Hot Water Heater Help Needed - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hot Water Heater Help Needed

NorCal Dan · RV-Dreams Family Member

Winterize/bypass valve? Is there a spigot on the HWH itself that you could open to verify there is water, under pressure, in the tank itself and that the water is hot?

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Also make sure any showers are turned off since if you use the shut-off the cold water will mix with the hot water if both hot and cold are open.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Carol,

Dan's comment about the winterize/bypass valve is what happened to us. We had never had an RV with a bypass valve and even though I tried both gas and electric, I still couldn't get hot water to any faucet. I also asked on the forums and was immediately told to look for a bypass valve.

Sad to say, it was probably pointed out to us when we picked up our unit, but we weren't aware of it being "closed" after the pickup inspection and walk through.

Your unit probably won't look like ours, but our is a simple valve that one turns 90 degrees to open or close. In the picture at the link below, look to the right of the water filter housing and you can just see a red handled valve near the red water lines. It is the "T" fitting that you can see there.

Terry and Jo's RV's water manifold and bypass valve

Good luck with solving your issue with hot water. I could be wrong, but I would bet it is a simple fix.

Terry

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

While I have no idea whether Carol's RV is either a fifth wheel or a motorhome or a travel trailer, my photo is showing the area in the basement of our fifth wheel. While it isn't clearly defined in my picture, the white device behind the water manifold and plumbing near the top of the picture is our hot water heater.

Being that it is a fifth wheel, the water heater sits horizontally and the access to the anode rod and other parts is through an access door on the outside wall of the fifth wheel. The other end of the hot water heater has the inlet and outlet lines.

As for the bypass valve itself, I'm not sure where to have you look since I don't know what kind of RV you have or where your hot water heater is located. In our case, the bypass valve is not a part of the hot water heater itself, but is separate as a part of the overall plumbing. That is why I posted the link to the photo.

If you have a motorhome, my picture might not be of any benefit other than to give an approximate location for the bypass valve and how that area is plumbed. With a fifth wheel, one opens the outside door to the basement area and then slides back one of the access doors to the underbelly area where the plumbing is located.

Terry

-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Monday 26th of March 2012 10:27:23 AM

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

The bypass valve is a good thought. We've found 2 problems though. The technician who worked on the water heater a month ago stripped the screw heads to the access panel where the bypass valve is likely located. And what looks like a rod that should be screwed into the bottom of the water heater is not screwed in and won't screw in...

The frustration level is rising here...

53 Merc · RV-Dreams Family Member

The screw you describe holds a panel? A screw that is stripped can be removed using a screwdriver and a flat pry device (putty knofe or small flat screwdriver). Turn the screw counterclockwise and pry at the same time to remove it, or grip the screwhead with a pair of side cutters and pull. Is the rod that you speak of a sacrificial anode? The only thing that screws into the bottom of the water heater is the drain plug or in some cases an anode. Neither of which has anything to do with heating water. An anode should not be used on an Atwood water heater. The tank is aluminum and does not require an anode.
BTW, I have never seen a cover over the back of the water heater. The back has always been open for ease of access. Terry's photo of the back of his is very descriptive and should help you a lot. The bypass valve has caused more than a few people grief and frustration.

NorCal Dan · RV-Dreams Family Member

From an earlier post by Ckerr, "We will be starting our full time adventure in a 23 foot travel trailer with no slides."

I would suspect the bypass valve, if installed, would be near the HWH. If your still working on this, and need help, would it be possible to post a photo or two that shows us what you're seeing?

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for all the help folks. The anode rod just needed screwed in which requires standing on one foot, crossing your eyes just right and holding your tongue between your 2 front teeth... And the bypass valve located behind the access panel with the stripped screws needed reset.

All of these things were fixable by us, however one of the few perks of workamping as the interim managers of an RV park is that the mobile rv repair guy was happy to come by and fix it for FREE... I'm pretty sure in hopes of us giving his name to customers who need work on their rvs while they are here. Actually he was recommended by some past customers I spoke with and was a really nice guy.

And we are thrilled to report that we have hot water to wash the dishes tonight!

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Carol,

Good to hear your hot water issue is fixed. It can really be irritating when one doesn't have hot water for more than just a short period of time. Good luck with your workkamping gig.

Terry