Water Heater, How long do they last?

Try flushing the water heater, see if it will then heat. Might need to just replace the element, sounds like the tank is still doing OK if its heating with propane an not leaking.

My 20 year old Atwood has a thermal reset button. On two occasions in the past ten years , the water heater has been turned on with no water in the tank. It has a bi-metal, oilcan type switch that shuts down the electricity before the element self destructs. This heater has a sheet metal box, about 4 inch by 4 inch, mounted on the side of the heater. This box has a 3/4 inch hole in the side. Put your finger in the hole and push until you feel/hear a click. It takes a certain act of faith to stick your finger into a blind hole in an electrical box but that's what it takes.
Hope this helps. I may have the only surviving heater of this type in the world but it doesn't hurt to share my experience.

One was a cracked tank, one a corrosion problem.

I have one in my old camper, it's 38 years old and still works, I also have one in a 25 Year old Lance camper that still works fine, it's a direct ignition one.

Bob

My Atwood is 37 years and counting. It is only gas, but the water heater itself is the same if is only gas or dual fuel. It is also heated by engine heat when traveling.

donsuefuggrwe wrote:
I am on my third WH in my 2001 Tradewinds. Full time 13 years, 123000 miles on it. Access is by the outside panel on mine. Washer machine should not be in the way. $600. a pop.

Did the other two WHs have cracked tanks?

Otherwise....why are you replacing the whole unit (unless you upgraded in size or for dual heating)?

Just doesn't make cents......

I am on my third WH in my 2001 Tradewinds. Full time 13 years, 123000 miles on it. Access is by the outside panel on mine. Washer machine should not be in the way. $600. a pop.

All you have to do is check the element for continuity to see if it's good or really the problem. At this point it sounds like you're assuming it's the problem.

My HWH is currently 16 years old and running strong. Well I take that back, last season it stopped working and I thought it was the element. Checked it for continuity and it was OK. Checked to see if power was getting to it and no it wasn't. The 15 amp switch on the 20 amp circuit went bad. Seems like the lighted switch only comes in 15 amp so we'll see how long the replacement lasts.

My RV is 17 years old. The water heater still works, but has cracks in the aluminum tank, that cause it to drip a bit. So I would say you can get 16 years out of them.

What savings will you get by replacing the heating element? Propane is about $3 per gallon where I live and electric to run the heating element about $0.10 per KW. It takes 22 KW to make the same amount of heat as 1 gallon of propane, so you would save about 80 cents compared to burning a gallon of propane in my area. Since my 11 gallon propane tank will last 4 weeks full timing in the summer, my guess is the refrigerator used 1/2 that propane, and then the water heater 4-6 gallons in 4 weeks, or about $5 per week. Either way, it is not worth it to say "I will save $40 a year in propane by replacing the electric element."

But buy and have a $465 water heater installed if you are happy with that decision. The heating element is about $45, and as you said will take a bit of time to install. You are not sure that it will be leak free once completed, however most of the time it all installs quickly without problems.

I would just leave it alone, and burn propane for the next 6 years, replace it then, if you have not already traded it in on a newer model.

Fred.

A water heater can easily last 20 years if it is well designed and properly treated.. Or six months if you forget to drain the water out of it in Michigan in the Winter...

Rumor has it the heat element is easy to replace, you may even be able to get one in a different size. That is one area where they missed the boat.

They should have put in two elements.. One full power, one half (or quarter) power so you could keep it hot on 30 amps without tripping anything.