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Topic ClosedHot Water Heater - Event Date: 04 Apr 2018 - 18 Apr 2018
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Podizzi View Drop Down
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Joined: 30 Jun 2017
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Posts: 39 		Direct Link To This Post Calendar Event: Hot Water Heater
    Posted: 04 May 2018 at 8:45pm
Camping with full hookups ( water, electric & sewer). Hot water heater did not work. When switch at panel was turned on the red light ( DSI) between hot water switch and water pump switch comes on. I tried flipping switch on and off a few times but that did not help. Any ideas???
Thanks!
Podizzi
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DavMar View Drop Down
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Posts: 592 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2018 at 10:27pm
I'm sure allot of folks will jump in here with better suggestions to check out then I have but lets start with the simple first. Was your gas turned on from the tank, did you purge the line (let it run) until your stove and refrigerator also worked on gas? Did you hear the igniter trying to fire, that clicking sound? All of them are simple first steps in diagnosing your problem. Remember if all else fails you could still have hot water by opening the outside water heater vent cover and turning the electric switch to on. I hope you find your problem soon.
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furpod View Drop Down
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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 6:53am
The inside switch is for propane... since you mention you had full hook ups, it's my guess you wanted to use the electric side. that switch is in the WH compartment.

When running on gas, you need to open the gas valve on the tank, then light the stove to purge the lines. Then flip the gas WH switch. It will make 3 attempts to light, over a couple minutes, before it it gives the DSI light. It may take three cycles to purge the lines.
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 8:04am
Podizzi,

No water heater in electric and gas mode, or no water heater in gas but works in electric? Easy to check electric side, make sure water heater is full (IMPORTANT), flip WH CB to on and outside switch in WH compartment to ON, wait a few minutes. When in a full service campsite I use the electric mode, I'm paying for it. I don't use my propane.
Mike Carter
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Podizzi View Drop Down
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Posts: 39 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 10:44am
Thanks for your responses.  I had it turned to gas and it just would not light.  I have gas at stove top and refrigerator. It did work when I switched to electric.  May have to take it in to have WH gas operation checked.
On another note and probably a dumb question, but how do you tell if WH is full of water.  Does it fill up automatically when on shore water?  I know it does when using water from storage tank.

Thanks again!
Podizzi
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Posts: 2630 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 10:51am
Originally posted by Podizzi

On another note and probably a dumb question, but how do you tell if WH is full of water.  Does it fill up automatically when on shore water?  I know it does when using water from storage tank.
What we do is connect to shore water, then open the hot water valve in the sink and/or bathroom. Wait until all the air is purged, then you have water in the water heater and the lines too.

If you are on your own fresh water tank, turn on the pump and open said valves. Again, wait for air to be purged. When you close the valves, the pump should stop after a few seconds. If the pump doesn't stop, then it indicates that it may be sucking air.
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Posts: 1446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 11:03am
Originally posted by Podizzi

On another note and probably a dumb question, but how do you tell if WH is full of water.  Does it fill up automatically when on shore water?  I know it does when using water from storage tank.

It does not fill automatically in either case.  You have to have water pressure from municipal water or from your onboard tank (pump is on).  In either case the water heater still won't fill because it's a closed tank and the pressure of the water trying to get in will be quickly overcome by the air pressure in the water heater tank.  (The more the water tries to get in, the more it increases the air pressure in the water heater.)  The air will always win unless you let the air out by opening the hot water faucet at the sink.  Be careful.  Open the faucet slowly and just a little bit.  The air can escape violently.

When the air stops gushing and you have a steady stream of water, the water heater is full.

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Posts: 6288 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 11:07am
Also, if the bypass valves are set wrong, no water will go into the tank. If you have the three valve setup, the valves at the top and bottom (hot and cold) need to be parallel to the lines and the one between them needs to be perpendicular to the line. This makes sure the water will go through the tank and that the hot and cold water will not be mixed.
StephenH
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 3:00pm
Podizza,

You said it works in electric, so you're valves are right and the tank is full, to answer you're question - yes it will fill from city water inlet, without use of water pump. +1 to all the responses, appears to me your issue is running WH on propane. Next step is to work the propane use issue and while learning use the electric side to have WH.
Mike Carter
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Posts: 592 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 May 2018 at 3:26pm
Originally posted by mcarter

Podizza,

You said it works in electric, so you're valves are right and the tank is full, to answer you're question - yes it will fill from city water inlet, without use of water pump. +1 to all the responses, appears to me your issue is running WH on propane. Next step is to work the propane use issue and while learning use the electric side to have WH.


Good advice +1

My first step would be to go outside, open HW cover and take a good look. Are all the wires, such as to the igniter hooked up and so forth, no wires dangling? Is there anything that maybe blocking the gas outlet such as spider webs or the notorious mud dabber wasps nest? Have someone hit the HW propane switch in your camper while you watch, do you hear gas flowing, do you hear the igniter clicking? All these are clues to diagnose your problem.
Dave & Marlene J with Zoey the
wonder dog.
2017 Rpod 180
2016 Toyota Tacoma SR5 4x4
Lexington, NC
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