FR3 Hot Water Heater

dpwitch · 09-14-2018, 08:08 PM

Just bought a new FR3 32DS and tried it out last weekend but might have a water heater problem.
I was connected to shore power but using my on board water so I had the water pump turned on. I took a shower and had sufficient hot water. After shower I used more hot water to shave at which time I ran out of hot water. Had both hot and cold faucets running while shaving. Then shut them both and the water pump stopped. A couple of hours later my wife went to take a shower and there was no hot water...After much discussion and frustration, I went outside and turned on external water and turned off the water pump. The following morning I had hot water. Can understand why the hot water tank didn't refill in the first place. Thoughts anyone? Thank you in advance.

**wmtire** · 09-14-2018, 11:45 PM

According to the FR3 website, you have a 6 gallon combination gas/electric water heater. What mode or modes were you using to heat the water (ie gas or electric, or both at the same time)?

In other words what switches did you use to turn on the water heater.

We may have an operation problem as much as a water delivery problem, and need to verify your process first. You are a new member here, and we don't know your previous RV experience.

dpwitch · 09-14-2018, 11:58 PM

Thank you but I thought I stated initially that I was on shore power. The water pump and hot water heaters were both on. I was pulling water from my internal fresh water tank.

**wmtire** · 09-15-2018, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpwitch

Thank you but I thought I stated initially that I was on shore power. The water pump and hot water heaters were both on. I was pulling water from my internal fresh water tank.

Shore power is irrelevant to the gas/propane side of the water heater. That mode of heating can be used on shore power or not.

How many switches INSIDE the RV do you have to the water heater. Is it one or two?

You will have two switches, one for the gas and one for the electric heating element...... but the location of each switch CAN be indicative of the brand water heater...which we are trying to ascertain. The water heater is not any kind of automatic thing that knows if your are using electricity or propane. It's all manual and you select the mode by turning on the corresponding switch.

Do you know what brand water heater you have as Forest River uses a couple different brands of tank type water heaters and they operate a little differently? Do you have a Dometic/Atwood or a Suburban.

dpwitch · 09-15-2018, 12:11 AM

It is an Atwood water heater. I only have one switch for the water heater on the main panel and it was turned on. The other switch that was on was the water pump since I was pulling water from my internal tank.

**wmtire** · 09-15-2018, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpwitch

It is an Atwood water heater. I only have one switch for the water heater on the main panel and it was turned on. The other switch that was on was the water pump since I was pulling water from my internal tank.

HMMM. now this is odd. Usually an Atwood will have both switches to the gas and electric on the main panel. Is your panel actual switches you flip or do you perhaps have an electronic control panel (ie touchscreen)

What you describe kind of sounds like a Suburban SWDE model, which may have the electric heating element switch on the face of the water heater (which could be turned on as we speak)

See if this thread may be of assistance and to verify you do indeed have an Atwood and not a Suburban

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

I am going by what the website says your model RV has. Some RV's have a tankless on-demand water heater which are gas only...which I thought you may have initially....but not according to the FR3 website.

dpwitch · 09-15-2018, 12:22 AM

I don't have the water heater literature with me right now but I looked at your link and I do know I have 3 buttons related to water; water heater, water pump, tank heater. I'll post tomorrow when I stop by the RV and verify a couple of things. Thank you.

dpwitch · 09-15-2018, 12:27 AM

Here is the panel

**wmtire** · 09-15-2018, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpwitch

I don't have the water heater literature with me right now but I looked at your link and I do know I have 3 buttons related to water; water heater, water pump, tank heater. I'll post tomorrow when I stop by the RV and verify a couple of things. Thank you.

OK Great. What I run into a lot with new RV owners or ones not familiar with a Suburban SWDE operation, is the electric heating element switch on the face of the water heater.

If you have this type, but don't know about that switch, then every time you plug into a form of 120 volt AC shore power/generator, then the electric heating element instantly starts heating the water that way.

Some RV'ers get hot water and mistakingly think that the RV automatically is heating the water, not realizing that switch is ON, cause they don't even know it's there.

If you just have ONE inside switch to the water heater, it is to the propane mode. But you have to have the propane tanks open and filled with propane to use that mode and switch.

My thoughts is you may have turned on the inside switch to the propane, but it may not be coming on or even heating the water if you you don't have the cylinders open or purged of air. Your heated water came from the electric heating element mode, which you may not even know was on if you do have the Suburban SWDE. The electric heating element does heat water slower than the propane side (but 2 hours should have been enough to reheat a tank)

This is why I have been trying to find out your model and mode of user operation.

**wmtire** · 09-15-2018, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpwitch

Here is the panel

Thank You. That water heater switch is to the propane/dsi only. If you do indeed have an electric heating element (and not a tankless gas only), it's going to have a switch on the face of the water heater, and be a Suburban brand. If you will read my previous post #9 before this one, it explains what "could" possibly be happening as I have ran across this before.

Also please read the Suburban link in post #6 as it will explain the operation of the Suburban brands, as well as what the red panel light immediately to the right of your water heater propane/DSI switch will indicate.

**wmtire** · 09-15-2018, 01:18 AM

One more common thing that actually results in cold water mixing in with hot water (thus keeping the temperature of the water cool and RV'ers thinking they have a water heater problem) is when the winterization bypass valve is open.

This link may help with that and let you verify it is indeed closed if applicable to your RV:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...st-103381.html

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