Hi Im new to having a trailer, please help

[vodkagail]

We just bought a 2006 RLT-2701SS rockwood liteweight, We had to put it on our property to live in,because we have to raise our house 6 ft, because we lost everything from sandy, so instead of renting we bought a trailer, we are not campers and don't know anything about it, we are hook up and when taking a nice hot shower it went cold, so I went into the trailer today, (we still are in the house,not gas) turn on the hot water in the shower burning hot, then a little cold, got into the shower, the hot water went again, and I wasn't to happy, Can someone please get to me and let me know what to do, im going nuts,and my husband, lord only knows when we start living in it


thanks a lot gail

[Evereddie]

First, take your email out of the post if it's not too late. Or have Mods do it. All the spamers will get your email and you'll get massive spam attacks. Use the private message function of the forum for one on one help.

Hot water tanks in trailers are only 6 gallons I believe. You have to take really low flow showers for it to last. There also may be other issues causing this too. Before we dig any deeper, how long did the hot water last? 30 seconds, 2 minutes?

[Terier]

Moderator edit
Email address was removed from post. This member can be contacted by PM & email via drop down menu options.

[vodkagail]

I would say it was close to 2 min

not sure how to take email address out, but I will try

thanks

[Terier]

Originally Posted by vodkagail

I would say it was close to 2 min

not sure how to take email address out, but I will try

thanks

Gail - I'm with the site team and I have removed the email address for you.

Here's a link that I found helpful when I was new to the forums:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...sics-6778.html

You are in good hands with our members here.

[vodkagail]

thank you

[Ford Idaho]

Try turning on the cold water first and then the hot until it is comfortable to you.

If you wish and your water heater has both gas and electric you can use both for a faster recovery time.

[vodkagail]

you know I may try that, thank you, this jersey girl doesn't know anything about this stuff, hopefully it will only be for 2 months

[Wayne Joan]

Get wet, turn water off, soap up, turn water on and rinse. I think it is called a Navy shower. This way you won't run out of hot water. Most RV water heaters are not intended to run continuously for a long hot shower.

[vodkagail]

thank you, another good answer, to bad it wasn't still july,

[Evereddie]

If you had less than 2 minutes I'd say you might have had some water plumbing maintenance valves in the wrong position but it sounds about right. Many campers trying to take low usage showers install a Oxygenetics shower head. Uses a lot less water but feels stronger. Has a switch on it to temporarily stop the water when you soap up and stuff.

[Terier]

About those Navy Showers - Some shower heads will have a button on the handle that be push in to turn off the water while soaping up. Then all you do is push the button in the other direction to turn the water back on.

[vodkagail]

yes it does, another good answer, thanks

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by vodkagail

you know I may try that, thank you, this jersey girl doesn't know anything about this stuff, hopefully it will only be for 2 months

Huumm?

Do you plan on selling it when the foundation work is done?

That TT would make for a good weekend getaway.

[tinkerreknit]

The basic thing to know is that you only have a few gallons of hot water (6 or so). You won't have the long shower you would have in a house. But it's just a matter of managing and conserving, and it's enough once you learn the tricks.

[Gmar60]

My new Surveyor had the valve OPEN between hot and cold lines from water heater (winterized mode) and had same issue. Close valve (perpendicular to line) and you will enjoy a nice, consistent shower temp.


The worst day camping is far better than the best day working.

[DaveSchwartz]

^^^ Surprised this wasn't mentioned first... almost all trailers shipped to places that go below freezing are shipped winterized. That means the water heater bypass valves are in the 'winterize' position (handles on the hot and cold lines perpendicular to the line, handle on the line between the hot and cold parallel to line). If that is the case, give all three a quarter turn.

[Evereddie]

Originally Posted by DaveSchwartz

^^^ Surprised this wasn't mentioned first... almost all trailers shipped to places that go below freezing are shipped winterized. That means the water heater bypass valves are in the 'winterize' position (handles on the hot and cold lines perpendicular to the line, handle on the line between the hot and cold parallel to line). If that is the case, give all three a quarter turn.

I started to mention it but the OP said they got 2 minutes of hot water so an open valve didn't seem likely. It was not a new trailer also. No shipping involved.

[DaveSchwartz]

OK - didn't notice that it wasn't new.

Two minutes of hot isn't very much even with a standard RV shower head. Yes, the hot going out the top of the WH will become diluted by the cold coming in the bottom but that should take longer than 2 minutes to go totally cold unless the tank (should be 6 gallon) is half full of sediment - which is totally possible after nine years if it was never flushed properly. If sediment is the problem it may be hard as a rock now and impossible to flush just using water. I would turn off the water supply and open the WH drain to see what comes out or what you can see in there.

If the bypass valve on the back of the WH is open you can get temperature fluctuations because the flow resistance in the two sides of the plumbing system can be different and even vary over time. Your (non-temperature-compensating) shower mixing valve will draw preferentially from the side with the better flow rate at any given time.

[vodkagail]

I will tell my husband dave and ford yes yes yes im getting rid of it when the house is done,lol my brother is buying it I hope