower black cover and found the element.
With the inside switch "On" and the exterior switch "On", I am not reading 120 VAC across the element.
Is there any other condition that needs to be met and do the black and white wires to the element come right from the breaker in the fuse panel?

Thanks

Jim

I think I might have a thermostat problem.

 

[TrailCreek]

Sounds like a thermostat or breaker. The bypass location is different based on your model. I don't have that model. Sorry.

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[Zebrafive]

I need to know where the white wire of the element originates. The above Black and Red wires on the two resetable trip breakers measure 120 VAC with the switch on and 0 VAC with it off. The black wire on the left trip goes directely to the element (Measues 0 Ohms). The Red on the right trip goes behind the metal panel, and I believe, becomes the white and goes to the other side of the element.

Whatever that red wire goes to is not closing and allowing the element to get power.

I think if you click on the image name in the lower thumbnail you can see the text I added to it.

Thanks to all and anyone that can point me in the right direction.

Jim

 

[wdk450]

There has been a history on this forum (including what happened to me) of the 120 volt electrical wiring connection for the water heater to the trailer's wiring system located inside the storage compartment coming apart mainly due to stretching the too short cable to make the connection via wire nuts. This is inside a hard to get to metal box on the side/top of the water heater.

 

[Zebrafive]

There has been a history on this forum (including what happened to me) of the 120 volt electrical wiring connection for the water heater to the trailer's wiring system located inside the storage compartment coming apart mainly due to stretching the too short cable to make the connection via wire nuts. This is inside a hard to get to metal box on the side/top of the water heater.

Thank makes alot of sense because it looks as if the white wire is a direct connection from the fuse panel to the element and the black wire is the one that needs to jump through all the hoops before being allowed to power the element.
I could run a jumper and see if the thermostat still shuts off the power when it reaches temp.

 

[JohnDar]

If you haven’t already, remove the element and see if it’s caked with mineral deposits. If it is, you can soak it up to the threads in white vinegar to clean it off. And check at its terminals for continuity.

I think there is an instruction in the Tools section for checking the thermostats. They’re easy to replace, as well.


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[SLO]

The white wire on the element should go directly back to the neutral connection in the breaker box. The black wire that, you said, goes to the element is connected to a high limit switch. If that switch is opened, no power to element (switch opens on temperature rise). My experience is with residential water heaters so not sure what the other limit switch is for but my guess is. One for electric and one for gas. Check the input side of high limit switch and see if you have power there. If you do then high limit switch is bad. Also, check both leads to element to ground.


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[Zebrafive]

If you haven’t already, remove the element and see if it’s caked with mineral deposits. If it is, you can soak it up to the threads in white vinegar to clean it off. And check at its terminals for continuity.

I think there is an instruction in the Tools section for checking the thermostats. They’re easy to replace, as well.


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The elements on Amazon are all 1440 W @ 120 VAC. This works out to a 10 Ohm load so I will measure that this morning. I will also measure the continuity from the white wire at the inside switch to the element. If it show direct contact it means the problem is with the black wire/thermostat switch...etc.

I would really hate to have to remove the element or anode as they look really rusted on. Seeing that I am selling the camper I would hate to break something and then end up having to replace the entire tank and associate components for both propane and electric. At this point I would rather sell it and tell the new owner that only the propane can be used to heat the water.