Hot Water Tank

[sor126]

I keep seeing posts about making sure your hot water tank has water in it so as not to burn out the element. How do you fill it or know when it is full or has water in it? Most of the time were are hooked to city water but this week will be boondocking.

Thanks All

Skip

2008 Cardinal 30 RK LE

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by sor126

I keep seeing posts about making sure your hot water tank has water in it so as not to burn out the element. How do you fill it or know when it is full or has water in it? Most of the time were are hooked to city water but this week will be boondocking.

Thanks All

Skip

2008 Cardinal 30 RK LE

Turn your water pump on and open the outside door to the water heater and pull the relief valve lever until water comes out. It is full then. I would also open the hot water faucets to bleed the air out there also.

[Herk7769]

If you always leave the element turned off, you will never have to worry about plugging in and immediately frying your heating element.

I only switch the water heater to AC when I am SURE the power grid can handle my air conditioner AND the water heater. Many campgrounds can't handle both if the weather is above 90 degrees.

[bikendan]

you won't burn the electric element out boondocking, since you won't have electric hookups.

i just run the water pump and open the hot water faucets to get the air out. once they stop "burping", then i turn them off and turn on the DSI for heating the WH with propane or turn the outside rocker switch on to heat with electric.

[sor126]

Ohhh gosh bike, you are right I will be on gas. I guess when on electric, So I am guessing from all that I just open the hot water taps till they stop burping and then put on the AC hot water heater

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by sor126

Ohhh gosh bike, you are right I will be on gas. I guess when on electric, So I am guessing from all that I just open the hot water taps till they stop burping and then put on the AC hot water heater

I find it a lot less of a mess with spashing water all over the inside to flip the relief valve first and then just crack the inside faucets.

[jimh]

i bought my trailer at an rv show. after the dealer preped it, i picked it up and went camping. opened the kitchen faucet and bled the air out. hw heater apparently was already on. needlessly to say, my electric did not work.
the element doesn't last long w/o water in there.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by jimh

i bought my trailer at an rv show. after the dealer preped it, i picked it up and went camping. opened the kitchen faucet and bled the air out. hw heater apparently was already on. needlessly to say, my electric did not work.
the element doesn't last long w/o water in there.

Problem with RV shows. Power on the trailer; the salesman working the table; and the kids with their cotton candy fingers in everything.

[LadyWindrider]

REMEMBER, if the winter bypass aren't set right, you will get water at the faucets, both hot and cold sides, but the water heater will be empty!!!!!!! The only way to tell for sure that water heater is full is to open the "pop-off" valve, and see if water comes out. Do this before lighting the gas or turning on the electric, and be careful, you might get wet feet.

[rkswyo]

If you use a generator when you are boondocking, you can use the electric water heater. The do pull quite a load though. 1200 watts for some of them. I rarely use mine for this reason. Personally I liked the Lightning rod water heater better on my last trailer. It pulled less watts and running it and the gas at the same time made for a quicker recovery rate.