Reduced hot water flow

prsmith · 04-07-2011, 06:29 PM

Hi folks,

As we head back from Mission TX to Halifax NS, we have run into a wee problem

We are pleasantly stopped at the Coushatta Casino RV Park in Kinder LA. Yesterday morning our hot water system was working OK - nice hot water with excellent pressure and flow. When we arrived in Kinder 5 hours later, there was some hot water with almost zero flow and no pressure. I did not manipulate any water system valves during the day

We have a 2005 Itasca Suncruiser 35U on a W22 chassis.

Our water heater is located behind the RF wheel and is a model Atwood GCH10A-4E 10 gal electric/gas with the engine coolant heat transfer option.

The screens in all faucets are clean. The cold water system provides strong flow with good pressure at all taps. When I turn the heater select valve near the heater CCW to the Bypass position, water moves through the
hot water system to all taps with good flow and pressure. When I turn the select valve CW to the Normal position, thereis a very small trickle of H20 that is heated if the H2O heater is on.

I drained the H2O tank and opened the pressure relief valve. Then I replaced the plug, closed the pressure relief valve and refilled the tank to re-establish the air bubble. There was much air at all of the hot H2O taps that eventually became a very small flow

We are badly in need of showers (<grin> so does anyone have any idea why I am not getting hot H2O at the taps?

Help!!

Thnaks,
Preston

Dixieray53 · 04-07-2011, 06:55 PM

Are you hooked up to the park water supply? Is there cold water? Hopefully you'll get great answers. If it worked before and it now doesn't...Dang ! Good Luck D

Pusherman · 04-07-2011, 07:00 PM

Check the 'Check Valve' at the exit of the hot water heater. Most likely needs replaced.

becks · 04-07-2011, 07:08 PM

More than likely a bad check valve. Hot and cold line each have one at the hot water tank. Remove and take the plastic inards out until you can get a new one, then take hot shower.

prsmith · 04-07-2011, 08:02 PM

Thanks folks for your replies

It sure does sound like the check valve is shot

On my rig, it is a bear to get at - hopefully I will not have to remove the heater

I can not see the check valve. I assume they are 1/2" by looking at the drawings.

The drawings are not clear but I also assume that one end of the valve is 1/2 female pipe thread and the other is 1/2 male pipe thread.

There are no big stores near my location so I am hoping that the local hardware store has what I need

I will not remove the valves until I have replacements in hand

Do RV Parts stores usually carry these valves?

Thanks,
Preston

John Hilley · 04-07-2011, 09:00 PM

Most RV parts stores carry the check valves, so do most of the home improvement stores. This is the one most RV parts stores carry, Camco check valve . You can add a close nipple if yours is male to male which I think it is.

Rick Long · 04-07-2011, 09:22 PM

Before you replace anything... check that your outside shower is not just turned off at the shower head and the valves are both open...When that happens cold water is circulated into the hot water line giving you lukewarm water.

ernieh · 04-08-2011, 12:02 AM

If you don't have ready access to a new check valve, you may be able to repair the old one. When mine failed a few years ago, I found that the only thing wrong was that the plastic spring retainer had slipped off the plastic stem. When you see how it's made, you'll wonder how it ever stayed on in the first place. I snapped it back in its original position and secured it with a small soldering iron.

Been working great for about 4 years now.

rvtips · 04-08-2011, 12:33 AM

The same thing happened on our Safari,The check valve was bad,I removed it and now we have much better hot water pressure,You don't need the valve.

Quote:

Originally Posted by prsmith

Hi folks,

As we head back from Mission TX to Halifax NS, we have run into a wee problem

We are pleasantly stopped at the Coushatta Casino RV Park in Kinder LA. Yesterday morning our hot water system was working OK - nice hot water with excellent pressure and flow. When we arrived in Kinder 5 hours later, there was some hot water with almost zero flow and no pressure. I did not manipulate any water system valves during the day

We have a 2005 Itasca Suncruiser 35U on a W22 chassis.

