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12-27-2017, 04:15 PM
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#1
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Member
Evergreen Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 43
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RV water heater
I don't have a problem just trying to understand how it works.
My question is will my water heater run when powered up using either gas or electricity, water in tank from previous use but no water presently being supplied.
Is there some type of internal switch that must sense water pressure before it allows the burner to ignite or the element work.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Chris
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Chris & Judy
2018 Solitude 310GK
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12-27-2017, 04:21 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club Solo Rvers Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 37,725
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Not that I know of. Just takes a short time to burn out the electric element, no need to ask how I found out.
__________________
2009 45' Magna 630 w/Cummins ISX 650 HP/1950 Lbs Ft, HWH Active Air
Charter Good Sam Lifetime Member, FMCA,
RV'ing since 1957, NRA Benefactor Life, towing '21 Jeep JLU Rubicon Ecodiesel
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12-27-2017, 04:22 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Bradenton, Fl.
Posts: 725
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No water flow or no hot water? Check for bypass valves (used when winterizing).
There's no pressure/flow switches unless it's an "on demand" unit.
__________________
Ray G.
ASE Master Med-Heavy Trucks
RVIA Certified
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12-27-2017, 04:26 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,400
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....not familiar with yr brand of rig...or what W/H you have but generally speaking, most W/Hs will work on propane, electric, or both....no way to sense water level so it is pretty common to burn out electric element because of no/low water.....propane side may have a high temp limiter.....do you have a problem with water flow into the tank, or just asking about how it works?
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Old Scout
2015 IH45 Foretravel
2003 Alpine 40' MDTS [Sold]
New Braunfels, Texas
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12-27-2017, 04:26 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Kamloops, BC. Canada
Posts: 985
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check the one way valve. Make sure it is not stuck
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12-27-2017, 04:32 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Bradenton, Fl.
Posts: 725
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Quote:
Originally Posted by luckyd
check the one way valve. Make sure it is not stuck
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Those check valves are good about coming apart.
__________________
Ray G.
ASE Master Med-Heavy Trucks
RVIA Certified
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12-27-2017, 04:41 PM
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#7
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Member
Evergreen Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 43
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Wow you guys are good and fast. Just trying to understand how it all work and don't want to burn anything out
__________________
Chris & Judy
2018 Solitude 310GK
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12-27-2017, 04:48 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Mid Atlantic Campers
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 327
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gracers31
I don't have a problem just trying to understand how it works.
My question is will my water heater run when powered up using either gas or electricity, water in tank from previous use but no water presently being supplied.
Is there some type of internal switch that must sense water pressure before it allows the burner to ignite or the element work.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Chris
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No, there's no internal pressure sensor, but there are ones for over temperature.
__________________
2010 Montana 3665RE, wet bolts, etc.
2006 Ford F350 Diesel Dually, air bags, Softopper, Aeroshild, etc.
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12-27-2017, 07:08 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Alberta - East of the Rockies, West of the Rest
Posts: 835
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No pressure or flow is required to fire up the electric element and/or the gas burner, they're thermostatically controlled and as long as water is present nothing can be harmed.
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2018 Ram 5500 with 2021 Arctic Fox 1140
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12-28-2017, 06:35 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Damon Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,024
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No internal pressure sensor on mine, and I tore the thing apart last summer and installed a new tank so if there was one. I did not see it.
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Home is where I park it!
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12-29-2017, 07:44 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Full Timing. When I park I'm home
Posts: 1,369
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The short answer is 'yes' if you turn it on it will heat. If there is water in the tank it will heat the water. If there is no water in the tank and you turn on the electric it will burn out the element in seconds (so I'm told). If there is no water in the tank and you turn on the propane side you will have a fire heating an empty tank.
The only controls I know of are the thermostat to control the temp and the pressure pop off valve to vent off excess pressure.
Brad
__________________
2004 Volvo, 2009 smart car
2008 Hitch Hiker Champagne
Full timing January 2010
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12-29-2017, 08:22 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Winnebago Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Kingman Az
Posts: 1,686
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they have a hi and low limit buttons. Electric elements must be submerged or they will burn out, there are no sensors for this. the hi/lo limits are for water only and don;t work on air. By pass plumbing for winterizing is on most modern coaches, if no water then look to these. I'd turn off unit, pull the plug on the outside of the tank, drain the tank. if no water then you have a valve shut off some where. play with the valves until you get water out of the tank, flush it a bit, then reinstall plug. let air out of the over pressure valve on top until water comes out. If air is in tank it will leak water until the air has been removed. Only way to do this is to release the valve then run the hot water faucet. BOTH!
__________________
May your black water hose never break!
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12-29-2017, 10:24 AM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Lees Summit, MO
Posts: 42
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There is not a water pressure nor water present nor water level detector. This absence is the number one reason that causes the electric heating element to fail. Without water the electric element fails within seconds after power is applied. I am guessing that on the propane side, there is a high temperature sensor on the heat exchanger that shuts off the propane solenoid valve.
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01-04-2018, 04:26 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SouthWest Louisiana
Posts: 105
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Always shut off mine
Only use the electrical side on my HWH, then only turn on right before we need hot water , always make a point of shutting off when you get done camping and go home.
__________________
Richard
2020 Keystone Larado 342 RDS
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