Suburban Hot Water

[philandmargo]

I have a 2000 Tiffin Zephyr diesel pusher. It has a 10 gallon Suburban propane/electric water heater. I recently replaced the relief valve which was leaking significantly. I also flushed out the tank (as I do annually) and have a good anode rod. The water pressure has always been lacking since I owned the coach (3 years) but now it is down to a trickle. A hot trickle but a trickle none the less. Can some please advise on how to troubleshoot and correct? Regards, Phil

[N7SJN]

I agree with teachers pet. Had the valve come apart internally very simple fix as I had open access to the check valve.

[Tinstar]

Your problem may be different but I had the exact same problem last summer. After much searching I found the bypass valve gaskets had deteriorated over time and the gasket material was blocking the free-flow of water entering the water heater. One of the three was really bad but I replaced all three. Really a simple job. Turn off water, remove the handle and use a wrench, unscrew the valve, replace the gasket then put it back together. The new gaskets can be bought an any hardware store. It's a 30 minute job for a handyman.

[Teacher_s_Pet]

Just had the problem at all faucets on our 2006 Phaeton, a Suburban 10 gallon gas/electric. Check valve in hot water line behind heater had failed, dropping out a piece of the valve plunger that actually caught in the valve's spring. If yours is like ours it is attached using two sink supply nuts in PEX water lines. Bought the valve at a local Rv dealer for $8.65 including tax. Ours was behind a panel in the short bay in front of the passenger rear tire behind the WH. Had to unload bay and pull panel, had two screws on the inside behind the water heater. Now has a couple of 1 1/2" angles to attach to vertical member and two screws to attach where two staples were before.

[emiddleb]

Several possibilities here.

The water heater usually will have a check-valve on the back (maybe two.) One on the cold input to the water heater and one on the output hot side. These allow one-way water flow and are famous for plugging and jamming. I think these are what "Old Guy" was talking about in his response.

The bypass valves (used to isolate the water heater from the water system) are for winterizing with "pink" and saves you from needing 10+ gals of pink because its filling the heater. There are many cases reported of these valves plugging up with gunk and being 90% closed even with the handle at the open position.

Bottom line: if only one faucet is slow then it's the faucet (screen/line etc.) If everything is slow then its the water heater (check valve, bypass valve, water line) assuming you have good pressure on the cold side.

[philandmargo]

I'm a little confused on the bypass valve system. How should a 3 valve system operate. I normally just drain the tank in the winter if I'm not using the coach. But we live in the south and the cold weather isn't that intense, so draining lines hasn't really been that necessary in my short motorhome career. I think everything is open. How do I check?

[spadoctor]

sounds like you have the bypass only partially open....check the valves at the back at the heater

[philandmargo]

Every faucet is two handle except for the kitchen which is single handle. Also the valve set up at the tank is a 3 valve.

[MountainAir05]

Is it a two handle or single and at all faucets.

[old_guy]

not sure why it is just a trickle, but mine does the same thing. I checked the screens in the facets and am also thinking I got some gunk in the valve in the back of the tank, not sure what the valve is called, I'm having a senior moment.