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Belgique's avatar
Belgique
Explorer
Apr 28, 2016

Broke Hot Water Heater in Roca Azul

I should sample some of the ideas you gave me on my Tequila thread!

Hot water heater has been leaking for a week but left it alone for fear of making it worse. It's worse. Had to go in and the elbow fitting going into the tank on the cold water side is broke. As in total broke with part of it threaded in. Haven't seen a RV Mobile Tech around here :) so I'm on my own.

I'm assuming that there is no one that can fix this thing between here and Tucson. It is an Atwood 6 gal. The '08 Winnie tubing is pre-PEX. It looks like it fits on a barb and the compression nut clamps it down. There's no removing it without cutting it and then no replacement stuff here I assume. There is an elbow fitting to the tank that the hose goes on.

I'm thinking that my only option is to somehow get a plug into the tank fitting so that I can at least use the cold water. Home depot stuff is probably metric? It has a winterize by pass on it but water still goes in no matter which way the lever is. And it has a motor aid on it if that makes a difference.

Am I missing something that is an easy fix? I think I'll go ahead and get a new heater in Tucson but we don't plan to be there until 20 May. Goal is to at least have cold water.

Now to find some Tequila!

29 Replies

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  • Belgique's avatar
    Belgique
    Explorer
    Apr 29, 2016
    Jetcare, Re: "Someone probably pulled the internal parts out of the check valve located at the top fitting on the tank.". Newman Fulltimer just said the same thing. I bought this rig new and no one has touched the hot water system since I owned it. Wow. Could it have come from Winnie like that? And, why? A mystery.

    But, if our Home Depot in Guad has the parts, we're good to go. Will report results.
  • jetcare's avatar
    jetcare
    Explorer
    Apr 29, 2016
    Belgique wrote:
    Here's a picture. The top is the hot out and bottom is where water enters per the Atwood manual. The By Pass valve is in the by pass position per Winnie. But, when we turn on the pump, the tanks starts filling. I think I see why it does that looking at the pipes...but that is how it came from Winnie. Maybe there is a check valve on the hot side...and it failed? I'm confused. Goal now is to be able to use water. We can heat water/use CG showers.

    ">clicky


    The simple fix is to bypass the water heater by cutting the PEX lines going to the upper tee fitting and buy a Sharkbite 90 at Home Depot and connect the bypass line to the hot water line.

    Someone probably pulled the internal parts out of the check valve located at the top fitting on the tank.
  • Belgique's avatar
    Belgique
    Explorer
    Apr 29, 2016
    newman fulltimer wrote:
    Easy fix get a extracter stick it in pull the threads and replace its a flair it fitting 1/2 male pipe thread to 1/2 tubing

    Rgr getting an extractor..had that on my list...where do they keep those in Home Depot? Atwood says it is a 1/2 NPT so guess that is the same as what you say. The tubing may be the challenge for me since it is so tight. I see now on Google that "flair it" is like PEX. Wonder if I should modify using Sharkbites and PEX? Never used either before.

    From what Chris says the Guadalajara Home Depot might have this. Fingers crossed.

    Am I right that the hot side should not be filling the tank and there is a bad check valve too?

    Thanks Newman and all the others.
  • newman_fulltime's avatar
    newman_fulltime
    Explorer II
    Apr 29, 2016
    Easy fix get a extracter stick it in pull the threads and replace its a flair it fitting 1/2 male pipe thread to 1/2 tubing
  • Belgique's avatar
    Belgique
    Explorer
    Apr 29, 2016
    Here's a picture. The top is the hot out and bottom is where water enters per the Atwood manual. The By Pass valve is in the by pass position per Winnie. But, when we turn on the pump, the tanks starts filling. I think I see why it does that looking at the pipes...but that is how it came from Winnie. Maybe there is a check valve on the hot side...and it failed? I'm confused. Goal now is to be able to use water. We can heat water/use CG showers.

    ">clicky
  • Belgique's avatar
    Belgique
    Explorer
    Apr 28, 2016
    Yes there is a by pass valve and it does bypass the cold hose. I have checked the Winnie manual and the valve is in the by pass mode. Atwood manual says the top fitting is hot and the bottom is cold. BUT when we turn the pump on, the tank starts filling even though the cold is disconnected. I don't understand it. The plumbing is as it came from Winnie.

    Chris, you saying that Home Depot would have 1/2" NPT fittings? Maybe I can replumb it with Sharkbite if they have that. There's one up the road in Guad.
    Thanks guys
  • qtla9111's avatar
    qtla9111
    Nomad
    Apr 28, 2016
    Home Depot is standard. You shouldn't have any issues. If you need a full replacement there may be one here in Monterrey at the rv store.

    I take it you are near Guadalajara. I will do some checking.

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