Hot water heater

[Tim denkers]

On my new 2012 3700RL the main control panel has gas and electric switches for the water heater. My wife turned the electric on last night to save LP gas. This morning when I took my shower the water was no longer hot but just warm. Is there something I have to switch outside to use the electric side of the water heater.

Best Regards
Cold Shower

[bncinwv]

There is also a switch on the water heater itself. Remove panel cover on outside of rig at the water heater and there is a toggle switch on the lower left corner of the unit with a small cotter pin on it.
Bingo

[lasater]

Inside the outside panel over the water heater, there is a rocker switch. You may see a small clip on it to "lock" it in whatever position you place it. Make sure this switch is turned on as well as the circuit breaker inside.

Hopefully, you had the water heater tank full of water before you applied power to it. If not, the heater element probably burned out within 30 seconds of being turned on.

If you find that both electrical switches are on and you still don't get hot water, suspect the heater element. Around $15 for a replacement element.

[HPRUM2000]

Tim we have a 2011 3750fl thers a switch on heater on ou tside theres a cotter pin in swtch take that out and save to put back in when not using ,turn swich on in side and make sure theres water in tank. hprum 2000 2011dodge dually3750fl

[Tim denkers]

Thank you very much, brother. No cotter pin but the switch was there. Turned on now the gas is saved.
This is our second trip in our Montana and we are quit pleased with everything so far.
I love you committment to Christ, how do you attach photo's to you signature? Havn't gotten that far in my profile yet.

Thanks again
Brother in Christ

[bncinwv]

If you go to the home page from the menu at the top, there is a topic on adding pictures to the forum. Your signature can be accessed and modified via Profile at the top of each page as well. The tutorial on the home page uses Tinypic (at least it used to, didn't check), I personally use photobucket.com as the site to which the photos are stored, the url code is then inserted either into topics or your signature to allow the photos to appear. Thanks for the signature compliments!
Bingo

[CORattler]

Speaking of water heaters... I had the Monty plugged in to 15 amp at the house this past weekend while doing de-winterizing & cleanup and filled the water heater and turned on the electric to it. The best it got was lukewarm in 1 hour. Is that because of insufficient amperage or bad element? Water heater worked great on electric last time I used it and I was VERY careful to ensure it was full of water each and every time I used it.

[Tim denkers]

As you know I turned the switch on yesterday and let it heat up all night. My wife had no hot water the morning so the gas was turned back on and it looks like I have to get an element. The switch is just a small toggle with off/on nothing else. It is directly next to the black cover for the heating element. Will see....

[bncinwv]

Tim,
Keep in mind that the outside switch does not override the inside switch. Both switches have to be on for the electric to work. As an aside, it only takes a couple of seconds for the electric element to burn out if there is no water in the water heater.
Bingo

[kdeiss]

It has been my experience in warm weather the Hot water heater does not use a lot of propane

[Tim denkers]

I went to check my element and it looks like it has been changed. Everything looks new and I didn't have a special socket or spanner to remove it. So for now it's LP to the rescue. We have plenty of gas for the season anyways. No worrys.

Thanks everyone.

[bncinwv]

The replacement elements are available at Lowes, Home Depot, etc. The socket can be found in the same aisle. Total purchase is less than $20. Keep in mine the element is hidden from view above the anode (cathode?) rod at the bottom. There are screws that hold a cover over the element and the gas feed tube has to be loosened and removed to get the cover off.
Bingo

[oldgeezor]

Don't want to high jack the thread but when you connect to RV Park Water is your water heater automatically filled up? and if not where do you fill the hot water heater? (Newbie here...first trip planned for a couple of days this weekend before long trip in a couple of weeks).

[H. John Kohl]

quote:Originally posted by oldgeezor

Don't want to high jack the thread but when you connect to RV Park Water is your water heater automatically filled up? and if not where do you fill the hot water heater? (Newbie here...first trip planned for a couple of days this weekend before long trip in a couple of weeks).

Your water heater should not drain out once you fill it the first time for the season. Just make sure you fill it the first time before turning it on. I do this by turning on the hot water faucet and let it run until the air is gone. NOTE: MAKE SURE YOUR BYPASS VALVE IS IN THE NORMAL POSITION

[Art-n-Marge]

The city water pressure will fill up the hot water tank (if the bypass is not on). If you don't drain your tank it will not take as long to refill.

I drain the HW tank after each outing. Otherwise you run the risk of "stink water". This is a phenomenon from some water supplies that have too much hydrogen sulfide and when water sits in the water heater too long this seems to promote this. It is not dangerous but the water will stink like sulfur real bad and so will you if you shower in it which is how I found out about it. I've had this problem twice in the same year from the hot water tank. After draining the water heater when stored for long periods and letting it refill with fresh water for each outing I have never had this problem since (it's been several years since).

This is whether propane and/or electric heats the water.

Regarding the element. It's not considered safe to get an element with a higher rating than what's already there. When in doubt, the manual should state the proper rating. Not ever having done a replacement is it safe to say that the water pressure (city water or pump) be turned off and the HW tank needs to be drained? Then after replacement and pressure is turned back on, wait until the WH is refilled prior to turning on the switch to test it!