Hello, Just got a skyline 2002 249LT and I am a little confused in regards to the water heater. So if im at home, and hook up the water hose to my trailer (in the city water connection) and turn the water hose on this will fill up my water heater correct? And once its full (you check by turning on the hot water faucet, if water comes out then its full) i can then hook up electricity and turn on the switch to ignite the water heater and all is right in the world.Correct? I guess i am just checking to see if the above is the right way to do it, and my other question is once that is done, and i unhook the city water line does the 6 gallons of water remain in the water heater tank, so from that point on i can just leave the power cord hooked up to it at home and do what im going to do in the trailer and not worry about the hot water tank burning up? I guess im confused, ive heard you cant plug in your trailer to your house without the hot water heater being filled up, even if you dont plan on hitting the switch to ignite the gas and heat the water up. Is there a heating element in the tank that comes on the minute you plug in the power somewhere? Oh and one more thing, when you guys go camping and hook up to the city water and electricity, do you just turn your propane on and leave it on the whole time your camping? Do you drain the 6 gallons of water out of the water heater before you leave for camping or just leave that water in there until your ready to winterize it? Sorry about the long post, i just want to get this right! So many questions so little time to camp in cold oregon.

Rule #1, never turn on a water heater unless it is full of water, those heating elements will burn out very quickly if not water is there.Once you connect to the city water part of your camper, I would turn on the hot water till all the air comes out of the line (the 6 gallons) then you are ok to turn on your heater. It typically takes 20 minutes on propane to heat the water up. The water heater will only turn on if you turn the switch on, plus you will have to turn on the propane, not sure how the electric ones work (never had one)I always dump the water before I leave the camp site, why tug an extra 48 lbs (6 gallons at 8 lbs each). I typically drain all water before we leave.When we 1st started camping, I would always turn on the gas when I needed it, then turn it off when I didn't. Anymore, I just simply leave it on anymore...Dan

As described above, the water heater must be full of water before any heating. When we pull into a campground and plug in we turn on the electric heater. It stays on all the time. Occasionally we'll also turn on the propane as well for showers to speed recovery times. Normally the propane heater is off.We left the propane cylinders on all the time. When plugged in the fridge is on electricity. When travelling it runs on propane to keep temperature constant.This worked well over the 4 months we travelled last winter. I hope this helps.

dtzackus wrote:Rule #1, never turn on a water heater unless it is full of water, those heating elements will burn out very quickly if not water is there.Once you connect to the city water part of your camper, I would turn on the hot water till all the air comes out of the line (the 6 gallons) then you are ok to turn on your heater. It typically takes 20 minutes on propane to heat the water up. The water heater will only turn on if you turn the switch on, plus you will have to turn on the propane, not sure how the electric ones work (never had one)I always dump the water before I leave the camp site, why tug an extra 48 lbs (6 gallons at 8 lbs each). I typically drain all water before we leave.When we 1st started camping, I would always turn on the gas when I needed it, then turn it off when I didn't. Anymore, I just simply leave it on anymore...DanOkay, that about answers my questions. Thanks so much! you would think they would mention in the owners manual that very important part but i never saw it. Ha. If my friend wouldnt have mentioned that to me i would have just come home and hooked up the electricity and burned up the element inside. good lord. what else and i missing? ha ha. Thanks again.

owenssailor wrote:As described above, the water heater must be full of water before any heating. When we pull into a campground and plug in we turn on the electric heater. It stays on all the time. Occasionally we'll also turn on the propane as well for showers to speed recovery times. Normally the propane heater is off.We left the propane cylinders on all the time. When plugged in the fridge is on electricity. When travelling it runs on propane to keep temperature constant.This worked well over the 4 months we travelled last winter. I hope this helps.Our is gas, but has an an electronic ignition....so i suppose that means we turn on the city water, once the water heater is filled with water, plug in the electricity, then turn on the propane then flip the switch that activates the electronic ignitor. Jesus, i just want to go camping ha!

