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07-31-2015, 10:45 AM
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#1
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 962
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Life Expectancy of Hot Water Heater?
The Atwood (GCH10A-4E) hot water heater in our Journey has quit working on electric (LP still works). I am wondering what is the life expectancy of RV Hot Water Heaters ... I hate to spend major dollars repairing it if it is at the end of it's expected life cycle.
We spend about 6 months of each year in the RV.
I know that where I live, the life expectancy of a residential hot water heater is about 10 years.
I would appreciate hearing who has replaced a hot water heater ... and the age of the heater. Thanks
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07-31-2015, 11:25 AM
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#2
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Western WI
Posts: 12
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Ours is 14 years old and going strong, no leaks. same unit as yours. The electric problem could just be a wiring problem. I wouldn't just give up on it.
__________________
2001 Itasca Horizon 36LD Cat
Retired Air Force, One lovely Angel  , 2 Cats and three birds.
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07-31-2015, 11:37 AM
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#3
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Nomadic - Currently Near Lassen NF
Posts: 218
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Mine hit 11 years with some repairs - I'm the 3rd owner. My electric stopped too and it was a leak at the rear of the tank dripping onto the element and relay. Since it had multiple repairs previously for leaking, I opted for a new WH Tank. Warranty paid for the repair amount and then I paid the rest for a new tank.
There is an access panel on the bottom - rear of the tank on my Journey. Multiple screws and a plate comes off, its a tight squeeze. If you need more room, the tank can be unscrewed and pulled out a few inches without removing LP hose.
Just like the front, there are the same eco and tstat, plus the heating element and relay and for some odd reason an on/off switch.
__________________
Luna was born in 2005 and is a Winnebago Journey 34H w/ CAT C7 350 [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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07-31-2015, 05:44 PM
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#4
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Winnie-Wise
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Apex, NC
Posts: 449
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It is probably just an electrical problem. Could be burned out element, a bad relay, bad switch, or thermostat. My money would be on the element, they do burn out. It is very easy to check with an ac voltmeter and an ohm meter.
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2010 Winnebago Journey Express 34Y
2010 Freightliner XCS (mfd 9/'09)
'07 Saturn Vue V6
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07-31-2015, 06:34 PM
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#5
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 74
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Mine's still going strong and it's 15. Clean it, service it, and should last a long time. Full time use should shorten lifespan.
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Tom Wilds
Blythewood SC
2016 Newmar Bay Star Sport 3004
2013 Chevy Sonic Hatchback (Automatic)
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07-31-2015, 06:55 PM
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#6
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 151
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChasA
It is probably just an electrical problem. Could be burned out element, a bad relay, bad switch, or thermostat. My money would be on the element, they do burn out. It is very easy to check with an ac voltmeter and an ohm meter.
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What he said. Depending on the type of water you are dealing with the element life can vary considerably. I'd be checking the voltage on the element with the idea that I would replace it if there was power there and troubleshoot why not if there was no power.
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07-31-2015, 07:02 PM
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#7
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 560
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Never had an RV one quit although usually we traded before that happened. Our 2002 Dutch Star we traded off in Feb still had the original WH in it.
__________________
2009 45' Magna 630 w/Cummins ISX 650 HP/1950 Lbs Ft
Charter Lifetime GS Member, SKP, FMCA,
RV'ing since 1957, NRA Benefactor Life, towing '14 CR-V
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07-31-2015, 07:21 PM
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#8
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 85
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Atwood water heaters last a long time because the tanks are made of aluminum. Residential water heater tanks are steel and they rust out and leak.
__________________
2004 Itasca Horizon 40AD caterpillar C7 engine 2004 Wrangler unlimited & 2013 Honda Fit
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08-01-2015, 11:16 AM
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#9
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 111
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15 years and it is about the only item that hasn't broken.
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08-01-2015, 11:23 AM
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 340
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Heating man
Atwood water heaters last a long time because the tanks are made of aluminum. Residential water heater tanks are steel and they rust out and leak.
