Water Heater Element Replacement |
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Sandpiper
Senior Member Joined: 19 Aug 2009 Location: IL Status: Offline Points: 763 |
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Posted: 19 May 2010 at 10:13pm |
Well, despite all the warnings, remarks and advice we have a burned out water heater element. I am confident I am responsible for the element being burned out due to my unfamiliarity and haste in winterizing the Pod(Drained the tank and forgot to turn off the electric to the heater) .
We went camping over the weekend and the water would not heat up with the 120V so the trouble shooting found a burned out element. So I am going to share my misfortune and try to make it a positive experience. Lesson one: Buy your replacement element from Home Depot #15896 120V 1500W Camco # 2142 cost $9.67. The same element from a RV site was $11.36 with $6.98 shipping. A Suburban element # 520789 will set you back at least $19.50 + $4.59 shipping. Lesson two: You will need a Screw in Element Wrench Camco # 15493 also available from Home Depot#154932 for $6.47. Unless you have a much better selection of wenchs than I do you will need to have this wrench if you want to remove and replace the element. It is a 1 1/2" wrench that looks like the "old" spark plug trench's. You young whipper snappers will have to look it up. Lesson three: It is simple to replace the element . WARNING: SHUTOFF ALL POWER TO THE WATER HEATER: I RECOMMEND REMOVING ALL 120V FROM THE POD: OPEN the HOT Water faucet and leave it open until you are finished with replacing the element and refill the water heater. Look at the manual figure 15 page 9 and remove these parts. 1.) The burner assembly(item 26) 2.)The outlet Manifold (item 37) along with items 55 and 56 which are the tubing nuts that are on item 37. This stuff has to be removed to get the element out. 3.) Remove the three screws holding the element cover (item 24 and it's gasket) 4.) Remove the two wires attached to the element. When the next step is performed the water heater will drain so be ready. 5.)Using the Element Wrench and a screw driver, remove the screw in heating element(item 28) 6.)Install the new heating element and using the Wrench and screw driver tighten the new element snug. Reverse the above steps and replace the items that were removed. Now refill the water heater and when no more air comes out of the faucet, close the faucet and re apply 120v to the Pod and to the water heater. Wait about 1/2 hour and the water should be rather warm. The water heater has a recover rate of approx 6 gallons per hour so 1/2 hour should yield some rather warm water. You are done and have saved at least $50 to $75 probably more at today's mechanics rates. My cost $24.09 + a Yeungling because I didn't learn about Home Depot Elements until I had ordered one on line. It didn't take me an hour to replace the element and the tools I used were 1 Cresent wrench 1 Phillips head screw driver 1 slotted head screw driver 1 7/16" open end wrench 1 5"(long)Screw in Element Wrench and One Yeungling when I was all finished |
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Sandpiper
Mrs.'Piper Ford 150-[Mini Lite 2104S] |
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Kenn
Senior Member Joined: 15 Jan 2010 Location: Fort Drum, NY Status: Offline Points: 612 |
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Thanks a bunch for this info. You rock!
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2010 RPOD 176 (Silly-POD), 2011 Forest River Stealth 2612, and 2014 Forest River XLR 380AMP |
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Ratdog
Moderator Group Joined: 11 Mar 2010 Location: Central Florida Status: Offline Points: 1175 |
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Great stuff, Sandpiper. Thanks for posting that. I will try not to follow in your footsteps by trying to remember to shut down the heater before dumping the water but, if I forget, I will know how to fix it. However, I must comment on one of your statements:
"Unless you have a much better selection of wenchs than I do . . . " My bride of 39 years doesn't allow me to have any of those
Take care,
-- Steve
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Steve, Anne, and Paige the Rat Terrier 2013 Lexus RX 450h Hybrid AWD 2011 RP-177 (aka: The Circus Wagon) |
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Sandpiper
Senior Member Joined: 19 Aug 2009 Location: IL Status: Offline Points: 763 |
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Kenn
After reading your post about cold weather camping I think you might get ROCKED-- with big stones if you catch my drift. No offense meant no offense taken. Ratdog : As a certified old timer wenchs and wrenchs all look the same after a Yeungling. |
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Sandpiper
Mrs.'Piper Ford 150-[Mini Lite 2104S] |
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PodPatrol
Moderator Group Joined: 24 Sep 2009 Status: Offline Points: 22287 |
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Thanks for the course Sand-Man !!!
Think I'll give it a test to see if our element is working. We use "both" AC and LP on the Water Heater. LP for the "giddy-up", and AC for consistancey. In cooler weather the LP kicks on more often. I tried to order some wenches, but the better half didn't approve. I guess I'm not cut-out for a political life style ..... |
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tedbear
Senior Member Joined: 05 Mar 2009 Location: Omaha, NE Status: Offline Points: 190 |
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I burned up my element as well by not making sure the tank was full before turning it on. I sure wish there was an on-off switch inside the camper like with the gas water heater (or has someone here already done that?). I am now in the habit of turning it on and off only when I need it (like for a shower) and leave the panel door hanging open as a reminder to turn it off as soon as I'm done. |
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Sandpiper
Senior Member Joined: 19 Aug 2009 Location: IL Status: Offline Points: 763 |
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Sorry to hear your element bit the dust too. That makes two of us that would like to have a switch inside the Pod. I'll accept the challenge and see what I can come up with. I didn't understand the switch being outside the first time I read the manual. I think (which gets me in trouble) there are switches with pilot lights that light when the switch is turned on. When trouble shooting the element I checked the voltage in the junction box on the water heater and it would be easy to add a switch there or maybe one near the distribution box. I'll also check because I think someone has already done this mod.
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Sandpiper
Mrs.'Piper Ford 150-[Mini Lite 2104S] |
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PodPatrol
Moderator Group Joined: 24 Sep 2009 Status: Offline Points: 22287 |
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Nothing gets past you Sand-Man !!!
Yes, there's a mod post where someone has added a "light" indicating the element is active. They put it near the monitor panel/LP switch !! |
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popgoesweasel
Newbie Joined: 05 Sep 2009 Location: Kentucky Status: Offline Points: 20 |
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There is one mod in Maintenace Issues, Tips and Tricks.
It is called Water Heater Switch (revised pics) and is on page 16 in that set. If and when we have some time with our unit, it is now on our list of mods to add.
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2019 Micro-Lite 21FBRG towed by a 2009 Nissan Frontier
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Mrs. 'Piper
Senior Member Joined: 24 Oct 2009 Location: PA Status: Offline Points: 138 |
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http://rpodnation.com/water-heater-switch-revised-pics_topic578.html.......this is the link to the post and pics to add a water heater switch to the inside of the pod
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Mrs. 'Piper (Anne)
Sandpiper (Carroll) RPOD 177 Site #196 2011 Eastern Roundup |
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