COLD hot water!

artx · 12-05-2009, 01:41 PM

On a 2001 Itasca 36CD Horizon, went to take a shower and discovered that the hot water was not hot or even warm. COLDEST shower I have ever taken! Wife had washed dishes a couple of hours before jus fine but now no hot water. The water heater was on and the pilot light was not on. For grins I turned on the electric heater switch and the amps jumped up for about a minute then back down. The heater blow off valve felt warm so I am assuming I have a bypass or check valve problem??

Any suggestions? Thanks as always.

RKL · 12-05-2009, 02:21 PM

artx.....high probability it is one of the two check valves.....search this forum for how to replace or repair and where located.....RKL

Jackm · 12-06-2009, 03:11 AM

artx,

Are you saying that your wife did have hot water a few hours earlier but now you don't? Is this the first time this has happened? If so, it may be the upper check valve that controls the water coming out of your water heater. It's located at the back of the heater (of course) and can be switched out with a new one or eliminated altogether. The check valves are a carry-over from domestic water heater installations but in an RV, they are essentially useless and a common source of problems. When we had a new water heater installed last year, the technician strongly suggested that we not use the check valves since they have a tendency to self destruct every few years. Best of luck.

Jack

lakewoodpaul · 12-06-2009, 10:39 AM

jackm
hope you live where its warm and you don't have to use antifreeze in your rig to winterize as the check valves prevent the anti freeze from going to your hot water tank. There are brass valves available.

DAN L · 12-06-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lakewoodpaul

jackm
hope you live where its warm and you don't have to use antifreeze in your rig to winterize as the check valves prevent the anti freeze from going to your hot water tank. There are brass valves available.

CAMCO makes a brass water heater check valve. the pn is 23303. it cost me about $9.

artx · 12-27-2009, 08:59 PM

Thanks folks. I finally had time to troubleshoot a little further and found that it is the 3 way bypass solenoid that wasn't shifting fully causing a mix of cold water and very little if any hot water to supply the hot water to the sink, shower, etc. I determined this by squeezing off the hot water line from the far side of the solenoid and presto HOT water was flowing. I released my pinch off device and cycled the solenoid. It was not the normal snap that I heard from the winterizing solenoid of the exact same type beside it. After a few cycles, it started snapping louder and appears to be working now. I don't know if it had "junk" in the diaphragm or what, but I am likely going to order a new valve.

BTW, I checked and my check valves are both NIBCO brand brass with one on the HWH inlet cold water and I only found the other in the hot water line on the driver's side of the underfloor compartment in the area above the outdoor shower faucet. Am I missing something? I used an inspection mirror and did not see one anywhere on the top of the HWH.

Thanks for the help and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

KC1BUD · 12-27-2009, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by artx

Thanks folks. I finally had time to troubleshoot a little further and found that it is the 3 way bypass solenoid that wasn't shifting fully causing a mix of cold water and very little if any hot water to supply the hot water to the sink, shower, etc. I determined this by squeezing off the hot water line from the far side of the solenoid and presto HOT water was flowing. I released my pinch off device and cycled the solenoid. It was not the normal snap that I heard from the winterizing solenoid of the exact same type beside it. After a few cycles, it started snapping louder and appears to be working now. I don't know if it had "junk" in the diaphragm or what, but I am likely going to order a new valve.

BTW, I checked and my check valves are both NIBCO brand brass with one on the HWH inlet cold water and I only found the other in the hot water line on the driver's side of the underfloor compartment in the area above the outdoor shower faucet. Am I missing something? I used an inspection mirror and did not see one anywhere on the top of the HWH.

Thanks for the help and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

It's posts like this that re-news my trust in everything mechanical.

With the manual by-pass it is either bypassed or it is not. To me kinda like the Electrical flush toilet problem I have been reading about.

I have the electrical background, but still like simple fixes.

I was once working on an burgurlar alarm problem where the weather was 20 below and it was hard to work with gloves on, needless to say my hands got so cold that they were hard to move the rest ot the night.

Glad you found the problem,

have a great new year

.

ernieh · 12-27-2009, 10:38 PM

Quote "I don't know if it had "junk" in the diaphragm or what, but I am likely going to order a new valve."

What you probably have is a valve that is "junk". I think that you have the Swan valves that Winnebago installed a few years ago. Many of these, including mine, have failed. Replacements are not available.

The good news is that it's not too difficult to convert to manual valves.

artx · 12-30-2009, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ernieh

Quote "I don't know if it had "junk" in the diaphragm or what, but I am likely going to order a new valve."

What you probably have is a valve that is "junk". I think that you have the Swan valves that Winnebago installed a few years ago. Many of these, including mine, have failed. Replacements are not available.

The good news is that it's not too difficult to convert to manual valves.

The valve is a Directovalve made by TeeJet and it is available for about $115.00 through our local Cat industrial equipment dealer.

For anybody looking for one, here is a link. I am going to a mechanical 3 way!

TeeJet - AA144A-1-3 DirectoValveÂ® Control Valves