Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks: Hot Water Heater

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Hot Water Heater

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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=8526
Printed Date: 25 May 2025 at 4:04am
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Topic: Hot Water Heater

Posted By: Gary and Maureen
Subject: Hot Water Heater
Date Posted: 06 Aug 2016 at 6:53am

Hello all. We are having trouble with our Hot water heater. The electric light went out inside the trailer and the burner doesn't want to fire either. Just started this yesterday. I checked all the breakers and they seem okay. Thanks for help. Gary

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Gary and Maureen Lisle

Replies:

Posted By: ron_whitt
Date Posted: 06 Aug 2016 at 8:25am

HI, go outside and open the lid where the hot water tank is. Behind some of the piping you will find a toggle switch (not easy to find.)That is for your electric part of heating your hot water tank. Before you flip it to "on" make sure you have water in the tank itself. There might be a pin though the switch.. take it out and throw away... Not sure what your "electric light" means. Make sure your propane tank is opened if you want to run your hot water on propane. good luck.

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Ron & Shirley
2020 Tacoma
2012 177 rpod

Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 06 Aug 2016 at 9:53am

It sounds like you might be out of propane or you might have an airlock. First make sure you do have propane and that it's on. Light the burners on the stove and let them run for several seconds. Then try the water heater again. The light on the switch goes off when the water heater is working. It's on when it's trying to light. I think it will make 5 attempts to light then quit and you need to flip the switch off and back on if it's really not working.

If you have flame at the stove, give the water heater 5 or 10 minutes then try it again. If you still have no luck, you're beyond my ken.

TT

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2010 176
FJ Cruiser

Posted By: DaveGamble
Date Posted: 08 Aug 2016 at 8:33am

Does the electric switch need to be on for the WH burner to start on propnae, or is it only for use if I want the electric on for heating the water?

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Dave Gamble
Grove City, OH
http://TripsAndTravails.com/

Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 08 Aug 2016 at 9:46am

Originally posted by DaveGamble

Does the electric switch need to be on for the WH burner to start on propnae, or is it only for use if I want the electric on for heating the water?

The small black rocker switch on the WH inside the service panel is for electric only. It does not have to be on for propane operation. The WH switch on the wall next to the red light is for propane operation. It has no effect on electric operation.

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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

Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 08 Aug 2016 at 5:16pm

For electric use:

The electric switch at the Water Heater tank does has to be on. You shouldn't use it unless the camper is plugged into shore power. When used with propane, it can recover hot water much faster than propane or electric alone. There MUST be water in the tank!!

For PROPANE use:

If using propane only, DON'T turn on the Water Heater Electric switch on the water heater. You may forget someday, and there will be no water in the tank, and burn the electric element (it will try to heat water when none is in the tank!!!).

Make certain you have a propane supply, and the tank valve is open. Light the stove top burners and allow to run, this gets the propane moving in the right direction faster.

Turn on the water heat switch on the wall. The water heater should now try to ignite by itself, it will try several times if propane is not present.

If it doesn't light after many attempts, there could be a burner setting problem, it's adjustable. The piezo electric igniter may be faulty (but they are pretty robust).

It may be time to see a dealer if those things fail to get it going.

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2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler
2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD)
2013 VW Touareg TDI

Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 08 Aug 2016 at 6:35pm

Lets start with.. do you have hot water?

The light on the panel/switch is a FAULT light. If the water is hot, the burner won't light. It doesn't have a "pilot" it's Direct Spark Ignition. Only lights when needed.

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Posted By: renosteve
Date Posted: 12 Aug 2016 at 2:43pm

Hi Folks, just tried to use the electric burner in our 2012 177 for the first time (instead of propane). Left the water heater switch at the door off. Plugged into shore power and turned on the black switch at the heater. The water got hot, but in the middle of the night I was awoken by sounds like boiling water or rain hitting the roof. I quickly turned off the black switch for fear of the element burning in the heater. The water tank was full with water. Anyone have any ideas?

Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 12 Aug 2016 at 3:06pm

Originally posted by renosteve

Hi Folks, just tried to use the electric burner in our 2012 177 for the first time (instead of propane). Left the water heater switch at the door off. Plugged into shore power and turned on the black switch at the heater. The water got hot, but in the middle of the night I was awoken by sounds like boiling water or rain hitting the roof. I quickly turned off the black switch for fear of the element burning in the heater. The water tank was full with water. Anyone have any ideas?

The water should not boil in the WH. There are two thermostats and a safety temp/pressure valve to prevent it. If the water got that hot you should have seen water dripping from the safety valve on the heater. However, sometimes the element can make a similar noise due to minerals or crud buildup in the heater. I've never heard it in a camper, but I hear it all the time at home. Remove the anode and flush out the heater.

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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

Posted By: renosteve
Date Posted: 12 Aug 2016 at 7:48pm

Hey CharlieM,

I'll do that in a day or so and post the results. We're going to Glacier NP and I'll do it there. Thanks.

Posted By: ToolmanJohn
Date Posted: 12 Aug 2016 at 8:09pm

Is it possible there was still air in the HW heater? Did you recently drain the system, or recently take it out of storage? It sometimes takes a bit of water to get all the air out of the tank. In the Spring before my first trip, after I set the bypass valves back to normal water flow, I run the hot water at the kitchen sink into a small bucket for at least a few gallons to get the air out.

After it's done sputtering, I know there is no longer an air pocket in the tank. I use a bucket o catch thee water because I don't want to unnecessarily put water in my gray tank before a trip. I do the same for the hot and cold water lines in the kitchen and bathroom as well.

Good luck.

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2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler
2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD)
2013 VW Touareg TDI