no water on hot side - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Ann-Hank · RV-Dreams Family Member

no water on hot side

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

single or dual handles in the shower......if it is a single handle you need to remove the mixing vale and flush it in the shower.....you can also do it with a 2 handle unit

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

Classic symptoms of the check valve on the back of the water heater. We've had to replace ours twice. On ours it requires someone who is young enough to be able to bend their back on get down on their knees!

Barb

Ann-Hank · RV-Dreams Family Member

Mike and Barb, we have 2 handles on bath tub and BR sink, kitchen has only one. Problem is no water from any faucet, so we will check the "check valve". Just looked at the manual and don't see it listed, will keep looking.

Thanks for all the help it looks like it will be me as Hanks back is giving him fits right now and don't know if I can find someone to come out to where we are.

Ann

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Ann,

I'm not sure on your model of DRV, but on our 2010 Mobile Suites, the lines from the hot water heater are behind the sliding door on the off-door side of the coach. Also on ours, there is a blue line (likely cold water) at the bottom of the back of the hot water heater with some kind of fitting in it, but the red line (likely hot water) is at the top, just a bit above the blue line with a totally different fitting in it. The fittings will vary as to type of ends to the fitting. Some may be male to female, some male to male, so get a good look at the fitting before going to get a new one.

Since the red line (likely hot water) is at the top of the hot water heater, it will be more difficult to get to. Good luck, and take care that you don't twist yourself "out of whack." As I'm not a plumber by any stretch of one's imagination, I hope that others can give you more guidance as to which might be the problem. I'm guessing that if the hot water heater is refilling after each flushing, that it is likely the "hot line" that is giving you the problem.

Terry

Ann-Hank · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks terry, It looks like we don't have a check valve and the manual recommends not putting one on. We have one outside at the water source. It looks like all the fittings are short straight brass fittings, except one is a T. If we turn the tub water off for an hour or so, then on we get a gush before it goes back to a very slow drip. So water is dripping through, not plugged completely.

The tank fills and heats, just nothing comes to the inside of the trailer. We so hope the plug is near the heater, as I don't know how we can get to all the 90 deg. turns. We have a lot of sediment in the water, but have 2 filters. One at the faucet outside, and then a whole house behind the sliding door next to the water heater. Our cold pressure if fine.

Tomorrow I will call around and see if we can find someone to come out here. There are 2 in The Dalles 30 miles east. Last time I called both to see if they would take a look at our hydraulics, and they wouldn't. Both said it's too windy and dusty out here to work on hydraulics. So taking that problem to Junction City on Nov.10. Don't want to go that long without hot water.

Ann

Jim01 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Our friends have a 2005 Mobile Suites trailer and they have had problems with the check valve sticking and causing the exact problem that your are experiencing. I think almost all RVs have a check valve someplace behind the water heater. If not screwed into the water heater there'll be one in the line.

Jim

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Ann,

I'd have to agree with Jim in that there "should" be some "protective fittings" on the hot water heater. Speaking of which, I've heard the terms "check valve" and "back flow preventer" used on the forums, so I'm not exactly sure of what each does. I'd be surprised if there weren't, and I'm really curious about a manual stating not to use a check valve. What brand name of hot water heater do you have? Ours in the pictures below is a Suburban hot water heater.

I'm posting a couple of pictures of the fittings and hoses at the back side of our hot water heater. This first one is of the lower hose and fitting, and since it has a blue line, I'm presuming that it is the inlet to the hot water heater. I wouldn't be surprised to find that the brass fitting that the blue line hooks to isn't one of those "protective fittings."

This next photo is of the top hose and fitting on our hot water heater, and with the red line, I'm presuming that it is the hot water outlet to the coach. That brass fitting is supposedly the check valve. At least that is what I was told a few years ago when I asked about a "whining" sound in the plumbing. So, I had gone out and bought a new check valve, which by the way, I've not yet had to change. But, I still have the replacement.

It is hard to see in my photos, but both of those brass fittings on our unit have male ends on both ends of the fittings. Had there not been any kind of protective device installed here, I'd suspect that we might be looking at plumbing nipples instead of brass fittings.

Perhaps some others can chime in and verify if my photos are actually of "preventive fittings."

Terry

GENECOP · RV-Dreams Family Member

Those look like regular fittings to me .....it's just a piece that allows the union of two female ends...The plastic piece allows for loosening so you can remove the piping to the water heater....

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

The one on the cold side (blue) is an ordinary brass nipple. However the one on the hot side (red) is not.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Gene may be right on the bottom fitting (the blue line), but these images are of the check valve for the top line.

Terry

EDIT: Looks like Bernie (Trailerking) beat me to it.

-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Monday 6th of October 2014 08:52:37 AM

Ann-Hank · RV-Dreams Family Member

Well we have hot water, and yes it was the check valve. Call a guy in The Dalles at 0830 this morning and he was here about 0930. 15 min later it was fixed and only cost $90.00, including the valve! He had a 60 mile round trip!

They sure don't look like and check valve, I've always called them a back flow, and they were much larger.

Terry, we have a Suburban SW12DE. Just reread the manual and it says "Suburban recommends that a check valve not be installed directly at the inlet to the water heater tank. this will increase weeping of the pressure relief valve." hmm Guess I should have reread it, I just locked onto "check valve not be installed".

Barb, you were absolutely right from the getgo.

Thanks everyone. If you ever need service in this area, we highly recommend Bill's Mobile RV Service

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Glad it worked out for you.

If you are like my wife, hot water is FULLY appreciated. Of course, I appreciate it as well.

Terry