Community Forums

scwidvicious · 05-21-2017, 04:27 AM

I searched before posting the question, but didn't find my specific issue..

I have my van mostly level in the driveway, so this isnt the issue........

what happens is when I turn on my cold water, it starts out cold, then for about 5 seconds, hot water comes out, and i mean full on hot, then it goes back cold.. does this at every tap and the shower every time you turn it on..

Any suggestion on how to stop this?

thanks

MisterT · 05-21-2017, 06:14 AM

are you connected to 'city water' from your home?

is your water hose laying in the sun all day?

get the picture?

scwidvicious · 05-21-2017, 06:49 AM

no, I'm running solely off of the freshwater tanks inside (it has 2)..

im doing all this stuff before i leave the house all together to work out all the bugs and get used to it, so im basically living in it in my driveway .

when i say it does it every time, i mean you can turn it on 5 seconds of hot... turn it off, wait 3 seconds, turn it on, and it will run hot for 5 seconds again.. turn it off, wait 3 seconds, turn it on, 5 seconds of hot*..

its quite annoying. i end up having to waste an extra liter of water to wash my hands.

Winemaker2 · 05-21-2017, 06:58 AM

There is usually a check valve on the cold inlet to the HWH which prevents that kind of back flow. My guess is sticking open...pressure build as water heats...when you open cold it flows back thru cold lines...after the hot side pressure drops the back flow stops and you get cold as normal.

scwidvicious · 05-21-2017, 11:55 PM

Thanks, i will check into it and see what it has.. I know it has a regulator for the city water inline, it also has one of those water hammer eliminator things. I had to install one of those in the house, it sounded like godzilla roaring in here every time you turned the water on.. still does sometimes, but not quite as bad..

4x4van · 05-23-2017, 12:21 PM

Do you have an exterior shower? If so, make sure that it is turned off at the valves, not at the shower head.

scwidvicious · 05-24-2017, 01:51 AM

No external water that I know of, it only has internal water.. It has the Kitchen sink, the bathrooms basin and a shower in the rear of the rv.

Here's a couple photos of the water system at the hot water tank and surrounds..

when i first got it, that tank had algae in it, the other tank was better, but i cleaned them both with a hand scrubbing inside then bleaching soak..

i wonder if maybe the whale surge damper might be causing it... if its sucking a bit out of the tank, it would put it in the cold water supply. should I increase the inlet hose length to the hot water heater?

thanks

Winemaker2 · 05-25-2017, 06:15 AM

If there is no Check valve on the cold inlet to the HWH I would add one. The accumulator should be before the check valve...further from the HWH...that way it provides more constant pressure to cold and the feed to HWH giving more constant flow and temp when showering.
I can't tell from photos what the flow pattern is but it looks like someone has modified a factory install...just a guess. Might help to diagram what is there so you are sure...might help us understand and help diagnose it.

scwidvicious · 05-26-2017, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winemaker2

If there is no Check valve on the cold inlet to the HWH I would add one. The accumulator should be before the check valve...further from the HWH...that way it provides more constant pressure to cold and the feed to HWH giving more constant flow and temp when showering.
I can't tell from photos what the flow pattern is but it looks like someone has modified a factory install...just a guess. Might help to diagram what is there so you are sure...might help us understand and help diagnose it.

ok, I will do my best to try to diagram it and take a better photo.. you can see where they marked out arrows and writing.. (the pencil arrows I put for the water pump flow direction) it had sediment in the valves causing the pump to cycle every few seconds. that was super annoying.

I do know that part of the stuff is an extra tank added in, the ball valves are where they are supposed to be .. and shown in the manual in that configuration. it has 2, what appears to be inlets on the side of the van as well.. one is for city water, has a regulator just inside of it. , i have no idea what it's for.. i tried to make it drain the water from it, but that never worked. lol

Winemaker2 · 05-30-2017, 04:40 AM

Just a guess but when I've had 2 inlets the second is for rinsing the black tank...no valves or regulators...just hook up a hose and give it a try you should get flow out of the black dump

scwidvicious · 05-31-2017, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winemaker2

Just a guess but when I've had 2 inlets the second is for rinsing the black tank...no valves or regulators...just hook up a hose and give it a try you should get flow out of the black dump

It actually leads into the main setup.. I don't have a black tank. I dont know what it does.. lol

scwidvicious · 05-31-2017, 04:46 AM

Mapped as good as i can figure it..

im sure I will figure it out as i get experience in it.

Winemaker2 · 05-31-2017, 05:34 PM

Looking at the labeled photos the following would be my guess - maybe it will help w/ any further diagnosis...

I see at least 3 different types of piping / fittings (white plastic, black plastic, for PEX tubing & hose & clamps...I'm guessing set up is NOT 100% factory and previous owner did some modifcations
If the metallic unit is a check valve (good guess?) it would explain your cold / hot /cold flow symptoms...initially there is cold in the supply to the taps (beyond HWH) if all taps are closed - heating expands the hot water from the HWH backs up into the surge tank (because the check valve is to the R of the tank) so after cold flow the hot from the cold inlet to HWH and the exp tank takes over until the pressure is relieved and you get fresh cold flow from the city connect or pump & onboard tank (I'm guessing you get similar conditions either way?
I would recommend moving (or adding a) check valve immediately before the cold supply enters the HWH
I'm also guessing the ball valves are not on/off but rather 3Way valves but not sure what they are meant to do...
The only thing that could make sense for the pump inlet side would be to bypass the tanks (after draining and to winterize the system) and feed the pump from the unknown hose?? Flow will be opposite whats shown to supply pump - is there a hose somewhere that could be stuck in a jug of pink AF to winterize the system? - these pumps will self prime a draw from a jug.
Then there's the one on the discharge side of pump - one way lets pump discharge supply rest of the system from the onboard tanks - that part I get (an elbow would do the same). Only a WILD guess but if the inlet ?hose? is for winterizing then throwing the discharge side 3way would send AF back to tanks 1 / 2 via the clear / blue stripe " line
If you find an identified hose / inlet somewhere mix up a jug of water w/ food coloring and see if you can use it to trace where it flows by switching the 3way valves - inlet side should draw from the ?hose? switching the pump discharge 3way will either send the colored water to fixtures aboard or back to the tanks?

Hope some / most of my ramblings make some sense!!
Now I'm curious - let us know what you learn

Winemaker2 · 05-31-2017, 07:07 PM

Forgot to add...

If you are in an area that requires winterizing the most important feature - IMO - is the ability to bypass the HWH after draining to avoid having to fill it w/ AF.