I have a 2012 xlr 35x12 and have been camping in it for about 6 weeks now. I have had the water heater on electric the whole time and has been working just fine until today. It only puts out lukewarm water. It is not the bypass valve since that seems to be the common problem. What could be the issue? Thanks
First thing is check all the breakers in the breaker panel. Maybe reset them all just to be sure. I assume you have AC electric to the camper, microwave and Air Conditioning will both work. While unlikely, since you have been using it, the element could have gone bad. Open the outside cover, and near the bottom, slightly left of center, you will find a 2 inch round plastic cover with three screws. The element is behind this cover. With the AC power off, you can remove the cover. Then restore power, and take a voltmeter and check for 120 volts at those two screws connected to the element. If power is there, then the element is bad. In no power, trace wiring back through thermostat and breaker.
One last thought, make sure your GFI circuit is not tripped. Usually plug in the bathroom.
Update. It was the gfi plug and all was working well for about a day. Now no hot water again and gfi plug is ok as the breakers and fuses. I dont understand why it would work for a day and then stop working again.
Loose wire, bad thermostat, (intermittent), faulty plug, (water heater plug), number of reasons. If you don't have a voltmeter, get a drill, hairdryer, vacuum, or something that requires AC voltage. Test every plug with it, even the outside plug. Now access the rear of your water heater, find that plug, and test it. If all is well, you have narrowed it down to the thermostat on the water heater, or the electric element itself. I have seen elements go bad and trip GFI circuits. It won't fix itself. You have to do some work, or call a repairman.
Anode rod has nothing to do with element. It does corrode, so your tank won't. Now you have a 2012 model, not that old. Most folks get 2 or 3 years out of an anode rod. Can't imagine yours has been eaten away yet. Easy check, turn off water heater, and flush till water is cold. Then turn off water pressure, and open spigot to bleed pressure. Then go outside and remove the bottom plug in the center of the water heater. 1 & 1/16 inch socket, I think. Pull the rod out, and inspect. Be careful, you will drain the water heater doing this, as the anode rod is also the drain plug. It should be about a 1/2 in diameter. If all you have is skinny wire, time to replace.
Make sure your both your inside and outside shower valves are not open, with the shower head off. That condition would allow the cold and hot water streams to mix.
__________________
Chap , DW Joy, and Fur Baby Sango
2017 F350 Lariat CCSB, SRW, 4x4, 6.7 PS
2017 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS
Cold water. Gas still works. I looked into it today and checked the GFI plug where the water heater plugs in and its ok, ohm'd the element and it is fine, checked all fuses and breakers. Only thing left is the circuit board. Could it have possibly burnt up?
Unless it is the same thing as the high-low limit switch in Lou's post, I don't see where the reset button is covered in this thread. It should under a black boot with "reset" on it......I think.
__________________
Chap , DW Joy, and Fur Baby Sango
2017 F350 Lariat CCSB, SRW, 4x4, 6.7 PS
2017 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS
Another thought. The outside toggle switch was bad from the git-go on Surveyor when it was new. I was easier and cheaper to replace that myself instead of driving 85 miles each way to the dealer.
__________________
Chap , DW Joy, and Fur Baby Sango
2017 F350 Lariat CCSB, SRW, 4x4, 6.7 PS
2017 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS
OP has not said if he has voltage AT the electric element.
As mentioned, if the element is bad he should still have voltage
at the terminals.
If no voltage at the terminals then it's a fuseable link bad or reset bad/tripped
or bad rocker switch as Lou and Chap mention.
My rocker switch is frozen on but I don't care, I just use the inside
circuit breaker to turn it off or on.
My HWH is on a breaker by itself. On some trailers they put other things like
maybe the fridge on the same breaker and you can't use the breaker for
an off/on switch.
I have posted a picture here long ago where the fusible link on my
HWH was burned out.
I believe the element went first and it shorted and took out the
fusible link which is part of the reset/thermostat unit.
Not real expensive to replace if that's the problem.
Check for voltage at the element itself for your next step!!
__________________ Peace! Dan & Rita D
2017 Nissan Titan 5.6L King cab 4wd
2016 Evergreen Everlite 242RBS
29' empty nest model. Blue Ox WD hitch
(1 queen bed, large main cabin and huge bathroom)
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