Hot water issue

[Carlton camper]

A 2007 keystone couger with a 6 gallon hot water heater by Surburban manufacturing company. My issue is one time we have water that flows freely ( hot water) then the next time you turn on the hot water valve it may flow then just stop like a valve was shut off. It may be this way for days then start working again. It does this on city water and with pump. I have drained the tank, played with the valve, I even blew air back into tank form the kitchen hot water connection in the event there was something in the line. no luck

I called the comapny and they said it is NOT the Hot water heater. Check your lines for leaks and your check valve. I looked and do not see a chack valve. There is ONLY one valve to by pass the hot water tank

Any one have or had this issue? and corrected it

[wiredgeorge]

They might have meant the overflow valve. It is located on the top of your unit and is operated by lifting a little arm that has a cam type profile that opens the valve. This is often the way you can drain air out of system or check to see if the tank has filled before lighting.

[shiggs68]

There is a check valve on the hot water output. It just looks like a plumbing nipple. It is becoming clogged stopping the hot water flow.

Post a picture and the check valve can be point out for you.

[bobbecky]

You will have the check valve on the hot water out fitting only if you have a water heater bypass valve that turns off cold water to the water heater. If you have a check valve and can reach the back of your water heater, you can replace the check valve. Otherwise, you might have to pull the water heater, which isn't really that hard, depending on where it is located on the rig.

[sourdough]

It sure sounds like it might be a faulty check valve. Here's a link to an "entertaining" little video about replacing the check valve; note his water heater has the single bypass valve....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMqm_dPme8k

[wiredgeorge]

Darn. Didn't know there is a check valve. I assume that crud can keep the thing from working as it should; generally crud will stick it open. This is the way a compressor works as there is a very similar check valve atop the air tank with the little plunger seal and when crud gets into the valve, it sticks open and the air shut electronics blows are like crazy. I was too lazy to cut a new paper gasket last time I took the cylinder head off my compressor and used liquid gasket and bits of it get into that valve from time to time.

In any case, fella said he had a Suburban water heater and it doesn't have the outside drain pictured in this video as there is a rod stuck in the hole for picking up minerals. The Suburban tank needs the rod as it will rust where the one pictured in the video has a fiberglass lining (I think). The guy also bled air out of the hot water line by opening up faucets. On a Suburban, it is a lot easier to open the pressure relief valve on the outside at the top of the water heater. Great bit of education for me; thanks for posting the video Danny.

[hankpage]

Darn. Didn't know there is a check valve. I assume that crud can keep the thing from working as it should; generally crud will stick it open. This is the way a compressor works as there is a very similar check valve atop the air tank with the little plunger seal and when crud gets into the valve, it sticks open and the air shut electronics blows are like crazy. I was too lazy to cut a new paper gasket last time I took the cylinder head off my compressor and used liquid gasket and bits of it get into that valve from time to time.

In any case, fella said he had a Suburban water heater and it doesn't have the outside drain pictured in this video as there is a rod stuck in the hole for picking up minerals. The Suburban tank needs the rod as it will rust where the one pictured in the video has a fiberglass lining (I think). The guy also bled air out of the hot water line by opening up faucets. On a Suburban, it is a lot easier to open the pressure relief valve on the outside at the top of the water heater. Great bit of education for me; thanks for posting the video Danny.

Suburban heaters are designed to operate with an air pocket at the top of the tank to allow for water expansion. Bleeding air from the T&P valve removes this expansion pocket and can cause tank failure. Bleeding air from farthest faucet is the recommended method.

[wiredgeorge]

Thanks for the info. I have bled them when filling with the pressure valve so I guess the education continues.

[Carlton camper]

Danny,

thank you for the tip and the video. I think it just could be the check valve. When i go get my camper we will see what we find.

Thank all of you for posting tips