Water heater to heavy for side panel

[CarefreeCorses]

I have a 2014 Georgetown XL 377... The panel that holds the water heater keeps pulling its mounting screws. In order to keep the water heater from pulling out of the panel when I am traveling I need to empty it.

I took it to my FR dealer and all they did was put in a slightly bigger self taping screw. After one trip they pulled out of the panel so I put some epoxy in the screw holes and reinserted the screws in the panel.
Now I make sure the water heater is empty before I leave a campground.

Does anyone have a real fix for this?

[SidecarFlip]

That sounds like an internal bracing issue to me. I'd be looking inside, under the heater and above the heater to make sure there are braces installed and the heater fascia is screwed to them.

[CarefreeCorses]

I reached through the access port used to bypass for winterizing when the problem first showed up and could not feel any braces underneath. I doubt there are any since the Water heater moves with the panel.......Going to open the panel tomorrow........

[bubbles]

My unit is a GT378 and the water heater sets on a plywood panel that is supported by 2 2X4's underneath (painted black). There is no water heater weight distributed to the enclosure panel. There is only the enclosure panel opening flange and 4 tabs screwed to the water heater front panel. Nothing elaborate and quite secure installed this way. I have to unscrew 2 L brackets from the frame from underneath the panel and take out the 4 screws from the tabs and release the panel flange from the heater and the panel opens up leaving the heater in place. Good luck with yours. Sounds like it may be the same.

[fonzie]

Here is a fix from another member.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...mod-21579.html

[pmsherman]

My 2011 Georgetown 327DS had the same problem when I received it. The water heater is attached to the front panel and there were two 1x2 boards under the bottom edges of the heater to support it. Unfortunately, there's two problems with this. first, the heater is surrounded by a styrofoam blanket and the edge of the 1x2 would compress the styrofoam causing the water heater to tilt, popping out the front panel. Second, the plastic compartment bottom will bend under the weight of the water heater, causing the same problem.

My dealer fixed the problem by installing a support board that goes all the way to the back of the compartment under the heater. Now, with the entire bottom of the heater resting on a support, it doesn't pop out the front panel any more.

Phil