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Water Heater Not Heating on 120 Volts

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tsunami View Drop Down
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    Posted: 22 Sep 2011 at 12:35pm
If you have a 15(*) model the water heater and pump are located together underneath the seat.  The left seat in my unit.  After removing the seat cushions you will see a plywood cover screwed down.  You have to unscrew the panel and remove it.  You should then see the heater and the pump.  Looking at the heater the water pipes are installed in an H pattern.  The valve in the center of the H is the bypass valve.  If it is parallel to the pipes...cold water will generally bypass the heater and you won't get hot water.  To get hot water from the heater, the central bypass valve should be gently turned so the T-handle is perpendicular (closed) to the pipes.  The other two valves should be parallel (open) to the pipes. When winterizing...the bypass valve should be parallel (open) and the two side valves should be turned perpendicular (closed) to the pipes.
The 120VAC electric heater element should be thought of as an auxiliary heater to the main propane heater.  If the tank has been cold for awhile, I turn on the propane heater to bulk heat the water...the electric heater tops off the heating.  Unless I drain a lot of hot water (showering, etc.) the electric heater generally keeps the water warm.  The electric heater by itself will take a long time to heat a cold tank up to useful temps.  Don't expect hot water for hours! The manufacturer's manual also states that the electric heater is auxiliary to the propane tank.  If the electric heater is turned on, I always have hot water in the morning without the propane heater ever coming on at night and disturbing my sleep.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sixgunner Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Jul 2011 at 9:35am
I think it's fairly certain that the problem with your water heater lies either with bypass valve position or electrical connection. The first thing I'd suspect is valve position. Since the 170 floorplan is similar to my 177, I would presume the valves to be under a plywood panel beneath the bed or the dinette seat on the same side as the sink. There's a very informative thread you can find at: http://www.rpodnation.com/water-heater-questions_topic153_page1.html. Page two includes a photograph of the valve positions.

From my experience, the water heater comes to temperature much more quickly using propane. So, assuming you've eliminated valves and electrical faults, it's possible if you allow a little more time, you'll notice the electric element working.

When you pull the plywood cover off, it might be a good idea to go ahead and cut the portion of the panel covering the water heater so you can more easily access it for winterizing and further maintenance. Refer to the photographs in this thread of Sandpiper performing that very modification: http://www.rpodnation.com/list-your-mods-no-comments-please_topic568_page5.html.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tsunami Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Jul 2011 at 8:51am
My 150 has the water heater located under the seat behind the electrical panel unit. You have to remove the seat cushions and unscrew some square fastener screws on the plywood seat 'top'.  After removing the plywood you should be able to look down on the heater.  The 'long-loose' hose unconnected on one end is the 'winterizing' hose for pumping RV antifreeze into the plumbing.  There should be three white PVC T-valves next to the heater. The central valve (the three valves are set in an 'H' pattern) should be turned so that the valve lever is perpendicular to the piping. The other two valves should be parallel to the piping.  The valve handles are oval in shape, the long axis is the flow direction.
This will guide water from the pump through the heater.  If you forget to set the central valve perpendicular...most of the water will bypass the heater and you will get only warm or just cold water out of the hot water lines.
Don't forget to open the central valve and close the other two when 'winterizing'...you do not want RV antifreeze pumped into the heater for the winter.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sandpiper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Oct 2010 at 8:51pm
The bypass valves should be located close to the water heater inside the Pod.  You may have to unscrew a panel to get to them.  Since I am not aware of the layout of the 150 models I can't help any more than that. I didn't know they made a 153.
The valves in a 177 are under the bed and a panel has to be removed from on top of the water heater to get to them.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cityfox Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Oct 2010 at 6:39pm
Speaking of by pass valves, where are they on the 153?  I've looked high and low and can't locate them.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote admin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jul 2009 at 5:15pm
Good deal, glad you got it going...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tink Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jul 2009 at 2:13pm
EmbarrassedI guess I should hang my head in shame. I didn't think there was any way possible we could get hot water on electricity. I had my 174 out for the first time this week and when I first got there i turned on the gas to the water heater. After I used it, I turned off  the gas. A little while later I turned on the hot water for some reason, and low and behold there was HOT WATER. I'm a believer now.

Tink'rPod 174 Knoxville,TN,
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ned Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jun 2009 at 9:47am

You should get hot water from both. On my 173 we found that the electrical cnnection came apart where the electricity goes into the heater. We removed the maret connector twisted the wires together and replaced the maret. Works perfect now. To get at the connections remove the plywood seat over the water heater.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote yizit Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jun 2009 at 5:42pm
Unless they changed the water heater in the newer units you should get hot water on both electric and gas.  
Former owner of 2009 Rpod 172
Darlene & Jim, Ewok our Lhasa
Roada our 2004 Roadtrek 190P Conversion Van
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tink Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jun 2009 at 9:17am
Are we supposed to get hot water on electricity? When i looked at my manual, it said gas water heater. So i tried turning on the water heater with electricity and the water did not heat, but it isn't supposed to, right?

Tink'rPod 174 Knoxville,TN,
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