Forum Discussion

retiredtraveler's avatar
retiredtraveler
Explorer
Feb 11, 2014

No hot water

We have been on our first winter trip for about 10 weeks now. We are presently in Canton,Ms.
Yesterday my wife took a nice hot shower. About an hour later I went to take one and had no hot water.
We have a 10 gallon water heater that runs on either AC or propane. We have always run it on AC to preserve propane. I checked the AC breaker and it was fine. There is a lighted switch in the bathroom signaling when the AC heater is on. That was lit.
I tried to turn on the propane heater this morning and after a false start it did come on. At least we do have hot water now.
Do any of you smart people have any ideas? Besides a burned out element?
Thanks in advance
Keld
Class A
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Feb 11, 2014
    AC/propane water heater.......which Brand/Model

    AC power is hardwired unless you have an aftermarket kit that plugs into an outlet.

    Anode Rod has nothing to do with the heating function/operation


    If you have a Suburban....the AC has own t-stats and propane has own t-stat
    Push the reset button on left side in outside compartment. That is for the ECO (High temp T-stat) on AC set. Right side ones are for propane set.
  • rgatijnet1's avatar
    rgatijnet1
    Explorer III
    Feb 11, 2014
    retiredtravelers2013 wrote:
    We have been on our first winter trip for about 10 weeks now. We are presently in Canton,Ms.
    Yesterday my wife took a nice hot shower. About an hour later I went to take one and had no hot water.
    We have a 10 gallon water heater that runs on either AC or propane. We have always run it on AC to preserve propane. I checked the AC breaker and it was fine. There is a lighted switch in the bathroom signaling when the AC heater is on. That was lit.
    I tried to turn on the propane heater this morning and after a false start it did come on. At least we do have hot water now.
    Do any of you smart people have any ideas? Besides a burned out element?
    Thanks in advance
    Keld


    If yours is like my Atwood water heater, there are two switches that allow you to use propane, 120 volt AC, or both. The 12 volts that feeds these switches also powers the circuit board that ignites the propane. The 12 volts also is used to light up the two switches to indicate that either one or both are turned on. That indicator light is only 12 volts so it does not actually mean that there is 120 volts at the water heater, even if the 12 volt indicator light is lit. I would suspect that either you do not actually have 120 volts at the water heater, the 120 volt thermostat on the water heater is bad, or the heating element is bad.
  • dougrainer's avatar
    dougrainer
    Nomad
    Feb 11, 2014
    1. Need year/brand model RV. Need Brand and model of water heater.
    2. The "lighted" switch does NOT indicate the Water heater is running on 120. ALL it does is indicate that 120 current is passing thru the wall switch to the Water heater 120 connections. You still have a problem with the 120 side of the Water Heater. Need to know Brand and Model of Water Heater as the only 2 brands function differently on their operation on 120.
    3. Since you use the 120 exclusively, the odds are the 120 element is indeed burned out, but there are a few checks you need to make before you determine that. Doug
  • dougrainer's avatar
    dougrainer
    Nomad
    Feb 11, 2014
    CampinMike wrote:
    My guess is the Anode rod.


    How can a Anode Rod cause ANY problem with the operation of a Water Heater??????????????? Think about it:h Doug
  • trop-a-cal's avatar
    trop-a-cal
    Explorer
    Feb 11, 2014
    Sometimes if you forgot to close outside shower/sprayer off the hot and cold mix and then just by closing it its back to normal. Other times in cold weather some propane can get frozen in the lines as condensation can be in your tank. Other times, sensors on tank get loose and the unit does not know that it needs to heat up. Or igniters are carbonized or gap is incorrect and the spark won't jump to start it. Other times the house batteries are to low to get the needed spark to jump.
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Feb 11, 2014
    The AC portion just plugs into an outlet, have you checked to make sure the plug hasn't come loose a bit?

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