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My 10 gallon gas only Suberban SW10D steel tank RV water heater is over 19 years old and still working.
Mel
'96 Safari, 141k miles
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08-02-2015, 07:14 AM
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#11
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,080
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Definitely have it checked out before opting for a replacement. There's a resettable over temp switch at the rear that weakens over time. The temperature sensitive spring will trip the switch then the electric element won't get current. It's not uncommon, however it's an easy and inexpensive repair.
We had to replace the over temp switch on our 2001 Adventurer water heater. The only other repair it needed in 12 years and over 100,000 miles was a plastic elbow on the inlet side of the tank.
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Hikerdogs
2013 Adventurer 32H
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08-02-2015, 08:30 AM
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 340
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hikerdogs
Definitely have it checked out before opting for a replacement. There's a resettable over temp switch at the rear that weakens over time. The temperature sensitive spring will trip the switch then the electric element won't get current. It's not uncommon, however it's an easy and inexpensive repair.
We had to replace the over temp switch on our 2001 Adventurer water heater. The only other repair it needed in 12 years and over 100,000 miles was a plastic elbow on the inlet side of the tank.
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Hikerdogs
Is "Adventurer" the brand/make of your RV water heater?
I thought only Suberban and Atwood made RV water heaters.
Mel
'96 Safari
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08-02-2015, 10:13 AM
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#13
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Winnie-Wise
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 274
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Very first repair we had done after going full time was to replace the control board in our water heater. Other then that going strong for ten years.
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08-02-2015, 10:43 AM
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#14
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,080
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mel s
Hikerdogs
Is "Adventurer" the brand/make of your RV water heater?
I thought only Suberban and Atwood made RV water heaters.
Mel
'96 Safari
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Sorry for the confusion. The motorhome was a Winnebago Adventurer. The water heater was an Atwood 10 gallon gas/electric with an electronic ignition for the gas portion (as opposed to a pilot light). We have the same model in our 2013 Winnebago Adventurer.
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Hikerdogs
2013 Adventurer 32H
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08-03-2015, 07:36 AM
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#15
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 73
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What is a "hot water heater?"
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08-03-2015, 09:25 AM
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#16
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 962
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da "hot water heater" is da ting youse turns on so's when youse gets in da shower da water is nice and warm on yer keester 
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08-03-2015, 09:41 AM
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#17
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SW FL
Posts: 27
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As others have said, start with a volt meter and check the easy things first starting with the heating element and working backwards from there. A 110v heating element made by Camco is 1/2 the price at Home Depot or Lowe's than an RV parts house. It is the same element as under sink water heaters.
__________________
Chuck in SW FL
A "Classic" 2014 Entegra Anthem 42RBQ
2016 Colorado Z71 PU
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08-03-2015, 10:20 AM
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#18
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 340
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peterson
What is a "hot water heater?"
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peterson
A "water heater" makes cold water hot.
A "hot water heater" makes hot water even hotter.
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08-03-2015, 10:44 PM
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#19
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 73
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peterson
What is a "hot water heater?"
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skigramp
da "hot water heater" is da ting youse turns on so's when youse gets in da shower da water is nice and warm on yer keester |
Quote:
Originally Posted by mel s
peterson
A "water heater" makes cold water hot.
A "hot water heater" makes hot water even hotter.
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Ohhhh! Dat ting do maak it hooot beaudreaux.
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08-07-2015, 01:13 PM
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#20
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 962
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About 3 months ago, I had a serious leak in the plumbing on the back side of the water heater ... the piping was repaired ... the tech told me that the back of the heater was soaked ... so I used the LP for the next two trips to let the electrical stuff dry out.
This time the tech discovered that the relay was very corroded from the previous leak and had quit working ... so he replaced it ... I chose to have the electrical element replaced at the same time ...
I grew up in a "pioneer" home ... no electricity, we carried our water in and out of the house in buckets, I bathed in a washtub in the middle of the kitchen floor in water heated on the cookstove .... so I really appreciate warm running water in a shower ...to me it is a luxury for which I am willing to pay ... 
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