Starting hot water heater

Colleen Easterbrooks · 03-05-2019, 12:28 PM

Looking for help or video link for us 1st time rv'ers for starting hot water heater. We have a 2017 rockwood forest river 122S aframe hard side camper. We are trying to start our hot water heater and not having much luck. Webturned on the propane, hooked up to city water, and turned on the switch for hot water heater and immediately the red light came on and we didnt have any hot water. Turned off switch because we read that if red light comes on tuen off switch and wait 1 munute before you turn on hot water switch again. We did this and turned on hot water switch and red light came on again. We didnt hear any clicking like we read about that it would click as pilot is trying to light. Any help would be MUCH appreciated at this point as we are frustrated and dont know what to do

JohnD10 · 03-05-2019, 12:31 PM

It does take a little while for the water to get hot...

bubbles · 03-05-2019, 12:38 PM

Set the switch to on and leave it there. In a few seconds the red light will come on and go out a few times as the burner tries to light. If it lights the red light will extinguish and all should be good. If after a few attempts to light and doesn't set the switch to off and wait about 5 minutes and try again. There may be air in the propane lines etc.. You can light some stove burners to get the propane flowing.

**Mr. Dan** · 03-05-2019, 12:40 PM

You said you turned on city water. Did you allow it to fill the water heater before you flipped the switch -- or do you know for a fact the heater was full of water?

njfishing · 03-05-2019, 12:57 PM

First thing you want to do is make sure you have water in your hot water heater tank. Connect to city water, open a hot water spigot and run until the air is purge out.

Next thing is to open up the propane tanks and if you have a stove try to light it since this will purge any air in your propane lines since if there is air in there, it will make the water heater harder to light.

Turn on your water heater switch and it will attempt to light.. You'll know when it's lit by going outside the camper and you'll hear the flame that is heating the water. These are not on demand heaters so you'll need to wait 20 or 30 mins to get hot water.

If it does not light you have some sort of issue....

bubbles · 03-05-2019, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

You said you turned on city water. Did you allow it to fill the water heater before you flipped the switch -- or do you know for a fact the heater was full of water?

It sounds as though the OP doesn't know the sequence of events for the propane side of the water heater. Doesn't matter if there is water in the tank or not the burner will light regardless.

SlowrideHD · 03-05-2019, 02:24 PM

Most likely being a new outfit, the propane lines have still got some air in them. Lighting a stove burner for a minute will help but it may still require several on/off/on sequences to get the propane heater going for the hw tank. Be patient and give it time to go through its light sequence, it should eventually fire up.

BobHanke · 03-05-2019, 02:27 PM

One other important check is to be sure bypass valve(s) are set for normal operation and not winterizing as this can give you water at the tap but not allowing water to fill the heater. Carefully flip the safety valve as it could vent hot water or just air to see if tank is full. Does your furnace and/or stove work?
Standard bypass/operate valves pictured below:

Larry-NC · 03-05-2019, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

You said you turned on city water. Did you allow it to fill the water heater before you flipped the switch -- or do you know for a fact the heater was full of water?

The VERY FIRST thing to do is to make sure the hot water heater has water in it. To winterize a trailer (to keep things from freezing and bursting), they turn one, two, or three valves (depending on what kind of valves are used) to bypass the water heater, then open a drain plug on the heater (called the anode rod) to let the water out. You will still get water when you turn on the hot taps, but it will be cold water bypassing the water heater.

To see whether there is water in the heater or not, find the outside door to the water heater (white door with some louvers at top and bottom), and open the door. It will look complicated, but at the top is the Over-Temperature/Over-Pressure valve, sometimes called a T&P valve. It's brass, has a lever at the front with a (usually) blue disk or tag behind it. Coming out the bottom is a pipe fitting--if you put your finger in the hole, you will feel the pipe threads.

Now, lift the lever slightly. If the heater is full of water and not bypassed, water will flow out. Don't worry about getting the rest of the heater wet--it won't hurt anything.

If water doesn't flow out continuously, you need to find the bypass valve(s). Go to the inside of the trailer, exactly opposite of where you were. There will be a cabinet or removable panel. Open it. The back side of the water heater will look like the end of a barrel, perhaps encased in a styrofoam block. There will be red (hot) and (blue) cold tubing running around, and one, two, or three valves. Turn all the valves to the opposite position of what they are now. Go back outside and repeat the T&P valve opening. Air may flow out instead of water. Keep holding the valve open until water comes out. Now go inside and run the kitchen tap until the air is out. Now you know the heater is full of water.

SECOND, over time propane creeps out of the plumbing between the tank(s) and the water heater. You can try lighting the water heater over and over, but it's easier to purge the air by lighting the range. Make sure the propane is turned on at the gas bottles. Attempt to light all three burners. You may have to take several tries before the air is out of the plumbing. Once all are burning steadily, turn them off and then...

THIRD, now try to relight the water heater.

Larry

**Mr. Dan** · 03-05-2019, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubbles

It sounds as though the OP doesn't know the sequence of events for the propane side of the water heater. Doesn't matter if there is water in the tank or not the burner will light regardless.

I agree. I was addressing “didn’t have any hot water.” They won’t ever have hot water if they don’t have cold water in it to start.

AFDON · 03-05-2019, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colleen Easterbrooks

Looking for help or video link for us 1st time rv'ers for starting hot water heater. We have a 2017 rockwood forest river 122S aframe hard side camper. We are trying to start our hot water heater and not having much luck. Webturned on the propane, hooked up to city water, and turned on the switch for hot water heater and immediately the red light came on and we didnt have any hot water. Turned off switch because we read that if red light comes on tuen off switch and wait 1 munute before you turn on hot water switch again. We did this and turned on hot water switch and red light came on again. We didnt hear any clicking like we read about that it would click as pilot is trying to light. Any help would be MUCH appreciated at this point as we are frustrated and dont know what to do

When opening the propane bottles, be sure to open SLOWLY! If you spin those valves fast, you will likely trip the overage valve and it will cut off all propane flow! (Don't ask how I know!) Anyway if that has happened, simply shut the valve wheel, wait a few minutes and open it again, this time slowly. Go inside, light all burners on the stove, wait a few minutes and try the water heater again. If you do not have DSI on your heater, follow the lighting instructions that's printed on the water heater. BE SURE THE WH tank is FULL! We didnt hear any clicking like we read about that it would click as pilot is trying to light.

You might have to stand outside by the heater door to hear it. It'll take 15-20 minutes to heat the water.
DonB

TheWolfPaq82 · 03-05-2019, 03:11 PM

"Flipped the switch and the Red Light came on." do you think by chance the "Red Light" she's seeing is the "Indicator Light" in the switch that comes on showing that the WH is on ??? or is there a "Fault" indicator on those models ? and YES they'll need to go outside to probably hear the spark igniter clicking.

lewisra · 03-06-2019, 08:44 AM

As stated above, If you're not hearing any clicking noise, you'll need to figure out how to manually light it or get the igniter fixed.

**KyDan** · 03-06-2019, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82

"Flipped the switch and the Red Light came on." do you think by chance the "Red Light" she's seeing is the "Indicator Light" in the switch that comes on showing that the WH is on ??? or is there a "Fault" indicator on those models ? and YES they'll need to go outside to probably hear the spark igniter clicking.

^^^^^^^ This!!
My trailer has 3 red light switches in a row.
1 for water pump
1 for electric water heater
1 for LP water heater
all 3 light up when I turn them on and they typically stay on during normal operation.

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