Electric element and propane ignition are on separate switches. If you have a Suburban WH the switch may be outside in the WH compartment. A black on/off toggle switch. If you have electric hookups at the campground save your propane and heat with electric. You can run both for quicker recovery. If I know I'm going camping again within a few weeks, I leave the water in my tank when we're done. I always turn my electric switch for the WH off before I unhook the water when I break camp.#2. I leave my propane on when we camp. If the 2002 models do not have a CO or propane detector I would install one. The only thing I turn off if we leave camp to go sightseeing is the water. And that's just an AR precaution.

TT Newbie has questions, help? | Good Sam Community

GMT830
Explorer
May 13, 2013
We have a switch over the counter to power the Microwave OR the Water Heater. Pretty slick. Also a switch on the water heater under the kitchen sink. I'm going to add some indicators so we know the heater is turned on, and when the element is heating.
cyberiankhatru
Explorer
May 12, 2013
Once I realized I had an electric function (duh) I was always afraid I'd forget it was on so I made a little red tape flag and taped it to the door of the h/w compartment. Whe it's on, I flip the tape so it shows. When I am breaking camp, it's a good reminder to flip that switch off. And at that time, I flip the red tape so it doesn't poke out the top of my water heater door. So far no mistakes!
lovemytt
Explorer
May 11, 2013
Very interesting reading. I was taught by my Dad to drain the tank and turn the propane off when not in use. He also taught me to blow out the lines every time because you never knew when it may freeze and you don't want that mess. He later amended the last part to be seasonal as we were camping more than he thought we might.
Pool
Explorer
May 11, 2013
30 amps can get used up pretty quick using all electric. Fridge, a/c, microwave and water heater. We use propane for drive and water heater while at campground so there is not an issue using microwave and a/c at the same time. Have used both gas and electric to heat water quicker after showers.
Saltlick
Explorer
May 11, 2013
Well headed off for my first trip with the TT. Turned the fridge on and I have read it takes about 24hrs to cool down, i also read that there is a cold control thingy attached to a plastic clip on the last fin, so i go and see the plastic thing attached to the last fin in the fridge, there is a wire running down to it so i pull the plastic clip off and the wire is just sitting in there, taped off....does this mean the temp control thing was busted off at some point? I wouldnt think its suppose to be like that. Is it safe to run the fridge like this? Oh well, everything else works great.
Saltlick
Explorer
Apr 15, 2013
everything seemed to work out, although i didnt see this post until now. I will go home and pull on the pressure relief valve and see if water comes out. I had only turned on the hot water faucet to see if the tank was full. Where is this bypass valve located anyway in case i have to turn it on?
GMT830
Explorer
Apr 15, 2013
FoCoNoCo wrote:
Have always wondered why people open pressure relief valves. They are not designed to be repeatedly opened. Opening the valves does two things, weakens the spring, and dislodges the rubber seal and allows the P/T valve to leak.

I would rather know the P/T valve works and isn't rusted shut.....
Still_Searchin_
Explorer
Apr 15, 2013
Ditto on making sure your bypass valves aren't set for bypassing the water heater. As mentioned, you will still get water out of your hot water faucet when tank is bypassed, but no water is in the water tank.
We don't empty our water tank at all while camping or traveling. We have both an electric heat rocker switch and a propane rocker switch, and use both while taking showers. I used to leave the electric element on all the time when connected to 120 volt power until my heating element malfunctioned. Now I turn off the element until I need hot water (first thing in morning, while doing dishes or taking a shower).
FoCoNoCo
Explorer
Apr 15, 2013
Have always wondered why people open pressure relief valves. They are not designed to be repeatedly opened. Opening the valves does two things, weakens the spring, and dislodges the rubber seal and allows the P/T valve to leak.
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Apr 14, 2013
The only thing I want to add is that I do not drain the water heater during camping season. (For me to do that I would have to crawl under the camper and remove a plug.) There is no real reason to drain it unless your not going to use the camper for months then the water would get stale in the water heater.