Our water heater is located behind the RF wheel and is a model Atwood GCH10A-4E 10 gal electric/gas with the engine coolant heat transfer option.

The screens in all faucets are clean. The cold water system provides strong flow with good pressure at all taps. When I turn the heater select valve near the heater CCW to the Bypass position, water moves through the
hot water system to all taps with good flow and pressure. When I turn the select valve CW to the Normal position, thereis a very small trickle of H20 that is heated if the H2O heater is on.

I drained the H2O tank and opened the pressure relief valve. Then I replaced the plug, closed the pressure relief valve and refilled the tank to re-establish the air bubble. There was much air at all of the hot H2O taps that eventually became a very small flow

We are badly in need of showers (<grin> so does anyone have any idea why I am not getting hot H2O at the taps?

Help!!

Thnaks,
Preston

DAN L · 04-08-2011, 02:41 AM

if the outside shower is turned off, the problem is likely one of the 2 check valves. it is likely the output check valve. they are hard to reach on my moho. you can take the insides out of the plastic check valves to establish water flow. the main purpose of the check valves is to facilitate installing antifreeze in the coach system without filling the water heater tank with antifreeze. rv dealers stock camco brass check valves. the pn for the female end cv is 23303, the male end is 88203230. i paid about $9 for my female end cv. below is a link to the atwood manual. look at page 6 view c for a illustration of where the water lines hook up.

http://www.atwoodmobile.com/manuals/...S%204.9.09.pdf

J&SW · 04-11-2011, 11:26 AM

Betting it is the check valve. Really, really poor design on those puppies. If you replace the bad one, make sure you go ahead and reaplce both of them, top and bottom. Access can be a real pain in some units.

jimmccreary · 04-12-2011, 02:39 AM

Dan L,
thanks for Atwood HW heater manual. The schematic did not show anything about checkvalves so I am assuming that these are external to the tank itself (correct?).
Can anyone describe where the check valves are located. It would be really great if someone could provide a picture.
thanks
jim & debbie, 04 Journey 34H

DAN L · 04-12-2011, 03:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimmccreary

Dan L,
thanks for Atwood HW heater manual. The schematic did not show anything about checkvalves so I am assuming that these are external to the tank itself (correct?).
Can anyone describe where the check valves are located. It would be really great if someone could provide a picture.
thanks
jim & debbie, 04 Journey 34H

the check valves are on the back side of the wh. the hot is on top, cold lower. here is a picture of the back of a water heater.
i have another article about a modification on the back of the wh but it will not attach to this post. it is a word doc with pics by "troth'' in june, 2010. i did a search on this forum and this turned up.

06-12-2010, 04:50 AM #9

troth
Senior Member

Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 1,165
I have created a Word doc on the "how-to" removal of the Atwood water heater, plus a few mods to enhance future service (includes jpegs/pics). If you're interested, send me a regular e-mail:

[email protected]
__________________
Last Brave 2004 34D

jimmccreary · 04-12-2011, 03:45 PM

Dan L,
thanks so much for your reply. I now can see the check valves from the photo you sent.
Also, I have sent Troth an email requesting his Word doc. It is just what I am looking for.
regards,

jim & debbie, 04 Journey 34H

JBroadaway · 04-12-2011, 04:09 PM

Had the same problem on my 2005 Meridian. Had a warranty so only cost me the deductible but the rv repair guys in Gulf Shores, AL found out there were two of those check valves and both were bad!! They had to remove the water heater twice before they got things right. Not sure why anyone would install valves like that in a place where they aren't accessible.

J&SW · 04-21-2011, 10:38 AM

Thanks for the photos. We had the lower check valve go on our 04 32V Sunrise. We were on a long trip in Montana, and a local RV mechanic fixed it, finally, but it took three days of coming back to refix the leaks he couldn't seem to tighten enough. The valves in our unit are a real bear to get to unless you totally remove the heater.