water heater in 2021 Residence 40Loft

Hellon'sGramma · 05-30-2021, 01:36 PM

We are using our brand new 2021 Residence for the first time this weekend. So far, we cannot get the furnace to stay on (spent Saturday morning on the phone with service at the place we got it, finally the service manager gave up and said he'll have someone calling on Tuesday to come take a look at it). We are experimenting with heating the water with propane or electric; yesterday, the propane got it somewhat heated, and the electric heated it to shower level heat; but this morning, when I actually wanted to take a shower-- the electric didn't seem to work at all, and propane only got it to tepid. We are connected to campground water, so I don't see how the hot water tank could have been empty (so I don't think we zapped the element) . . .

Any suggestions, or advice on which generally works better-- propane or electric?

Thanks!

tech740 · 05-30-2021, 01:39 PM

If you have an outside shower is that on with the slider pushed to stop the flow? If so that will cause this issue.

notanlines · 05-30-2021, 02:45 PM

Generally speaking, you will want to leave both on if you are showering and foresee a long shower or if more than one are going to shower. Most all RV'ers use both simultaneously. Propane is a little faster reheat than is electric, but your electric is included with your camp fee so use that when not showering.
Is the propane flow to all three burners on your stove satisfactory? And when used all at once?

Hellon'sGramma · 05-30-2021, 05:22 PM

Thanks; yes, all 3 burners will stay on. Propane seems to be fine, and the furnace will light, but the blower related to the furnace won't stay on more than 3-4 minutes, and then the whole thing shuts down. As far as the water-- thanks for that advice, once we find out why the electric doesn't seem to want to work at all, will try just using both.

Hellon'sGramma · 05-30-2021, 06:19 PM

So, the electric system will now heat the water, quickly, and pretty hot, like last night. This morning when it wouldn't work, we also discovered that the bathroom sink and shower would not drain, which led us to discover that the grey water tanks were full. (We are connected to septic, but the guy who set us up left them closed, we didn't realize that) Emptied those into septic this afternoon, and now the electric water heating works. Anybody know if there is some kind of sensor in the electrical system, where the water won't heat if the tanks full, so as to somehow discourage the use of the water?

wiredgeorge · 05-30-2021, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellon'sGramma

So, the electric system will now heat the water, quickly, and pretty hot, like last night. This morning when it wouldn't work, we also discovered that the bathroom sink and shower would not drain, which led us to discover that the grey water tanks were full. (We are connected to septic, but the guy who set us up left them closed, we didn't realize that) Emptied those into septic this afternoon, and now the electric water heating works. Anybody know if there is some kind of sensor in the electrical system, where the water won't heat if the tanks full, so as to somehow discourage the use of the water?

No sensors and the tanks being full wouldn't affect the water heater. Those tank valve should remain closed until you empty the waste holding tanks. It is good to have a gray tank empty at the same as the black. To avoid crawling under our camper's slide (my galley tank handle is under the camper behind the driver rear wheel and you have to crawl under the slide, I put a Valterra dump valve on my sewer pipe outlet and just open all three tanks and then use the Valterra dump valve to dump them all at once. I never leave gray (or black tank) valves open and connected to the sewer as it is a sure way to fill your camper with sewer gnats.

Hellon'sGramma · 05-31-2021, 03:19 AM

OK, thanks. This is an area where we consistently get conflicting advice about the grey water tanks. Guy who did our walk through said Grey open, Black closed. Guy who set up trailer said all closed. Experienced RVer at the place where we have our trailer permanantly stationed said open. Since they filled up as quickly as they did, I'm personally inclined to leave them open, and maybe close them the day before we plan to empty the black so the water in them is available to help flush the black one out. (And also I guess we need to be more careful in our use of water) But thanks!

RickV · 05-31-2021, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellon'sGramma

OK, thanks. This is an area where we consistently get conflicting advice about the grey water tanks. Guy who did our walk through said Grey open, Black closed. Guy who set up trailer said all closed. Experienced RVer at the place where we have our trailer permanantly stationed said open. Since they filled up as quickly as they did, I'm personally inclined to leave them open, and maybe close them the day before we plan to empty the black so the water in them is available to help flush the black one out. (And also I guess we need to be more careful in our use of water) But thanks!

This just my opinion but leave em closed especially the "Black" tank it needs to be dumped when close to full to get it to drain better and more completely.

**chuckster57** · 05-31-2021, 04:31 AM

Leave them closed. If you connected to a common sewer system, then the possibility for sewer gasses to get “burped” when someone else dumps and sends that scent up your open pathway.

Javi · 05-31-2021, 04:49 AM

As others have said, leave the waste valves closed until ready to dump. You will quickly learn the cycle times for each tank.

As an example, we have 48 gallon tanks and can do a total four baths before I need to dump the grey tank. We use paper plates for most sit down meals and so we generally can go 4 days on the galley tank, and the black tank will last us at least 8 days.

When we are not at a full service site I can extend the cycle time on having to use the mobile dump tank by using a valve on the terminal end of the waste line so I can open both grey tanks and equalize them, thereby increasing my time between dumps at least a day.

The longer you do this camping thing the more workarounds and tricks you learn to make life easier.

