Need some advice - HWH bypass on Jayco 35RLSA...

Just to close this thread out, I replaced the mixer valve this morning and lo and behold, hot water! On a difficulty scale of 1 to 10, I'd put this one at an 8 to diagnose, and a 6 to repair once I figured out how to get the access panels off. Now all is good with the world and we're ready to head out for a long Memorial Day weekend!

Happy Trails!

Itching2go wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Time for new mixing valve.

Yeah, I think you're right. Just ordered one from Amazon for $130 and change. I've read that unlike the older valves, the new ones have a screen on the inlet to block any sediments. Of course, a screen could just catch it and clog, but at least it can be cleaned.

Try cleaning up old one for a spare

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Time for new mixing valve.

Yeah, I think you're right. Just ordered one from Amazon for $130 and change. I've read that unlike the older valves, the new ones have a screen on the inlet to block any sediments. Of course, a screen could just catch it and clog, but at least it can be cleaned.

Time for new mixing valve.

It's the 16 xt. 10 gallon tank with 16 gallon effective capacity. Mixer valve (PN 90020) is located on the rear, top/center. Taps directly into the tank with a cold water line hooked into the too if the valve, and a mixed hot/cold line output line hooked into the left side of the valve. There is an adjusting 'knob' on the right side of the valve, but once set, it's riveted and glued in place I assume for liability purposes.

Unless that Atwood is an XT Model...there is no 'mixing valve'. Only the XT Models use one.

IF it is an XT Model.....mixing valves do have problems and have to be replaced

SO what is the Model of that Atwood?
a 'GE16XT' (10 gallon)
OR
a 'GC10A' (10 gallon)

How many valves on back of WH?


3 valves cold/hot OPEN........middle (BYPASS) CLOSED


2 (3 way) valves...this one is in BYPASS (handles are parallel to middle line). Would need to turn both handles parallel with cold/hot lines to be in service


2 valve (cold inlet, BYPASS with check valve in hot outlet) Cold OPEN BYPASS CLOSED


1 (3 way) valve. Cold inlet-----handle parallel with cold line (BYPASS---handle would be parallel with middle line) Check valve in hot out



Need to make sure that any BYPASS valve is CLOSED. Otherwise cold water will mix with hot water making 'warm' water

Also check shower(s) inside/outside that they are turned off with cold/hot knobs and not just the shutoff on shower handle.
Cold/Hot will mix inside shower faucet giving you warm water

Did some more checking and I'm pretty well convinced that it's the mixer valve. Turns out from some web research, this isn't an uncommon occurrence for Atwood heaters with this feature, particularly for people running hard water through the system. Deposits get run through the mixer valve and clog it up. As I understand it, this almost always happens at the beginning of a season when people un-winterize and stir things up when filling up their heater tanks. The best defense is to make sure the sediment is cleared out of the tank when draining it at the end of the year. So now it's off to figure out my options to repair, replace, or bypass it altogether.

Fun times. If anyone's got any ideas, throw them my way.

So here's an update with a different problem. Got into the basement and found the panel that JW mentioned (thanks, JW). Got it off and sure enough, the water heater was not in bypass. Purged the tank (again) to get as much of the pink stuff out as possible, refilled it, and fired it up on propane. (No AC available at that point.) This is a 10 gallon Atwood heater, by the way. Had a Suburban in my old rig, so Atwood is new to me.

Must have taken a half-hour for the burner to light, but eventually it did with no intervention on my part. Waited a good half hour to an hour until it shut off, then ran the hot water at the kitchen sink. While the water was warm, it never did get hot. Same for the shower and bathroom sink Must have run it for a half-hour before the heater fired up again. So, with all that, I'm thinking I have either a faulty thermostat, or the mixer on the back of the heater is adding too much cold to not enough hot.

Has anyone else run into this and have some ideas to share? I'll take all the advice I can get.

Thanks...

jw of 4 corners wrote:
Our Jayco Designer 35CLQS had a small panel in the storage compartment near the water heater and pump with only two screws in it so that you could take it off to access the bypass. Not sure on your unit if it is the same.

I saw that panel, but wasn't wild about crawling into the basement to get to it, especially after mounting a cord reel in the vicinity that reduces the open space a bit. Thinking I'll just go ahead and bite the bullet, open the panel, and see what I can see. Hard to believe that they'd hide the bypass like that, though. I do appreciate the info. Thanks...

Our Jayco Designer 35CLQS had a small panel in the storage compartment near the water heater and pump with only two screws in it so that you could take it off to access the bypass. Not sure on your unit if it is the same.