Hot water prob plz help!

[Sehj41]

We have a 2011 raptor
We are on our first weekend out in it.
The hot water heater is working fine, but no hot water is coming out in the camper. Can someone please help!

[MarkS]

If the Hot water heater is heating, but you are not getting hot water in the trailer, the winterizing valve(s) are probably in bypass mode. Look behind the water heater. You may have to remove some access plates. Look for a valve and flip it. Also search forum for winterization to learn what the valve does.


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[sourdough]

If there is no hot water how do you know the heater is working fine?

If the bypass is on then there probably isn't any water in the hot water heater and if the electric element is on heating "air" it may be shot. Or did I miss something?

[JRTJH]

This picture is not specifically of the back of your water heater, but the winterization valve is typically on the lower (cold water input) on the water heater. You can see the valve on the "inside of the lower fitting on the verticle PEX tube...

The valve must be open for water to enter the water heater. If the valve is closed, water will be routed away from the water heater and back into the water lines, bypassing the water heater.

You say that your water heater is "working fine" which leads me to think that you may have it "turned on" with no water in the tank. If that is true, then you may be damaging your water heater (operating it on gas) or destroying the electric element (operating it on AC).

I'd suggest you turn the water heater OFF and make sure there is water in the tank, find that bypass valve and only after the tank is full, turn the gas or electric to heat water on.

[Pull Toy]

Above is correct. BUT....

Make sure you turn off the heater and let the hot water tank cool down before putting water in it.

Good Luck,

[Sehj41]

You were exactly right! Found it and fixed! Thanks so much!

[SummitPond]

Just curious ... why is the 5th wheel HW system plumbed like this? My 19FBPR TT seems much simpler; to drain I just open the low point drains, open the drain plug on the HW tank, and viola - all done (other than some marine antifreeze in the traps). No valves to align. To use, I just open the hot taps on the faucets until water comes out, then enable the HW heater. Is there something about a 5th wheel that prevents my trailer's mode of operation? Thanks for my education, as one day I may move up to a 5th wheel!

[chuckster57]

ALL RV's that don't have a "convienence" center with the bypass valve will have a bypass on the back side of the water heater tank.

I bet if you look at the back of your tank you'll see either one or three valves.

[SummitPond]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

ALL RV's that don't have a "convienence" center with the bypass valve will have a bypass on the back side of the water heater tank.

I bet if you look at the back of your tank you'll see either one or three valves.

I'll have to figure out how to view it. Maybe the inside panel underneath the closet in the bathroom will do it; it seems to be about the right area.

But why do you need to bypass the HW heater?

[SteveC7010]

Originally Posted by ShacterShack

Just curious ... why is the 5th wheel HW system plumbed like this? My 19FBPR TT seems much simpler; to drain I just open the low point drains, open the drain plug on the HW tank, and viola - all done (other than some marine antifreeze in the traps). No valves to align. To use, I just open the hot taps on the faucets until water comes out, then enable the HW heater. Is there something about a 5th wheel that prevents my trailer's mode of operation? Thanks for my education, as one day I may move up to a 5th wheel!

Your rig is probably plumbed identically to the OP's unit. Unless you've got the convenience center with the HW bypass valve and antifreeze intake all on a single panel, as Chuckster57 said, yours is the same and does have the HW bypass on the backside of the HW heater.

My '99 Sunline TT and my '11 Cougar fiver are plumbed (and wired) pretty much identically. The only difference with the plumbing is the Sunline had the old style HW bypass with two valves to be flipped where the Cougar has one valve to flip and a check valve that mostly takes care of itself (until it fails.)

Since you don't pump the antifreeze into your pipes, you haven't had the need to bypass the HW heater. If you don't bypass it, you need least 6 more gallons of antifreeze. The bypass allows you to pump antifreeze into just the pipes. When I winterize, I bypass first, then pull the plug and drain the heater. I blow out all the lines with compressed air including the black tank sprayer. Then I flip the valve on the pump intake and use the suction hose to pull in the antifreeze direct from the gallon jug. I could do the Sunline with less than a gallon, but the Cougar wants a bit more because of the longer runs of piping.

If you're interested, there are threads here going back to 2011 containing more detail and some pics all describing the same stuff. Except for the really high end units, there hasn't been much change at all.

[MarkS]

Shack, if you put antifreeze in to winterize, it would take 6 or more gallons to fill the water heater. The bypass lets you isolate the water heater. When I winterize, I bypass and drain the WH. Then pump antifreeze into the rest of the water system. That way I only use 2 gallons instead of 8. The antifreeze is probably not good for the WH tank, either.

It is not a 5er thing. It is a winterization thing for all TTs. Just draining will leave some water in the pipes. If that water fills one of the plastic elbows or tees, it will probably break during a hard freeze.

Where I live, I get lots of hard freezes. I blow out AND use Antifreeze. Your mileage may vary.

[SummitPond]

Originally Posted by SteveC7010

The bypass allows you to pump antifreeze into just the pipes.

Ah! That makes sense, as the pipes are not going to be necessarily oriented to promote drainage. As we are in Florida when we have to winterize (yes, it does get below freezing on occasion in the northern part of the state) I guess the little bit of water I leave in the lines is not an issue as it typically warms above freezing during the sunlight hours.

Thanks to you and MarkS for that clue.

[Javi]

Originally Posted by ShacterShack

Ah! That makes sense, as the pipes are not going to be necessarily oriented to promote drainage. As we are in Florida when we have to winterize (yes, it does get below freezing on occasion in the northern part of the state) I guess the little bit of water I leave in the lines is not an issue as it typically warms above freezing during the sunlight hours.

Thanks to you and MarkS for that clue.

I just blow the lines out from the city water hose bib... so I never touch the bypass valves on my WH..

I do pour anti-freeze in the pee traps..

[SteveC7010]

Originally Posted by ShacterShack

Ah! That makes sense, as the pipes are not going to be necessarily oriented to promote drainage. As we are in Florida when we have to winterize (yes, it does get below freezing on occasion in the northern part of the state) I guess the little bit of water I leave in the lines is not an issue as it typically warms above freezing during the sunlight hours.

Thanks to you and MarkS for that clue.

Ah, that explains a lot, and I understand better why you questioned some of this. I live in the Adirondacks, and extended periods of sub-zero weather (and colder) are the norm for our winters. I have to be more aggressive in my winterizing. For example, years ago, I did a very poor job of winterizing my old '76 Prowler. That thing was plumbed with CPVC which is extremely brittle when cold and doesn't tolerate the expansion of freezing water at all. And, the little plastic parts in the flush valve of the Thetford toilet were just as easily trashed. So I confess to truly learning this lesson the hard way.

What I suggest to folks in warmer climates, but still prone to some freezing is get the little adapter for compressed air, and blow everything out rather than just drain. Bypassing the HW is recommended for that process, too. I use my shopvac to blow out the traps and then pour in some antifreeze.

[Pull Toy]

If you winterize in Florida, maybe not so critical. If you winterize in Maine, it's a big deal.

Either way, I'd drain my HW tank, flush it out, and check the condition of my anode.

Good Luck,