Hot water heater won't work

[Nanaof4]

We have a 2007 Forest River Charleston motorhome. The hot water heater won't work. Is there a schematic we can obtain to find out what is wrong? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. There is propane and the switches are activated. There doesn't seem to be any fuses blown.

[Lynkage]

Does it have a pilot light? Does it stay lit? or does it make a ticking sound? Make sure that the propane has traveled all the way to the water heater. It may also have an electric switch somewhere inside your trailer, maybe on your control panel?

Maybe some pictures could shed some light on the situation.

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by Nanaof4

We have a 2007 Forest River Charleston motorhome. The hot water heater won't work. Is there a schematic we can obtain to find out what is wrong? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. There is propane and the switches are activated. There doesn't seem to be any fuses blown.

Both Suburban and Atwood have have inst. books on line with good diagrams included. Check the websites.

[wmtire]

1. Have you verified there is no hot water at the heater itself (open the pressure relief valve on the water heater itself), and not just at the taps.

2. Has this RV been winterized, and the bypass valves are still set for the winter mode. This is the most common problem, and many many a camper forgets that the bypass valves are set this way, thus shutting off the HOT water flow from the water heater to the pipes. For usage, you need the cold and hot water valves open, and the bypass valve closed.

Here is a link to a post that has a great pdf file on the winterization/dewinterization hot water valves behind the tank, and the position the valves need to be set at.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...tml#post360806

[Nanaof4]

No pilot light..an ignitor. No ticking sound. The propane stove works as does the A/C. I obviously don't know how to add a photo?? Will try again./Users/Owner/Desktop/Hot water heater.jpg

[Nanaof4]

We are in Texas and it doesn't get too cold, but my husband drained the unit. He didn't dewinterize it he said.

[Lynkage]

Maybe a fuse for the power to the igniter is blown? Is there water in the water heater? lift the pressure release lever on the pop off valve to find out.

Here is the how-to for pics. http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...res-26086.html

[Nanaof4]

Originally Posted by VinceU

Both Suburban and Atwood have have inst. books on line with good diagrams included. Check the websites.

I found the Suburban site and I need Manual # 191662, but cannot access it. Husband is currently checking fuses.

[fonzie]

Maybe this manual will help.

[wmtire]

If a Suburban water heater, it's probably the dual powered propane/electric heating element kind. You can usually use the electric if the propane side isn't working, or vice versa.

If you turned on the switch for the propane Direct Spark Ignitor inside your RV, and the propane didn't light after three failed attempts, it automatically locked itself out. You have to turn off the switch, wait a little, then turn it back on to restart the process.

This link below may help you understand, as well as where the electric heating element switch is located.

BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE: verify that there is indeed water inside the water heater. You need to go outside and open the pressure relief valve on the top of the water heater, and see if water comes out. It may be hot so don't put yourself in a position to burn yourself.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ore-36197.html

EDIT: Here is a pic showing where the pressure relief is located on the heater.

[rayo11]

Your all correct. This just happened to me. My first time out when I dewinterized my tt. I went thru procedure turned the bypass valve the opposite way from the factory and no hot water, wouldn't light, wouldn't work on electric. It won't try to light because it was already up to temp. Turn center bypass valve the opposite way and check water at the sink. It works. Gl to all.