No Hot Water

[Clev51]

New Owners and First RV EVER ... We just purchased a 2015 Newmar Canyon Star 3914 and have been in it for 24 hours. We have no hot water and don't know if there is a hot water heater to turn on? Or what steps should we follow to get hot water? Any assistance would be appreciated!
Clev51

[CLIFFTALL]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new Newmar. I've moved your post here to get other Newmar owners input.
Cliff

["007"]

Welcome to the forum and irv2.
When you purchased didn't the dealer go over operations during your PDI?
Here is a Owners Guide for you. Your hot water heater has to ways to heat the water in tank. You must have water in HW tank or you will burn out the electric element.
If the HW heater has been winterized than the by-pass valvels have to be opened to get water in tank.
Here are what by-pass valves look like in these pictures.
Question was the coach winterized so we have some idea what we are talking about?
How much do you not know about your coach do you have lights, can watch TV, water hooked up, power hooked up, water out of faucets?
Here are some TECH TIP's you may need to know.
Are you in the dark now either outside or completely confused.
This is your water heater and you will see front panel outside wall of coach, maybe on your drivers side.
DO NOT TURN ANYTHING ON UNTIL YOUR SURE YOU HAVE WATER IN TANK, FIRST STEP.
Are you in a campground may have a helpful follow RVer?

[BFlinn181]

Yes the water heater must be turned on, suggest you look in your owner's manual to find out exactly what's involved. If it's just an LP water heater, a simple switch, often located in a panel near kitchen or bathroom should do it. If it's part of a heating system supplied by engine coolant and circulation pumps, you definitely need to consult your manuals. If you are still close to the dealer you bought from, go back and ask for a complete run through of all systems until you are comfortable with their operation.

If it's a combination LP gas and/or electric heat element, it gets even more complicated because the electric element will often have a switch inside RV and a second one hidden in the outside access cover on the water heater itself. The second, hidden switch is to turn off when the water heater tank is drained so the element doesn't get accidentally turned on and burn out with no water in it.

[GaryKD]

Hi Clev51,
Welcome to iRV2 and the Newmar Owners Forum. The brochure does not say specifically what water heating system you have. However, from reading other items in the specifications, I'm going to assume you have a 10 gallon electric/propane fueled hot water heater.

Before doing anything, make sure the water heater has water in it.

To turn on the hot water:
1. Electric - Check the switch on the water heater itself. For this go to the outside removable panel and there should be a small black switch in the lower left of the water heater. Make sure this switch is on. There should be a control panel located above the passenger seat or in the entry/exit door area. This is the same panel that has the battery status monitor and tanks level gages. There should be a switch to turn on the electric element that heats hot water. When the switch is in the on position the red light should be lit. If these two switches are on and the red light is on, you are good to go. If the red light fails to come on, check the breaker located in the coach 120 VAC breaker panel.
2. Propane - The valve on the propane tank needs to be open all the way. In the same control panel mentioned in #1 there should be a rocker switch to fuel the water heater via the propane burner. The switch is turned on by pressing the bottom of the switch for on and the top of the switch for off. When the switch is first turned on and the heater is calling for heat, a red light will be on. Once the propane burner ignites and is functioning properly the light will go off and stay off. If the light comes on and stays on, the propane burner has not passed the diagnostic test. One can turn the switch off, wait a few seconds and turn the switch on again.


If all the breaker and switches are on and the red light (for electric) is on and there is still no hot water, the most likely cause is the heating element was turned on without water in the tank. It takes about 2 seconds to ruin the heating element. One will need to get the heating element replaced. The propane burner will heat water quickly and provide the fastest recovery of hot water use. I use the electric heat element only. When there is more than one shower to take, one right after the other, I turn on the propane burner to supplement the electric heat. With both fuels providing heat, the water heater will keep up with multiple showers.


Lastly, the floor plan of you coach is an excellent choice. I really like it.

[Rotten-Red]

One other thing to check. It sounds as though you just purchased the coach. You don't mention where your located. If you purchased from a dealer in a cold location where the coach may have been winterized the by-pass valves on the water heater may be turn to by-pass. If so there's no water in the heater. If that's the case the by-pass valve needs to be closed and the inlet and outlet valves on the heater turned on.

Sounds like your dealer done a poor job of introducing you to the coach.

[millerj]

Make sure your water heater is full of water before you turn on the electric element portion of the water heater or you could short it out. I wouldn't think they would have it on bypass since it is brand new but you may want to check to be sure. The bypass valve is used when winterizing the motorhome so you can drain the water heater and not have to fill it with rv antifreeze. When taking the unit out of the winterizing mode you would take the valve out of the bypass position. Hope this helps and doesn't confuse you more.

[millerj]

Clev51

Seems as if I was in the process of posting while Rotten Red gave you the same advice I did.

Jack

[reubenray]

I can't help anymore than what everyone else has said about your hot water issue.

But I would like to know how you are liking or dis-liking your new 3914?