**flybouy** · 05-31-2021, 05:33 AM

Leave the valves closed, even on the gray tank. Why? Not bonly do run the risk of sewer gases entering the coach but the gray tank will have solids that can and will build up in the bottom of the tabk if not flushed out. Have you ever had a sink or bathtub drain clog" That's the same "stuff" going down the drains in your camper. If you leave the tank valve open thyen all that "stuff" hits thye flat bottom of the tank and slowly runs out, giving the solids time to settle out. There's a reason it's called a "holding tank". Use it as it was designed to be used and it will be problem free.

**sourdough** · 05-31-2021, 07:45 AM

^^^^I agree with the others. Leave the tanks closed. I've tried leaving them open and it only leads to problems you don't want and shouldn't have. The downside is you have to drain the tanks; small price to pay to prevent the more serious issues and takes but a few minutes.

dutchmensport · 05-31-2021, 09:41 AM

If you have an outside shower, be sure to turn both knobs off (hot and cold). If you leave the knobs turned on, and simply do not squeeze the trigger on the end of the shower hose, the cold water will mix with the hot water and circulate back through the trailer, causing neither true hot or true cold anywhere.

If your bathroom shower has a shut off at the shower head, and you leave the actual faucet knobs on, the same thing will happen there too. Hot and cold will mix and every where will neither be true hot or true cold.

It sounds like you might have turned off all the faucets and then things started working right again. This is a common beginner's learning experience that all of us experienced (if everyone is willing to admit it). But you'll always be aware of it from now on.

And as others have pointed out ... all tank valves closed until they are full or you are ready to dump. Do not leave them open, ever. Dump, then close them again.

About your furnace. This is what should happen.

When you flip the thermostat switch to furnace, the furnace fan should start running almost immediately. After about 20 seconds, the propane will fire and you'll hear the difference. One the room is up to temperature, the propane will shut off, the fire goes out and the fan will continue to run to extract the remaining heat from the furnace and cool down the furnace too. Then the furnace fall will shut off too.

There is an event happening in that 20 seconds (or so) between the time the furnace fan kicks on and the fire kicks on. There is a switch inside the furnace called a "Sail Switch". This is there by design. The "Sail Switch" detects that the air flow passing through the furnace is sufficient to transfer that heat out of the furnace and into the air ducts, thus not causing the furnace to over heat and possibly burn up.

If the Sail Switch is bad (defective), or if it has dust and crud hanging on to it, it will not allow the points to make contact, telling the gas it's OK to ignite. Also, if the fan itself is not running fast enough, not causing the required force of wind, the little "sail" on the switch will not move enough to engage the points to make contact.

This is one possible problem and is quite common. They are relatively easy to remove, examine, and replace, but they do cost (depending upon where you get them), around $50. My new Montana (2 years ago) experience this same issue and after watching a lot of YouTube videos, I figured it out and fixed it myself. (I guess I got lucky too.)

notanlines · 06-01-2021, 02:55 AM

One more reason to keep the grey tank valve closed. Brenda came to me this AM and said a snake was coming up the drain. Sure enough, there he was. Half an hour later, drain disassembled, the 'Florida tree frog' was taken care of. Regretfully he had to give his all for the event. He had probably crawled down from the sink looking for a little water. I had to pull up 'tree frog' on Google to show her the head to make her believe me. Picture or it didn't happen.

Weldon · 06-01-2021, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notanlines

the 'Florida tree frog' was taken care of. Regretfully he had to give his all for the event.

RIP Kermit

**sourdough** · 06-01-2021, 01:33 PM

Oh No Jim!! He came all the way to FL just to see how you liked your Geico insurance....then got stuck in a drain.....then.....his ALL???

notanlines · 06-01-2021, 01:36 PM

Life just isn't FAIR!

roadglide · 06-01-2021, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notanlines

One more reason to keep the grey tank valve closed. Brenda came to me this AM and said a snake was coming up the drain. Sure enough, there he was. Half an hour later, drain disassembled, the 'Florida tree frog' was taken care of. Regretfully he had to give his all for the event. He had probably crawled down from the sink looking for a little water. I had to pull up 'tree frog' on Google to show her the head to make her believe me. Picture or it didn't happen.

For the tree frog it was a grasshopper in a check valve lol.

Hellon'sGramma · 06-02-2021, 04:44 AM

Thanks for this very thorough answer . . . I was hopeful when I began reading it . . . but the problem is that although the furnace ignites (as evidenced by warm air coming out the vent in the back of the trailer), the blower will not stay blowing long enough for the warm air to begin coming through the vents inside the trailer-- so, it's not that the blower shuts down when the trailer warms up to temp-- it shuts off after about 5 minutes. If I misread your answer, and in fact, this is what's supposed to happen, and if I'm patient it will start up again, then-- great, I'll do that . . .

Dadmech · 06-22-2021, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by "Hellon'sGramma;Guy who set up trailer said all closed. Experienced RVer at the place where we have our trailer [B

permenantly[/B] stationed said open."

OK. I'm seeing that word "permenantly" .
We are " permenantly" set-up in our member owned campground, and have changed out the trailer commode for a residential toilet. We have bypassed all our tanks and they drain to our main sewer system. All have traps to seal out smells etc. No dumping, no wondering when to check, etc. Did this because we live here and won't be moving the trailer unless we purchase a new one.
Just my 2¢ hoping I understood OP's post correctly.

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