Dutch_12078 Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 Since the OP has already solved his issue, I'll just say that like the air trapped in the lines that caused his problem, I don't know how long it might take to purge a hydrogen buildup from the heater and lines. Can it occur in an RV water heater? Apparently the manufacturers think so. Does it take longer to occur than the OP's problem? Apparently, although I did find reports of minor buildups in much shorter periods. In any event, the OP has solved his problem... Dutch 2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS 2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinstartrvlr Posted March 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Repost of problem on page 1 Ya just can't RV without a hitch.....! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbaraok Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Just a thought, do you have a check valve at the back of the WH? When ours goes we just get no hot water, but before it goes completely, we get some chattering & noise. Barb & Dave O'Keeffe 2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinstartrvlr Posted March 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Barbaraok, I am not sure....from what I could feel (and see with a mirror) it looks like the inlet hose just goes right into the WH,,nothing looks like a valve, unless it's beyond my view (like on the other side of the thick foam insulation). Ya just can't RV without a hitch.....! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbaraok Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 No, this is a check valve on the outlet side of the water heater. You know it is the problem when you have cold water but no hot water at the faucets - - but before ours goes completely bad we get some 'chattering' that might be what you are describing. Barb Barb & Dave O'Keeffe 2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID Blog: http://www.barbanddave.net SPK# 90761 FMCA #F337834 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KodiakJack Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 For some reason you are getting air into your system or the tank is heating the water too high and releasing it. What is the make and model of your water heater? Meanwhile let the air out again via the relief or it could cause the pressure to increase even more. Running lots of HW also helps (at least for a while). I assume you have a T&P (temperature and pressure) relief on the tank. Have you found this valve dripping or water under it? I was having similar issues as you a while back and wound up installing a new relief. I believe the problem was the AC side t-stat control (I replaced it and no more issues) was letting the water get too hot which over time damaged the relief valves seats. Later, J 2012 Landmark, San Antonio 2013 Silverado CC, 3500HD, Duramax, DRW, 4x4 Backup, side and hitch cameras, Tireminder TPMS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilishjim Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 I have lost the check valve at the HW heater and also where the cold water comes in and still the only time I get air is when the inlet hose has been off but always flushes out in a minute but now when those valves come apart, They do chatter and make noise but never air spluttering Actually they could build those valves out of brass instead of plastic.! Tinstar turn the hot water on and feel those lines at the HW heater one is going to get hot with the running water and the check valve is almost the same diameter as the hose actually the hose screws onto it. It's new so just might be buried in the insulation and one end does screw right into the heater. The valve is just a round plastic body...No controls or anything on it...It is all internal Jim Spence 2000 Dodge 3500 1 ton QC 4x4 dually 5.9 diesel LB BD exhaust brake, 6 spd manual trans 34CKTS Cedar Creek 5er, Trail-Air hitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinstartrvlr Posted March 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Kodiak, Suburban sw6del,,,brand new,,,(brand new rv),,,no water dripping from the relief valve,,and so far, every temp measurement I have taken at the faucet has been at or below what Suburban says it should be for that model = 130 deg. Except for the one day it went lukewarm about two minutes into a shower,,and it only happened that one day. It does still spit water, usually after the hot water has not been used for 24hrs, or only briefly during the previous 24 hrs. Just now turned on hot water-no sputter, and water is hot enough, but not scalding, so I guess it's probably right where it is supposed to be. This is what's driving me nuts...it is inconsistent and there is no evidence of a problem anywhere, that I can see anyway. Jim, If the check valve is buried, I guess I will just add that to the list of other strange issues for the dealer to address since it is a new rv. I just find it less aggravation if it is something I can fix myself rather than be tied up for a week for repairs. Arrrrggghhh! Ya just can't RV without a hitch.....! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_12078 Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Are the symptoms the same when running on gas as they are on electric? Dutch 2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS 2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinstartrvlr Posted March 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Dutch, No difference. I use usually use gas during the day and electric at night. Its always a guessing game as to whether it will be the right temp or if it will spit air, regardless of which heating method I use. If Jim is right and it has something to do with the check valve (if there is one) could that be preventing the WH from filling completely randomly and thus more air/less air and long shower/short shower? Water LEVEL is the only thing I can think of that might cover all of it, but have never heard of that happening. Ya just can't RV without a hitch.....! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_12078 Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 I've never run into it either, but I can see where an erratic check valve could possibly cause the issue. The heater will work fine without the check valve in place, so other than access issues, it would be a pretty easy thing to test. Dutch 2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS 2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 I have seen a check valve cause a low supply of hot water and even a few which stopped the supply of hot water completely, but I have never seen one cause air to get into the line nor can I figure out any way for that to happen. But most anything is worth a shot, since I don't think of a better suggestion. Here are some pictures of different types of check valve that can be found in some RVs. Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilishjim Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 OK lets try this fill your fresh water tank and then shut off outside water source and flip on your 12V pump and see how that works. Your water source may have an aerator hooked to it which pushes odor out a vent pipe into the atmosphere. Being as you have a new rv there should be schematics of your HW heater in your paper work or look it up online and it should show where your check valve is. Jim Spence 2000 Dodge 3500 1 ton QC 4x4 dually 5.9 diesel LB BD exhaust brake, 6 spd manual trans 34CKTS Cedar Creek 5er, Trail-Air hitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilishjim Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 I have seen a check valve cause a low supply of hot water and even a few which stopped the supply of hot water completely, but I have never seen one cause air to get into the line nor can I figure out any way for that to happen. But most anything is worth a shot, since I don't think of a better suggestion. Here are some pictures of different types of check valve that can be found in some RVs. Yep I have the 1st one on the left Kirk, It seems to me they could be built a lil better, I have replaced mine twice but if it helps I know what caused it and that is when I 1st hook water up and on high pressure to boot. I opened faucett to fast getting air out of system and the check valve slams against the end thus pulling cheapo retainer off of plunger... Oh well live and learn Jim Spence 2000 Dodge 3500 1 ton QC 4x4 dually 5.9 diesel LB BD exhaust brake, 6 spd manual trans 34CKTS Cedar Creek 5er, Trail-Air hitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KodiakJack Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Thanks for the manufacture model of your HW tank. The reason I asked has now been put forth, i.e. does the issue exist on both gas and electric. Apparently it does but seems to takes a while for the symptoms to return. I am leaning toward a faulty relief valve as your source of air. Probably the temperature side of the T&P which is closing enough to hold water but not air which has smaller molecules (GoreTex works in a similar way). As any air that was in the tank cools it can draw air back into the tank via a faulty relief valve. This only happens because the air was compressed to a higher pressure than that of the inlet before cooling between cycles. When the delta between these pressures equalizes this action will stop. I expect the amount of air drawn in to be small but over time the volume would increase and start the cycle all over again. A Cape Canaveral term I learned from a fellow I worked with would call this a “self-eating watermelon”. Let’s run with a bad check a minute. If the check were to sporadically prevent water from entering the tank then the result would be that HW would exit the tank until the stored pressure moving it stopped. This could result in an area of the tank not being full of water when the outlet valve is shut thereby trapping air and with no water flow to fill the void the cycle starts again. I said sporadically because I have heard no symptom to suggest otherwise which leads me back to the T&P because of the symptoms tenacity. (This scenario is hypothetical and I present it because it is the only thing I could think of to possibly explain the symptoms. The only check valve symptom I am familiar with have related to low or no flow of HW.) Let’s run with a bad back-flow preventer. Now day most hose bibs incorporate one of these and we’ll say it is allowing air to be sucked in. This too could be sporadic and only introduce air some of the time resulting in a similar scenario to the check but this scenario would show its face on the CW side as well. Glad someone recommended a test using the onboard water pump. I would be interested in hearing the result. Later, J PS. Not a good idea to be heating a tank full of air so continue to bleed it off through the relief and by running HW to keep in under control. Actually since the issue has been so persistent at this time I would recommend shutting off you WH when you sleep or are not present. PSS Yep too hot here in Yuma to sit around outside today so I am inside. 2012 Landmark, San Antonio 2013 Silverado CC, 3500HD, Duramax, DRW, 4x4 Backup, side and hitch cameras, Tireminder TPMS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk W Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 I am very interested to see what ultimately resolves the problem, since this seems to be a bit different from anything in my experience. I am at a loss to see where the air is coming from, but clearly this is not your typical RV problem. Good travelin !...............KirkFull-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_12078 Posted March 21, 2016 Report Share Posted March 21, 2016 X2, Kirk... I'll be watching for a resolution right along with you! Dutch 2001 GBM Landau 34' Class A F-53 Chassis, Triton V10, TST TPMS 2011 Toyota RAV4 4WD/Remco pump ReadyBrute Elite tow bar/brake system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinstartrvlr Posted March 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2016 I will be sure to post if I find an answer. Ya just can't RV without a hitch.....! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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