water heater maintenance

SeaRay · 06-22-2005, 06:23 AM

Last night we had almost no water pressure in our hot water lines. I assumed something had clogged in the water heater. When we got up this morning the flow was back to normal.
I guess whatever was in the line flushed through.
It occurred to me that I have not done any maintenance to the waterheater in the 3 years I have had the coach. We are fulltimers so it is in use all the time.
Does this unit have the anode that needs replacing? Should the heater be flushed out occassionally?
Thanks for any input.
SeaRay

SeaRay · 06-22-2005, 06:23 AM

Last night we had almost no water pressure in our hot water lines. I assumed something had clogged in the water heater. When we got up this morning the flow was back to normal.
I guess whatever was in the line flushed through.
It occurred to me that I have not done any maintenance to the waterheater in the 3 years I have had the coach. We are fulltimers so it is in use all the time.
Does this unit have the anode that needs replacing? Should the heater be flushed out occassionally?
Thanks for any input.
SeaRay

troth · 06-22-2005, 07:33 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Last night we had almost no water pressure in our hot water lines. I assumed something had clogged in the water heater. When we got up this morning the flow was back to normal.
I guess whatever was in the line flushed through. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

While it's conceivable that a piece of scale/lime could get in the line, it's unlikely. Did you notice the low water flow at more than one faucet? Did you remove the spigot screens/aerator to check for the blockage?

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> It occurred to me that I have not done any maintenance to the waterheater in the 3 years I have had the coach. We are fulltimers so it is in use all the time.
Does this unit have the anode that needs replacing? Should the heater be flushed out occassionally? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Your coach should have an Atwood water heater; they do not require anode rods, but this is not to say that someone installed one before you. Turn off the 110vac, remove the drain plug, and open the pressure release valve lever. You can use a piece of coat hanger to scrape around the bottom of the tank to see if there's a lot of scale/lime; it'll come out the drain hole.
Have you been using mostly 110vac to heat the water, or do you use LP gas just as much? The electric elements can scale-up after a few years and the then flake off. As for draining the heater, I drain mine after every campout; scale build-up is nonexistent and there's no "skunky" old water in the system the next time.
The more details you give us, the better we can help you with your problem.

bflem · 06-22-2005, 09:21 AM

You may experience this problem again and it is probably caused by a failute of one of the check valves on the water heater. I have replaced a couple of them and the water would run one time and then just be a trickle. They are around $10. but are diffucult to change because of the location. The valves screw into the inlet and outlet of the water heater and have a small t shaped valve with a spring and keeper. The keeper will come off and if the valve is in the closed position there will be no flow.

Stumpjumper · 06-22-2005, 12:40 PM

How do you get to the back of the water heater. Do you have to remove the dog house cover?

bflem · 06-22-2005, 04:27 PM

Water heaters are in different locations on coaches. Mine was behind the refrigerater close to the floor. I took the breaker panel loose and laid on the floor to change the check valve,the breaker panel was below the refrigerater.

SeaRay · 06-22-2005, 04:50 PM

I drained the heater and flushed it out real good. There was almost no sediment or particles that would explain the blockage. It is an Atwood and is aluminum with no anode. I will see if it does it again. Maybe it was of the RV Goblins that show up from time to time with no explanation.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
Searay

SeaRay · 06-29-2005, 03:34 PM

Update on Water Heater Problem!!!!!! Bflem is correct. I spoke to Winnebago today and learned that there are check valves on the input and output of the heater. They keep antifreeze from backflowing into the heater when you winterize.
I can get to mine behind the water heater, but I am afraid as awkard as the position is to work in I would break something, I have an appt with CW on the 5th to get them replaced. Right now everything is working but they have shut off 2 or 3 times in the last week so it is time to replace them.
As always thanks for everyones input.
SeaRay

troth · 06-30-2005, 02:04 AM

Boy, if I could get to the backside of my water heater without pulling it out of the coach, I'd change my check valves in a heartbeat!
And I wouldn't put new ones in. I'd go back to the good old three-way hand valves (like the old winterizing kits) on both the in & out lines. Then you positively know when you've turned the valve that it's where you want it and it cannot fail.
Just my 2 cents.