1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 8. Fresh Water
This Part 8. Fresh Water, begins at a stage in our game of rebuilding the left sidewall of the camper. It is here on that side where we run into the utility connections, much of which are fresh water ...
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Yesterday the water heater came. I carried it to the shop and removed it from excellent packaging.
We found the best pricing at AdventureRV.net through Amazon and they gave it free shipping - Adventure net, not Amazon prime. At $289.84, it's one of the more expensive single item purchases so far for this camper. It has been very rewarding re-using so many portions from Lil' Queeny and the parts camper, and doing so makes those moments when we have to spend, much easier to accept.
We've always used pilot light heaters, until we bought our current travel trailer. The water heater in it has direct spark ignition and both electric 110V heating elements as well as the traditional propane heating method. We've found recovery time using propane is noticeably faster than using the electric setting, so when we ordered this heater we chose only the propane heat method, less expensive, and less to go wrong. But after having used the convenience of direct spark ignition, for the minimal extra cost, we just had to have that.
So here's the heater sitting on the bench.
Some of you may not have the opportunity to see a new heater up close, or may have your own, but haven't looked at it close, or maybe you know all about these things and just want to see how little I know, so here we go.
At the top is the pressure relief valve. They use standard release pressures, I assume, and if pressure rises too high inside, the valve will open to relieve it. These will typically just drip to release pressure, but can open to "spew" setting, or again so I assume. You'll find them on your home heater too. I use it to relieve pressure before opening the bottom drain plug, and I think working it keeps it from building up with crud and potentially failing.
Next to that is the exit vent for the hot gases as they heat the water. The water heater door has the grill in front of this vent.
Here's the gas valve. The gas line enters on the left side of the heater (while facing it from outside) and connects at the top. Then the valve controls the gas flow into the mixing tube below it. The valve will shut off flow when any number of unsafe or non-use conditions exist. This one is electronic as you can see. Traditionally they are opened and closed based on a signal from the generator tube assembling hanging out in the warmth of the pilot light. The pilot light goes out, the flow is cut off. Also, failed generator tubes can prevent a valve from flowing gas even if the pilot light is working correctly. But again, this one is electronic.
Also, above the valve you see a black rubber rectangle that includes a reset switch. If the water heats too high the sensor will trip the circuit and shut off the gas flow. When that happens you have to reset the button. If it happens consistently, you have a problem needing attention by someone smarter than me.
Down here at the end of the mixing tube, and at the opening of the gas flame heating area, is the direct spark ignition. It functions much like your BBQ grill ignitor, but looks to be much higher quality and it's controlled automatically.
At the very bottom is the drain plug, and like almost any of these, the drain plug includes the anode rod. The anode rod melts away over time; it's designed to do so. You want to keep an eye on it each time you drain the tank and replace it at some interval when the rod is some percentage gone. It melts away through electrolysis in the water, instead of other metal parts of your heater. You'll find anodes on boat engines too, where the drive unit sits down in the water.
So if this image has ever confused you...
perhaps it makes a little more sense now.
This is the electronic control box for the ignitor. I haven't yet read the instructions, but I believe it just mounts underneath the cabinet near the heater, and I believe there are just two other wires to connect to a simple on/off toggle switch to operate the heater.
Six gallons of water weighs about 50lbs. That's a lot of weight to be bouncing around, or shifting, up here so high above the center of gravity. So, I'll follow the instructions closely, but one thing I knew for certain, there's a 1.5" space between the bottom of the heater and the floor of the wing, that needs to be filled with a supporting spacer. I rolled the heater onto it's top and measured exactly what dimension of support shelf was needed. Because of the cylindrical shape and the nature of the styrofoam housing, this is all the spacer that would be touched, aproximately 6.5" by 18" (including the structural 2x2 and wall thickness).
So I cut two pieces of scrap 3/4" plywood, already primed for something else and then wasn't used, and set them into position.
Making a pencil mark, I removed the spacers and revealed where the boards lay over the wing seam from way back ago. I no longer feel the seam is a weak area of the camper, but it is a seam and I'll install the spacers in such a way as to strengthen the seam at the same time. I mean why not?
Then I slid the heater into place for test fitting.
2.25" of space behind the foam. Not a lot to work with, and yet I think it will be plenty, and will also put the bypass winterizing controls easier to access than probably even our paper plates!
I did glance at the instructions and noted that chocks are required at the heater's front and back, against the foam housing, to keep the heater from shifting. I think I will make the chocks part of the spacer boards, creating in essence a nice little cradle for the styrofoam housing, also giving it protection from under cabinet jabs.
So some of this "found space" will have a cradle chock, but still, there will be extra storage space for some particular longer and narrower item, perhaps a telescoping broom handle or something.
