R-Pod 190 Water Heater
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Forum Name: I need HELP!!!
Forum Discription: Perplexed/need help with a problem - ask here
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=13914
Printed Date: 18 Jul 2025 at 5:18am
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Topic: R-Pod 190 Water Heater
Posted By: Steve Canyon
Subject: R-Pod 190 Water Heater
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2020 at 4:01pm
I have a 2020 R-Pod 190 and when I turn on the water heater switch, the fault light comes on for 20 seconds, then goes out (as normal), but then it comes back on and stays on, until I switch it off. But the water is very hot, even though the water heater switch is off. Any ideas on what the problem is?
Thanks,
Steve
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Steve
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Replies:
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2020 at 4:19pm
Steve, are you trying to run it in electric and propane mode? Or just electric or propane?
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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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Posted By: Steve Canyon
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2020 at 4:52pm
Thanks for the reply, It's only electric. I don't think the 190 uses propane for the hot water heater.
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Steve
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Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2020 at 5:24pm
Steve, I could be wrong. I don't think water operation has changed. For electric - you have a circuit breaker and a switch inside the water heater compartment, that will make your water hot, on electric, provided you have it connected to shore power. The switch on the wall in the Pod is for gas use. So it's normal to light - go off - then light again if it's trying to enable propane use but doesn't for some reason, like no propane. You have hot water so something is working. I would verify that.
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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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Posted By: Woodmiester
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2020 at 7:48pm
Your 190 DOES use both gas and electric to heat water. (However just one at a time😂😂)
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Swampfox
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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 16 Aug 2020 at 8:42pm
Also, be absolutely sure your water heater is full of water before tuning on the electric element or you will be replacing it. Open the outside hatch and use the pressure relief valve to check and make sure water comes out of the water heater before turning the switch on. If you purchased your RPod and it was winterized, you will need to switch the water heater bypass valves so that water can flow into the tank.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
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Posted By: Steve Canyon
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2020 at 6:40am
Thanks for the reply! And for giving me the correct info.
Steve
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Steve
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Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2020 at 7:11am
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You can run both propane and electric water heating at the same time, they are totally independent, and it won't hurt anything. The question is, why would you? If you have electric available why waste propane?
To verify proper operation of the water heater, you should test each heating system independently.
First, shut off the electric using either the on/off switch outside on the water heater or the dedicated circuit breaker in the electric panel. Then turn on the propane system, run some hot water out of the tank and check that it fires up, heats the water, then shuts off.
Then, shut off the propane, turn on the electric, and repeat the test using that system.
When you're done shut both systems off unless you are actually wanting to use hot water and know that the water heater is full.
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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Posted By: Steve Canyon
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2020 at 3:31pm
Thanks for the great reply. I received many good ideas, but your was the best. A few years I had a class C, so I'm pretty ok on the systems, but this 190 is a bit different, so I didn't know it operated on both propane and electric.
I did see a video on the water system, but must have miss the part on the electric-propane.
Thanks!
Steve
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Steve
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Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 17 Aug 2020 at 7:03pm
Steve Canyon: Can you get a model number of the WH. Most campers, including the earlier Pods, use the Suburban SW6DE. This uses propane and/or electric as Offgrid describes. However, later Pods may have changed to Atwood or some other WH. If it's working correctly the gas red light should not come on again until it needs to heat water. It should not stay on if the WH is working properly. Also, if you're running in dual mode with gas and electric the gas side (red light) should not come on until you use a lot of HW. Let us know.
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Charlie
Northern Colorado
OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD
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Posted By: Steve Canyon
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2020 at 9:16am
Ok thanks! Mine is a 2020 190. I understand (now) that you don't need to turn the water heater switch on the wall panel on if you're just using electric, as long as the heaters swictch on the outside panel is on.
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Steve
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