Water Heater (elec/gas)

[Bixby101]

Just bought a used '15 Passport 2400 with elec and propane water heater. (my old trailer was propane only)
1. When I switch on elec, I can hear a fairly high pitch noise in the heater..Is this normal?
2. can you use propane and elec at the same time to heat water faster?
Thanks............

[chuckster57]

1) yes it is, I don't have the technical reason for it.

2) by all means, if hookups are available, use both sources for faster recovery.

[sourdough]

Be sure you have water in it I'm sure you do but if you've not had electric before it's important that you don't run the electric heating element without water in it.

[Bixby101]

Lol, yes there is water. I'm new to this trailer and electric heater, but definitely not new to camping. Thanks for the reminder. It's just my old one was propane only.
I appreciate the fast responses.

[hdrolling]

Ours has a switch to change from elec to gas, we can't run both.

I had to learn the hard way about all the switches that need to be turned off for the electric water heater when you winterize, we have a fuse in the control panel that needs to be off and a switch outside next to the heating element. Didn't know about the outside one, easy enough to get a new element (about $40) and install is quick and easy.

But being at your first camping trip of the year after de-winterizing with no hot electric water was a pain. Mostly because we didn't know it wasn't working so after a long day of sightseeing we came back and no hot water. We just hit the gas and let it heat over night but now we know.

[chuckster57]

What brand of water heater? Haven't seen a single one that makes you choose one or the other. Seen lots with the electric switch outside AND inside. Outside switch enables element and inside switch powers it.

[Bixby101]

Pretty sure its an Atwood. I have an on/off toggle inside for elec and another separate on/off switch for gas. No books came with the RV. I guess I should get one.

[Bixby101]

Oh yeah...it is my understanding that Atwood heaters do not need an anode rod. Does this sound correct? I have the plastic plug.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by Bixby101

Oh yeah...it is my understanding that Atwood heaters do not need an anode rod. Does this sound correct? I have the plastic plug.

Plastic plug usually means a lined tank. You can operate both heating choices while plugged into shore power. There are two switches inside to turn on your choice. The switch out at the water heater will simply allow/prohibit the electrical element from working.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by hdrolling

Ours has a switch to change from elec to gas, we can't run both...

This is a "cut and paste" directly from the Atwood Gas/Electric Water Heater Manual:

"GAS/ELECTRIC OPERATION. The unit can be run in both gas and electric modes simultaneously for quick recovery. note: if the gas fails to ignite, the gas mode will lockout, but the lockout lamp will not illuminate since the electric mode is still operational. Should you notice slow recovery, indicating the gas is not working, turn the electric switch off. The lamp will then illuminate indicating a lockout has occurred on the gas side. Correct the problem and turn the switches back on."

You mentioned that you don't have access to any manuals for your RV. There are a number of sources online to download the factory data for almost every RV appliance and for most components. Here is one source for an Atwood Water Heater Manual. You can search using Google by your specific part number if this general manual doesn't meet your needs. http://bryantrv.com/docs2/docs/operating/atwood1.pdf

[bobbecky]

I have heard that whistling sound from the water heater at times. It is either the water boiling on the electrode, or it may be pressure building up inside the tank as the water is heated. The second possible reason could be why, if you don't have a small pocket of air at the top of the water heater, you get a water drip from the pressure relief valve when the water is heating and the pressure has no where else to go. There are also times when I hear a whistle sound coming from the gas regulator on the propane tank, and that doesn't seem to be a problem either. The Suburban tanks are glass lined steel, and they use an anode, where the Atwood tanks are aluminum, and they do not use an anode and just have a plastic plug to drain the tank from.

[GaryWT]

We run it on both only when we are showering and then we shut of the gas and leave it on electric for the entire trip.