Again, here will be a chock on the front side, but much of this found space will provide a little more access for two fresh water manifolds, one serving five connections for cold water and the other serving four connections for hot water.
Lots of room considering the small spaces available in Lil' Queeny.
We found the best pricing at AdventureRV.net through Amazon and they gave it free shipping - Adventure net, not Amazon prime. At $289.84, it's one of the more expensive single item purchases so far for this camper. It has been very rewarding re-using so many portions from Lil' Queeny and the parts camper, and doing so makes those moments when we have to spend, much easier to accept.
We've always used pilot light heaters, until we bought our current travel trailer. The water heater in it has direct spark ignition and both electric 110V heating elements as well as the traditional propane heating method. We've found recovery time using propane is noticeably faster than using the electric setting, so when we ordered this heater we chose only the propane heat method, less expensive, and less to go wrong. But after having used the convenience of direct spark ignition, for the minimal extra cost, we just had to have that.
So here's the heater sitting on the bench.
Some of you may not have the opportunity to see a new heater up close, or may have your own, but haven't looked at it close, or maybe you know all about these things and just want to see how little I know, so here we go.
At the top is the pressure relief valve. They use standard release pressures, I assume, and if pressure rises too high inside, the valve will open to relieve it. These will typically just drip to release pressure, but can open to "spew" setting, or again so I assume. You'll find them on your home heater too. I use it to relieve pressure before opening the bottom drain plug, and I think working it keeps it from building up with crud and potentially failing.
Next to that is the exit vent for the hot gases as they heat the water. The water heater door has the grill in front of this vent.
Here's the gas valve. The gas line enters on the left side of the heater (while facing it from outside) and connects at the top. Then the valve controls the gas flow into the mixing tube below it. The valve will shut off flow when any number of unsafe or non-use conditions exist. This one is electronic as you can see. Traditionally they are opened and closed based on a signal from the generator tube assembling hanging out in the warmth of the pilot light. The pilot light goes out, the flow is cut off. Also, failed generator tubes can prevent a valve from flowing gas even if the pilot light is working correctly. But again, this one is electronic.
Also, above the valve you see a black rubber rectangle that includes a reset switch. If the water heats too high the sensor will trip the circuit and shut off the gas flow. When that happens you have to reset the button. If it happens consistently, you have a problem needing attention by someone smarter than me.
Down here at the end of the mixing tube, and at the opening of the gas flame heating area, is the direct spark ignition. It functions much like your BBQ grill ignitor, but looks to be much higher quality and it's controlled automatically.
At the very bottom is the drain plug, and like almost any of these, the drain plug includes the anode rod. The anode rod melts away over time; it's designed to do so. You want to keep an eye on it each time you drain the tank and replace it at some interval when the rod is some percentage gone. It melts away through electrolysis in the water, instead of other metal parts of your heater. You'll find anodes on boat engines too, where the drive unit sits down in the water.
So if this image has ever confused you...
perhaps it makes a little more sense now.
This is the electronic control box for the ignitor. I haven't yet read the instructions, but I believe it just mounts underneath the cabinet near the heater, and I believe there are just two other wires to connect to a simple on/off toggle switch to operate the heater.
Six gallons of water weighs about 50lbs. That's a lot of weight to be bouncing around, or shifting, up here so high above the center of gravity. So, I'll follow the instructions closely, but one thing I knew for certain, there's a 1.5" space between the bottom of the heater and the floor of the wing, that needs to be filled with a supporting spacer. I rolled the heater onto it's top and measured exactly what dimension of support shelf was needed. Because of the cylindrical shape and the nature of the styrofoam housing, this is all the spacer that would be touched, aproximately 6.5" by 18" (including the structural 2x2 and wall thickness).
So I cut two pieces of scrap 3/4" plywood, already primed for something else and then wasn't used, and set them into position.
Making a pencil mark, I removed the spacers and revealed where the boards lay over the wing seam from way back ago. I no longer feel the seam is a weak area of the camper, but it is a seam and I'll install the spacers in such a way as to strengthen the seam at the same time. I mean why not?
Then I slid the heater into place for test fitting.
2.25" of space behind the foam. Not a lot to work with, and yet I think it will be plenty, and will also put the bypass winterizing controls easier to access than probably even our paper plates!
I did glance at the instructions and noted that chocks are required at the heater's front and back, against the foam housing, to keep the heater from shifting. I think I will make the chocks part of the spacer boards, creating in essence a nice little cradle for the styrofoam housing, also giving it protection from under cabinet jabs.
So some of this "found space" will have a cradle chock, but still, there will be extra storage space for some particular longer and narrower item, perhaps a telescoping broom handle or something.
Again, here will be a chock on the front side, but much of this found space will provide a little more access for two fresh water manifolds, one serving five connections for cold water and the other serving four connections for hot water.
Lots of room considering the small spaces available in Lil' Queeny.