R-pod Owners Forum Homepage

This site is free to use.
Donations benefit a non-profit Girls Softball organization

Forum Home Forum Home > Non-pod Discussion Forums > Mods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: water tank and heater
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Calendar   Register Register  Login Login

water tank and heater
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  12>
Author
Message
  Share Topic Share Topic  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
ColoradoAndrea View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 30 Jul 2021
Location: CO
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6 		Post Options Post Options   Quote ColoradoAndrea Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: water tank and heater
    Posted: 05 Oct 2021 at 2:28pm
Hello again

I cannot get the electric hot water heater to work in the RPOD 189. Any suggestions?
Back to Top
pedwards2932 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 21 Sep 2020
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 333 		Post Options Post Options   Quote pedwards2932 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2021 at 2:38pm
Not sure what you have tried but there is a circuit breaker that has to be on and a switch outside in the water heater hatch.  That is the one that is usually missed.....small rocker switch flip it to on.
Back to Top
TheBum View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 26 Feb 2016
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1407 		Post Options Post Options   Quote TheBum Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2021 at 2:48pm
If the circuit breaker looks good and the switch on the water heater on the outside of the Pod is on, it's possible your heating element is burned out due to not having water in the WH tank at some point when you ran it on electric.  It's a pretty generic part; just get a 1500W element at Lowe's or Home Depot. I think the length is 9" or so.
Alan
2022 R-Pod 196 "RaptoRPod"
2022 Ram 1500 Lone Star 4x4
Three cats
Back to Top
ColoradoAndrea View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 30 Jul 2021
Location: CO
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6 		Post Options Post Options   Quote ColoradoAndrea Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2021 at 3:17pm
Where is the circuit breaker? ( Are you referring to the switch inside the bathroom? I know where the outside switch is. 

Also I have it parked in the yard and connected it to city water. I can't tell when the tank is full. ( I check the lights inside the bathroom but it continues to say empty.) what am I. doing wrong?
Back to Top
pedwards2932 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 21 Sep 2020
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 333 		Post Options Post Options   Quote pedwards2932 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2021 at 3:38pm
circuit breaker is in the panel below the TV.  If it is on and switch is on you need to see if you are getting voltage to the heating element.....if you are then it probably a blown heating element.  I think the switch in bathroom is for DC water pump.
Back to Top
offgrid View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290 		Post Options Post Options   Quote offgrid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2021 at 5:06pm
To make sure the element is bad before removing you need a multimeter, which will be very handy to have in your travel toolkit. You can either check to see that you have 120Vac using the ac volts setting on the meter with the breaker and switch on or check using the ohms setting and the breaker off to see if the element is burned out. If it's burned out your meter will show an open circuit (infinite or very high ohms). A good element should be around 10 ohms or thereabouts.
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
Back to Top
ColoradoAndrea View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 30 Jul 2021
Location: CO
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6 		Post Options Post Options   Quote ColoradoAndrea Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2021 at 6:15pm
Thanks-- I think the problem maybe that we were trying to heat the water from the switch inside the bathroom. After reading the manual it looks like we just need turn on the electric switch outside when using city water. The  water heater switch in the bathroom must only apply to when using the fresh water tank. That's probably why when I check the tank level inside the bathroom it shows as empty.

Sound right to you?
Back to Top
RoverPod View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 07 Mar 2020
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 118 		Post Options Post Options   Quote RoverPod Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2021 at 6:23pm
Originally posted by ColoradoAndrea

Thanks-- I think the problem maybe that we were trying to heat the water from the switch inside the bathroom. After reading the manual it looks like we just need turn on the electric switch outside when using city water. The  water heater switch in the bathroom must only apply to when using the fresh water tank. That's probably why when I check the tank level inside the bathroom it shows as empty.

Sound right to you?


You are confusing several different things, which is not uncommon for new owners.

  • The water heater can run on propane or electricity.
  • The "water heater" switch that is inside the camper is for running the water heater on propane.
  • In order to run the water heater on electricity, you need to turn on the small black switch that is OUTSIDE on the tank itself. And the circuit breaker needs to be on.
  • The fresh water TANK (not the water heater) is filled through the tank port on the outside of the camper. And then the "water pump" switch is used to have water flow.
  • You can check to make sure that there is water in the water heater but using the temperature and pressure valve that is outside on the water heater.
  • The "city water" connection is used when connected via a water hose to an external water source. The water pump is NOT used in this situation.
  • The water pump and water heater operate together but separately. The water heater can be run with either the fresh water tank (and the water pump) or with the city water connection.
2017 F150 XLT SuperCab
2020 rPod 180
Back to Top
ColoradoAndrea View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 30 Jul 2021
Location: CO
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6 		Post Options Post Options   Quote ColoradoAndrea Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2021 at 6:31pm
Ok -- To clarify
 When wanting to heat water through the electric source and city water,   I flip the black switch outside. Is the switch in the bathroom labeled "heater" what you are referring to as a circuit breaker or do I need to remove the panel from the circuit box below the tv??? 

Sorry for the many questions but I'm afraid of burning up the element if I do it wrong. ( By the way, the heater works fine off of propane. ) 
Back to Top
TheBum View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 26 Feb 2016
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1407 		Post Options Post Options   Quote TheBum Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2021 at 6:34pm
The circuit breaker is in the power panel. You can usually identify where it is by listening for a fan running if you're using 12V devices: the fan is in the converter under the breakers and fuses behind the power panel door. The door is spring loaded so that you push on it to pop it open and then push it again to latch it.
Alan
2022 R-Pod 196 "RaptoRPod"
2022 Ram 1500 Lone Star 4x4
Three cats
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  12>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.64
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz