Hot Water Heater - ‘18 258RKS

[WanderLustIRL]

I cannot find a specific question about this so apologies in advance if this has been covered. We are dry camping for the weekend and I have propane (turned on) and hooked up to generator. I do not have any hot water. Water comes out of the hot water side but it’s cold. Hot water switch is turned on both on inside control panel and outside exterior panel. There is heat from outside panel as well so it is on.

Is there a valve or switch somewhere that prevents the hot water from cling out?

Thanks in advance!

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by WanderLustIRL

I cannot find a specific question about this so apologies in advance if this has been covered. We are dry camping for the weekend and I have propane (turned on) and hooked up to generator. I do not have any hot water. Water comes out of the hot water side but it’s cold. Hot water switch is turned on both on inside control panel and outside exterior panel. There is heat from outside panel as well so it is on.

Is there a valve or switch somewhere that prevents the hot water from cling out?

Thanks in advance!

Yes, your tank sounds like it is bypassed. If so, you may have already damaged the electric heating element. Turn off the switch on the outside, pronto. Do not turn that switch back on until we discuss further. Now also turn off ANY/ALL water heater switches inside your RV. Please read this thread

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...st-103381.html

Again, do NOT turn the hot water switches back on until we discuss this. I have more advice for you, but we have to let the tank itself cool down.

Also do NOT fix the bypass valves either from the thread link above. We do NOT want cool water entering what may be a heated and dry tank. The shock of this can cause more damage.


Please Please turn off all the switches now. We need to let the tank cool down....then we will proceed.

[WanderLustIRL]

Originally Posted by wmtire

Yes, your tank sounds like it is bypassed. If so, you may have already damaged the electric heating element. Turn off the switch on the outside, pronto. Do not turn that switch back on until we discuss further. Now also turn off ANY/ALL water heater switches inside your RV. Please read this thread

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...st-103381.html

Again, do NOT turn the hot water switches back on until we discuss this. I have more advice for you, but we have to let the tank itself cool down.

Also do NOT fix the bypass valves either from the thread above. We do NOT want cool water entering what may be a heated and dry tank. The shock of this can cause more damage.


Please Please turn off all the switches now. We need to let the tank cool down....then we will proceed.

Thanks for the quick response and thread info. The outside switch was set to the off position (it’s a switch that you hold and sounds like ignition) so it is off and I reset it. The inside water heater switch is also off.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by WanderLustIRL

Thanks for the quick response and thread info. The outside switch was set to the off position (it’s a switch that you hold and sounds like ignition) so it is off and I reset it. The inside water heater switch is also off.

OK, have you read all five posts in the link I sent you in post #2 above?

After you read all of them, you need to find a way to access where your bypass valves are, explained in the link.

Do NOT turn any valves, but just find them. Once you do find them, can you please post a pic of them here.

Again, do not turn anything.

[Rhumblefish]

Second what WMTire just said.

Hot Water Heater might be bypassed (most likely) and/or HWH might not even have water in it (also potentially). Sorta the start of the season = more likely.

When you said "I have propane (turned on) and hooked up to generator." did you mean "hooked up to hot water heater?"

[WanderLustIRL]

Originally Posted by wmtire

OK, have you read all five posts in the link I sent you in post #2 above?

After you read all of them, you need to find a way to access where your bypass valves are, explained in the link.

Do NOT turn any valves, but just find them. Once you do find them, can you please post a pic of them here.

Again, do not turn anything.

Yes, I have read all 5 posts and it looks like my system is the 2 valve setup. I've attached the picture here.

[WanderLustIRL]

Originally Posted by Rhumblefish

Second what WMTire just said.

Hot Water Heater might be bypassed (most likely) and/or HWH might not even have water in it (also potentially). Sorta the start of the season = more likely.

When you said "I have propane (turned on) and hooked up to generator." did you mean "hooked up to hot water heater?"

I meant my propane tanks are turned on and plugged in my power to a running generator.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by WanderLustIRL

Yes, I have read all 5 posts and it looks like my system is the 2 valve setup. I've attached the picture here.

Thanks, and YES, your tank is definitely bypassed and most likely dry inside.

Let's let the tank cool down for awhile in case it is still heated up from your accidental dry firing.

After it has cooled for a few hours, then turn both of those valves 90 degrees so the handles face the tank itself. like this pic below;



This will allow water to enter/exit the tank.

After that we will test on propane/gas only. No electric heating element at this point of our test later.

[wmtire]

While we wait for the tank to cool. please also read this thread. It will explain the switches and which ones control what modes of heating. From your description in previous posts, it doesn't sound like you are familiar with this.

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ore-36197.html

This thread link will help tremendously, especially when we do tests later and only want to turn on ONE specific mode of heating.

You're getting there.

[Rhumblefish]

This. This. This.

Gong silent now, WMTire has this.

[wmtire]

Since you did so great with providing a pic of your bypass valves, can I please talk you into also taking one of your switch panel inside your RV that controls the water heater, as well as a pic of the water heater from outside, to see this outside switch.

I have reasons for this, which will show us which model Suburban water heater you have (Forest River uses a couple different models), and will let us tailor the advice when we test things in a bit.

Thanks

[WanderLustIRL]

Originally Posted by wmtire

Since you did so great with providing a pic of your bypass valves, can I please talk you into also taking one of your switch panel inside your RV that controls the water heater, as well as a pic of the water heater from outside, to see this outside switch.

I have reasons for this, which will show us which model Suburban water heater you have (Forest River uses a couple different models), and will let us tailor the advice when we test things in a bit.

Thanks

No problem. Here are the pictures.

[wmtire]

Fantastic pics. We got this. You have a Suburban SWDE model water heater.

The switch on your panel inside your RV will ONLY control the gas/propane/dsi mode of heating. You will turn this mode of heating ON/OFF with this switch. Remember, it ONLY controls the gas/propane mode. You can use the propane mode of heating as long as you have a charged battery and propane and will work without being connected to shore power or a generator.

The switch outside the RV, on the face of the water heater ONLY controls the electric heating element mode for the water heater. You must be connected to some form of 120 volt AC for the electric element to function, so you do have to be connected to shore power or a generator for this mode to function.

If you are connected to shore power, you can actually use both modes of heating at the same time for the fastest recovery...or you can use just one mode. Your choices.

However, when we first test this water heater after the dry fire you did, we are only going to test the propane mode by using the switch on your panel inside the RV. Make absolute sure the electric element switch on the outside is turned OFF. This switch can confuse you as to it's ON/OFF position since it's a rocker switch. Please read that previous thread I sent you to make sure you have this rocker switch OFF. You usually press all the way in on the type for what you want. Press the word OFF to turn it off, press the word ON all the way in to turn it on.



Here are your pics again, edited .

[wmtire]

I am also adding this edited pic, showing where your thermostats and resettable emergency cut off/hi-limits tstats are. This ECO is supposed to trip if the temp in your tank exceeds 160 degrees so you don't scald yourself with hot water. When you dry fired the tank, theses ECO's may have tripped. We may need to reset them by pushing in with your finger on the rubber circle, but not yet as I am only pointing them out to you.

Your previous posts made me believe you may not know what these are and/or where you actual electric heating element switch was. You should now know.

The left hand reset goes to your electric heating element thermostat and the right hand one goes to your gas/propane thermostat. Because you have two independent thermostats, this allows you use one or both modes of heating independent of one another.

[WanderLustIRL]

Great thanks for the edited photos! I’ve turned the switch on for the gas water heater on the main panel inside the RV to the on position. I’ve ensured I’m not connected to shore power and that the external electric switch is off. I reset the water heater outside as well. Next, I went inside and turned both valves facing the tank as you stated. I waited several minutes and checked the sink faucet and water stopped coming out of both the hot and cold side. Seems to still be water in bathroom but might be residual left in the lines.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by WanderLustIRL

Great thanks for the edited photos! I’ve turned the switch on for the gas water heater on the main panel inside the RV to the on position. I’ve ensured I’m not connected to shore power and that the external electric switch is off. I reset the water heater outside as well. Next, I went inside and turned both valves facing the tank as you stated. I waited several minutes and checked the sink faucet and water stopped coming out of both the hot and cold side. Seems to still be water in bathroom but might be residual left in the lines.

Please turn everything off. According to your steps above---You just dried fired the tank again. Let me get to a computer. We have to verify water is in the tank BEFORE you turn anything on.


I will be home shortly and contact you via a PM. we need to talk by phone/

[WanderLustIRL]

Cell reception isn’t great where I’m at but I had another camper stop by and assist. Water is in the hot water heater and the propane heat is running. There was an air clog in our faucet so turning it to spray then back to open worked. We now have hot water with the propane heater working.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by WanderLustIRL

Cell reception isn’t great where I’m at but I had another camper stop by and assist. Water is in the hot water heater and the propane heat is running. There was an air clog in our faucet so turning it to spray then back to open worked. We now have hot water with the propane heater working.

OK Great. I am home now. Feel free to post or message if you have any more problems.



Tomorrow, you may can turn off the gas/dsi switch inside the RV. You can then run your hot water faucet or take a shower to deplete your heated water in the tank (this will allow the thermostats to close so power can be sent to the electric heating element)


You can then turn ON the electric heating element switch on the face of the water heater and wait 45 minutes or so and see if it heats the water back up. If not (if the heating element was possible ruined from the dry fires), you can then turn back on the gas/propane mode of heating and use the water heater on that mode until you can troubleshoot the electric heating element later. You never have to use the electric heating element if you so choose. it's just nice to have both modes operational should one heating mode fail.

[Jerry Gaudet]

A round of applause for wmtire!

[WanderLustIRL]

Originally Posted by wmtire

OK Great. I am home now. Feel free to post or message if you have any more problems.



Tomorrow, you may can turn off the gas/dsi switch inside the RV. You can then run your hot water faucet or take a shower to deplete your heated water in the tank (this will allow the thermostats to close so power can be sent to the electric heating element)


You can then turn ON the electric heating element switch on the face of the water heater and wait 45 minutes or so and see if it heats the water back up. If not (if the heating element was possible ruined from the dry fires), you can then turn back on the gas/propane mode of heating and use the water heater on that mode until you can troubleshoot the electric heating element later. You never have to use the electric heating element if you so choose. it's just nice to have both modes operational should one heating mode fail.

UPDATE:: I'm at a new campground with full hookup. I connected to water and ensured that there was water in the hot water heater. Once hooked to electrical, I powered on the switch for the electric hot water heater and waited about an hour. Opened hot water side in kitchen sink and voila, I have hot water.

Thanks for all the help WMTIRE!!