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CardinalNVA · 02-17-2012, 03:47 PM

I have a Winnebago Adventurer 38N that will not produce hot water when the hot water distrabution valve is in the normal position, however hot water will flow as norma except ther isa rattle/knock when a faucer is abrubtly opened. Any one have a suggestion?

JimM68 · 02-17-2012, 07:04 PM

My first guess is that the valves are open iin the outside shower (or possibly the inside shower) but the valve on the outlet is closed.
This allows the hot and cold to flow in a circle in the pipes, and typically u get a quick blast of hot followed by all cold.

CardinalNVA · 02-19-2012, 05:51 PM

Jim,
Thanks for your reply. I checked out you suggestion, but that is not the solution. Let me re state the issue. Down by the warer pump is a valve lableed Normal and when turned labled Hot Water Heater Bypass. When that valve is in the normal position water flowes through the plumbing with out any knocking but the water is not heated. When the valve is turned to Hot Water Heater Bypass the water in the plumbing flows and the water is heated. Additionally when the faucet, like the toilet or the valve to inlet water in the washing machine, is opened there is a rumble/rattle in the plumbing that comes from the area of the hot water heater. If a faucet is opened slowly there is no rumble rattle. Does that clarify what I am experiencing?
All Ideas are gratefully accepted.

trainsktg · 02-20-2012, 07:25 AM

It almost sounds like your plumbing is routed differently than your Normal/ Bypass valve is labelled. 'Bypass' should bypass the water heater, 'Normal' should send water to the heater. My house's hot water plumbing knocks too, and I need to fix it. Some of your piping might be loose in its supports, or your water pressure is too high.

Keith

Gary RVRoamer · 02-20-2012, 07:32 AM

Sounds to me like your valve is mislabeled. Or you are misreading it. Byoass should give you cold water at all taps, while normal should be hot.

There are check valves at the heater inlet and outlet and it is fairly common for them to get noisy if the water has a high mineral content (hard water). The valves get crudded up with mineral scale (and eventually stop working)

CardinalNVA · 02-20-2012, 05:33 PM

I think you are correct. The only way I will get to the bottem of the issue is to have an RV plumbing technician diagnose the problem and repair what needs to be repaired, Next week I think I will cam[ at Lazy Days ion FL and let the handle it. Thank you all for you insite.
CardinalNVA

f14av8r · 02-26-2012, 06:56 PM

I'm 99% sure the problem is with your water heater check valve. There are two of them and they chatter (hum, squeal, rattle) when they start to fail. On my Journey 34Y I was getting a loud whine whenever hot water was being used anywhere in the coach. This was an easy fix. I got the valve at Lazy Days (happened to be in town) and replaced the valve on the hot water side (attached to the heater itself). No more noise. The hardest part was getting to the valve as I had to remove a couple of panels and all the junk in the wardrobe closet.

I suspect you are misreading the label on your bypass valve. The handle of the bypass valve just pulls off and can eaisly be mispositioned. Just put it in the position where you get heated water at the outlets and you are good to go. Putting it in the opposite position will still allow water to flow from the hot water outlets but it won't go through the heater.

Clay L · 02-27-2012, 10:47 AM

This a diagram I drew of the way Winnebago plumbs the bypass.
Normally water flows in the direction the diverter valve handle is pointing.

CardinalNVA · 02-28-2012, 01:50 PM

Thanks to all of you who gave advice and possible solutions. I found a RV Certified Tech in the RV Park. He came up with the same solution that many of you provided. He got the Hotwater Bypass Valve placed properly and put a spot of silicone on the valve handle so it won't come off and get put back on incorrectly, but will still come off if necessary. He listened to the rumble/Knock in the system and opened up the access pannel to the hoteater heater, drained the heater and made sure the electric heating element was off. Before he drained it he had me run the water again putting his hand on both check valves (accessed through the access pannel to the rear of the heater) and identified the one with the rattle. Luckly he had a new valve on his truck and replaced it, refilled the hotwater heater, had me run the air out of the system and felt both valves before he closed up the rear access pannel and the front access pannel. All done in one half hour. Paid $60.00 cash for the repair. Best deal I have had in a long time.