Need some advise on thisn one - Montana Owners Club

richfaa · 12-09-2014, 07:38 AM

Our latest minimal problem " Another Minimal problem. No hot water on electric, gas side OK. Looking for problem.

Breaker OK, Element OK, switch inside and outside check OK. We do not have 120 to anyplace at the water heater that we should have. MOC'er a certified electrician helped me out..
Called suburban and it turned out we had the wrong manual for the hot water tank. She E mailed me the proper one and that was a good thing. Said the only place we missed was junction box at the rear of the tank(the part inside the RV.) called Keystone to ask how do we get to that part of the tank...they did not know and we can find no way to get at it .We have the 2013 3402 Big Sky.So anyone know how t o get at the tank????

rohrmann · 12-09-2014, 08:39 AM

A very likely part that may be bad is the 120 volt thermostat, which is behind the black cover on the outside. The cover is the one with the two rubber covers that are over the reset buttons. We had ours fail last year, easy to replace, two wires connected with spade connectors and one nut holding the thermostat to the outside of the tank. You don't need to drain the tank either. There are two thermostats located behind the cover, the other being the one for the 12 volt that controls the gas side. The Suburban part number for the Switch Assembly 120 V.A.C. T-Stat/Hi-Limit is 232306, and I believe it is on the left of the 12 volt thermostat.

awaywego · 12-09-2014, 09:02 AM

Rich, there must be a panel or grill behind the water heater. Mine has a wooden louvered grill under the refrig. and I take it out for access to furnace and WH. The junction box is located on the side of mine and yours is most likely also.

vangoes · 12-09-2014, 10:03 AM

My water heater did that same thing last winter and it was the thermostat. As stated, it is an easy replacement and the thermostat cost 30 - 40 dollars. Certainly check it out before start pulling panels to get to the jbox.

bigskyjimmy · 12-09-2014, 10:12 AM

Rich,I am with rohrmann and vangoes that switch with 2 wires and 1 nut holding it on went out on me twice it is about 25 bucks and it is the one on the left behind the reset cover ,as far as getting to the rear of the water heater on my 3402RL I just removed the basement panels and the white panel one too and you can see the back of the heater is in there ,you will have too reach a little to get at it

richfaa · 12-09-2014, 10:38 AM

You are right Bigskyjimmy Great design feature. Can not reach the junction boxes. Will check that thermostat again..

vangoes · 12-09-2014, 10:44 AM

Rich,
I believe your water heater is in the same place as mine (in the kitchen counter) and to access it, you will need to remove the shelving and paneling in the cabinet from the living room side. So, again check the thermostat first. When mine went out, the reset button initially would reset for a while and then trip until finally the plastic melted which made it obvious what my problem was, but you can also check it with a meter. You should have voltage to one side of the thermostat if you have both rocker switched on.

mhs4771 · 12-09-2014, 12:39 PM

Rich, we've had the same problem twice. First time was the junction box that houses the 12VDC relay (controlled by your inside wall switch) that is used to switch the 120VAC line from the circuit breaker to the water heater. Next time it was the thermostat on the Hot Water Heater it's self.
Not exactly sure of your WH location, but our SOB is was beyond the furnace. I had to remove basement bulkhead and disconnect numerous furnace ducts so that I could just barely get in far enough to reach the junction box. Our problem there turned out to be a loose wire nut, that finally melted causing loss of connection.
Good luck on your search.

richfaa · 12-09-2014, 12:48 PM

we can not reach the junction boxes without tearing the Montana apart and we are not going to do that. We will go back and check everything again tomorrow. we are looking a the purchase of a lot and maybe a single wide at this RV resort. We are tired of fighting this Montana.

Phil P · 12-09-2014, 01:01 PM

Richfaa

Vangoes has a good point; we had to do the same thing remove shelving in the cabinet that was behind the heater to change the check valve. This shelving and all the panels we had to remove were screwed in without glue so it could be taken out to access the heater.

Phil P

Phil P · 12-09-2014, 01:03 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

We are tired of fighting this Montana.

Don’t give up yet I have been fighting this one for 5 years now.

Phil P

richfaa · 12-10-2014, 05:13 AM

We double checked everything today. Can not get to the junction boxes were we believe the problem to be. Mobile tech advised....We have the number on speed dial. Looking at lots today.

richfaa · 12-10-2014, 07:54 AM

Camping connection will be out next week to look at the hot water tank. The gas side works so we have hot water. Camping connection is very good and we have used them to replace a fridge in our 06 3400 and the fridge in this 13 Big Sky. It never ends. A trip to Florida would not be complete without a Montana failure.

BB_TX · 12-10-2014, 08:44 AM

Rich - I am curious how you checked your breaker and switches when you say there is no AC available anywhere to the WH.

Was there 120 vac at the load side of the circuit breaker?

richfaa · 12-10-2014, 09:11 AM

The breaker for the water heater was ok. There was no 120 everywhere there should have been voltage from the breaker on. .My guess is the problem is the switch on the 120 volt side but we can not get to it as it is on the side on the tank and out or reach without tearing something apart. Extended warranty to the rescue.

Emmel · 12-10-2014, 10:20 AM

So, did you buy the lot? The hardest part for me was selling the truck, I really liked that truck!

richfaa · 12-10-2014, 11:19 AM

Not yet. I have had a truck for many years and we would downsize. Would not miss the Montana.

Tom S. · 12-10-2014, 11:57 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

The breaker for the water heater was ok. There was no 120 everywhere there should have been voltage from the breaker on. .My guess is the problem is the switch on the 120 volt side but we can not get to it as it is on the side on the tank and out or reach without tearing something apart. Extended warranty to the rescue.

Unless I'm missing something, that tells me the problem is the breaker.

richfaa · 12-10-2014, 01:53 PM

I am not a electrician but we had one doing the checking. We did have 120 on the load side of the breaker.

mhs4771 · 12-10-2014, 02:20 PM

Rich, just something else to try, pull the wall switch that turns on the electric to the WH and verify that it is passing 12VDC to the Relay in the junction box. It's possible that switch could be bad and you're not getting any power to the relay so the contacts won't close to pass the 120VAC to the WH.
Plus I assume you've already checked that stupid little Black switch in the bottom corner of the WH.
Just trying to offer other possibilities.

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