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ZooKeeper78's avatar
ZooKeeper78
Explorer
May 29, 2016

Help! No hot water!

We have a 2005 Forest River Sunseeker Model 2680. We thought we had her all figured out but on our first trip we can't get any hot water to come out! We know the tank is working as we checked the pressure thingy and water came out. But it won't flow to the showers or sinks. We have checked every valve we could possible find. We looked under beds, behind drawers and cabinets. When we bought our rig they said it had an outside shower and we can't find it. From reading there is valve to the outside shower that could be messing with out hot water flowing, but we have torn this rig apart and can't find it. What are we missing??? Please help!
  • I have a 2007 2860. The hot water bypass valve is right below the bottom drawer at the kitchen sink at the back of the water heater. I can barely see it but can get my hands on it to operate it. If your 2005 is the same as my 2007(all the 2860s I've seen regardless of year are arranged the same) you will need to remove the bottom drawer and reach down to the back of the water heater. Your bypass valve seems to be in the bypass position, you should only need to rotate it 90 degrees to get your hot water working again.
  • Bypass valve should be right on the back of the hot water tank.
    You should have some kind of access point to it from the inside.
    If you are unsure where it is or can't find it, locate it by the access cover outside your rig, then look in the corresponding place inside your rig.
    Open the door, take off the access cover or whatever is there to access it. Mine is in the back corner and I have to take the mattress off the lower bunk and lift a section of the plywood bunk base to see the HWT.
    Look for a pipe going from the top to the bottom of the tank with a valve handle in the middle. They are usually marked with a label of some sort.
    Turn it 90 degrees.
    Let us know if you get this figured out.
    I seriously doubt there is a blockage in a pipe.

    Don't give up!
  • ZooKeeper78 wrote:
    We can't find the hot water heater bypass valve :( I am going with that it is clogged. We have officially given up! :( brrrrr


    Still haven't answered the real questions.......


    Do you get COLD water flow thru faucet HOT side?

    OR

    NO Flow thru faucet HOT side?






    Your WH (most likely a Suburban Brand) probably only has 2 valves on backside of WH
    A COLD inlet (bottom line that goes into WH Tank) and the Bypass (line between cold and hot lines)
    Bypass valve maybe behind a panel..........kitchen cabinet
  • ZooKeeper78 wrote:
    We can't find the hot water heater bypass valve
    If you've found the WH and it's not there, then maybe you don't have one.
  • We can't find the hot water heater bypass valve :( I am going with that it is clogged. We have officially given up! :( brrrrr
  • ZooKeeper78 wrote:
    We have a 2005 Forest River Sunseeker Model 2680. We thought we had her all figured out but on our first trip we can't get any hot water to come out! We know the tank is working as we checked the pressure thingy and water came out. But it won't flow to the showers or sinks. We have checked every valve we could possible find. We looked under beds, behind drawers and cabinets. When we bought our rig they said it had an outside shower and we can't find it. From reading there is valve to the outside shower that could be messing with out hot water flowing, but we have torn this rig apart and can't find it. What are we missing??? Please help!


    Cold water flows from hotside of faucets........Bypass valve still open on water heater

    NO water flows from hotside of faucet...........WH Hot outlet check valve failed/clogged/stuck closed
  • I just experienced exactly the same thing.
    Sudden out of town working trip, grabbed the TT, dewinterized it fast and took off to Lethbridge Alberta.
    Tried to wash up but stone cold water as you describe.
    Pondered the plight for a minute and then the light bulb came on. I missed one thing when I dewinterized.
    Like the unanimous analysis of the other answers here, I forgot to flip the HWT bypass valve.
    Cranked it and voila! All the hot water I need!

    As all the others said, it's your bypass valve.
  • Have your water heater bypass valves been opened (de-winterized)? I wasn't sure if the 'pressure thingy' you are talking about is the relief valve on the water heater?