Check the Water Heater Bypass Dummy!
I posted this on the Lance Owners Site, but though it might be useful here also:
As I've mentioned in a couple of other posts I acquired a '95 Lance 880 recently and I've been fixing minor issues and testing the various components. I had not checked the water heater operation until a couple of days ago because the fresh water tank drain valve was leaking and I wanted to replace it first.
In in any case I got the drain fixed and filled the fresh water tank, turned on the pump, opened both the hot and cold faucets and everything seemed good.
OK time to check the HW heater and tank! So I go outside and fire up the pilot. Wonderful it comes on. With bated breath I turn the heater to on. The burner fires. Wow I'm a happy camper Until it shuts off after about two minutes and the water from the faucet is still cold.
I get get out the air compressor, blow out the burner and the orifice and go through the routine again. Same results. I download the Suburban maintenance manual and read through it. It talks about several other possibilities including improper propane pressure, but everything else is running normally including the furnace and the reefer on gas, so that seems unlikely.
OK probably a bum thermostat. Well much to my dismay the thermostat is an integral part of the control unit and that is going for about $175! The bloody water heater can be completely replaced for about $300.
So i dejectedly call it a day. Sometime in the middle of the night it strikes me that I never checked to see if the water heater was being bypassed. This morning I dig out the owner's manual since the placard by the heater is a bit confusing and I look at the diagram. Sure enough, it appears it is in the bypass configuration. I turn a couple of valves and "whoosh" the water pump runs like mad! What a happy sound that was. After it quits I open a hot water tap and am greeted with the rush of air followed by water. I go outside and start the heater and it stays on. Yippee life is good!
I'm lucky I didn't fry the heater or blow myself (and the camper) to Kingdom Come.
As I've mentioned in a couple of other posts I acquired a '95 Lance 880 recently and I've been fixing minor issues and testing the various components. I had not checked the water heater operation until a couple of days ago because the fresh water tank drain valve was leaking and I wanted to replace it first.
In in any case I got the drain fixed and filled the fresh water tank, turned on the pump, opened both the hot and cold faucets and everything seemed good.
OK time to check the HW heater and tank! So I go outside and fire up the pilot. Wonderful it comes on. With bated breath I turn the heater to on. The burner fires. Wow I'm a happy camper Until it shuts off after about two minutes and the water from the faucet is still cold.
I get get out the air compressor, blow out the burner and the orifice and go through the routine again. Same results. I download the Suburban maintenance manual and read through it. It talks about several other possibilities including improper propane pressure, but everything else is running normally including the furnace and the reefer on gas, so that seems unlikely.
OK probably a bum thermostat. Well much to my dismay the thermostat is an integral part of the control unit and that is going for about $175! The bloody water heater can be completely replaced for about $300.
So i dejectedly call it a day. Sometime in the middle of the night it strikes me that I never checked to see if the water heater was being bypassed. This morning I dig out the owner's manual since the placard by the heater is a bit confusing and I look at the diagram. Sure enough, it appears it is in the bypass configuration. I turn a couple of valves and "whoosh" the water pump runs like mad! What a happy sound that was. After it quits I open a hot water tap and am greeted with the rush of air followed by water. I go outside and start the heater and it stays on. Yippee life is good!
I'm lucky I didn't fry the heater or blow myself (and the camper) to Kingdom Come.
