10 year old water heater

[lappir]

Is it time to replace? I'm not sure. It has had issues with the electrical side for several years now. First it was the little black switch at the bottom left when you are facing it. I think it's supposed to be a "Safety Switch" so you can work on it without turning off the breaker?????

I've replaces at least 4. Then I had a bad "Replacement" electric element that blew the "Fuse" behind the "Reset" buttons still on the left but higher. (All outside found with removal of the cover.) It always works on LP and it only takes maybe 10 minutes to heat up enough for me to take a shower or wash dishes in the sink. I let it completely warm up and shut off before I start the dishwasher though. Put a timer on it so it doesn't try to keep the water hot. Maybe should have done the same with the electric, but it takes quite a bit longer to heat just using it. 

Anyway. When I took the switch out recently I found some burnt wires so I shut the 120volt electric supply off until I decide if I'm going to fix it or replace. 

I've liked the combo "Aqua Hot" types that heat water and also have the capabilities to provide an alternative heat source with that heated water too. Not sure of the cost differences currently. It's been a long time since I've been to the Tampa RV show where I looked into a couple brands at the time. 

Rod

[Danfreda1]

Try taking out the electrical heating element. It might have a crust of calcium built up around it. I just changed out our anode rod and flushed it out. 

[lappir]

17 minutes ago, Danfreda1 said:

Try taking out the electrical heating element. It might have a crust of calcium built up around it. I just changed out our anode rod and flushed it out. 

I flush at least twice a year and it's not been that long since I put the original element back in after testing it. The first time it stopped working I "Assumed" it was the element, but it turned out to be that little switch. I didn't throw the element away and didn't test it until this year when I found the "Reset" button fuse's blown and found the element had failed inside the tank. It worked fine for over 6 months but then stopped heating on electric. I just used the gas for a while until last week when I decided to check the switch. 

 

Thanks for your comment. I will pull the element before I make my final decision, but it's not a simple task. (Or not as simple as I think it should be, at least I have the "Special" socket!!)

Rod

[Kirk W]

Ten years isn't especially long for a water heater in most RVs but if you have been fulltime in it for ten years that is pretty high mileage and probably not worth putting much money into. I had a tank fail after about 11 years of fulltime and while that doesn't mean that yours will soon fail, there is no doubt that it will fail at some point. It sounds like you probably need a new electric element as it might be in poor condition and shorting intermittently. If it has a lot of calcium buildup on it you can clean that by soaking it in white vinegar. 

[lappir]

2 hours ago, Kirk W said:

Ten years isn't especially long for a water heater in most RVs but if you have been fulltime in it for ten years that is pretty high mileage and probably not worth putting much money into. I had a tank fail after about 11 years of fulltime and while that doesn't mean that yours will soon fail, there is no doubt that it will fail at some point. It sounds like you probably need a new electric element as it might be in poor condition and shorting intermittently. If it has a lot of calcium buildup on it you can clean that by soaking it in white vinegar. 

I have been full time in the rig since picking it up in November of 2013, but as I mentioned I flush the tank twice a year and have changed the anode rod when it's getting thin in a spot. Have alternated between the magnesium and the other one depending on the water. Yes there is debris coming out with the flush, but the view with a light inside the tank really doesn't look all that bad. Both of the elements I've taken out of the tank have had very little if any calcium build up. Should have taken photos. 

 

Rod

[GlennWest]

We still on original water heater. Our unit is a 2003. Full time as long as we had it. Not leaking yet. They easy to fix. 

[Randyretired]

We are still on the 1999 hot water heater.  We are not full time.  However the 120v wiring shorted and burned through.   The wiring is just laying behind the front cover and the tank and it eventually rubbed off the insulation.  Rewired it and it is working fine.

[Dutch_12078]

Our 2001 water heater works fine, even with most of its life in fulltimer use. The water heater in our previous 1995 Class A still works fine as well, according to the friend that bought it. Both are OEM units. The only water heater I've replaced on our own RV's was in a 1885 Dolphin Class C, and the only reason I replaced that one was to move up from a standing pilot to electronic ignition. I sold the old one to a fellow that was converting a box trailer to a travel trailer. I don't know if that one is still working.

[Kirk W]

17 hours ago, lappir said:

I have been full time in the rig since picking it up in November of 2013, but as I mentioned I flush the tank twice a year and have changed the anode rod when it's getting thin in a spot.

The life of the water heater tank is greatly impacted by the water it is subjected to. I also suspect that the Suburban coated steel tanks with anode may outlast the Atwood aluminum tanks. The only tank that I have had fail was an Atwood aluminum one. It's one of those things that isn't very predictable. As I said before, they should last at least 10 years but often last longer. RV appliances are subjected to such a range of water and conditions that just because some of them last for 30+ years is no indication that yours or mine will. 

8 hours ago, Randyretired said:

We are still on the 1999 hot water heater. 

Does it help when you heat the hot water? All of mine have heated the cold water.   ☺️ 

[oldjohnt]

Hi Lappir, good questions, those burned switches or fuses could be caused by bad resistive heat producing connections/switches or shorts in wiring or heating elements drawing high current. 

With respect to longevity of rv water heaters versus home, it’s shock snd vibration that contributes to lower rv unit life. Similar, while home units use the same more consistent water,  rv units may be exposed to more minerals contaminants and super hard well or city water all over the US shortening their lives and damaging heating elements. The quality of electric wiring and switches and frequent vibration can shorten rv unit life versus a professional installed home units 

Regular routine maintenance such as draining flushing and especially inspecting electrical connections and switches is beneficial 

Why yours may last a short or long time ???   Poor loose resistive electric switches and connections,,,,,,,Mineral content hardness and quality of water,,,Shock vibration snd driven miles,,,,,Heatiing element quality,,,Voltage 

John T   Not a plumber but continuous 53 year RV owner 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dutch_12078]

41 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

Does it help when you heat the hot water? All of mine have heated the cold water.   ☺️ 

I don't know about your water heater, but mine kicks in at 120 deg.F to heat the already hot water back up to 140 deg.F. That would make "hot water heater" correct for all but the initial warm up.

[Kirk W]

I suppose it could be looked at that way. Actually, here in TX today when contacted to city water with the sun on my hose the water entering it is right warm!

[GlennWest]

On 8/8/2024 at 8:32 AM, Kirk W said:

I suppose it could be looked at that way. Actually, here in TX today when contacted to city water with the sun on my hose the water entering it is right warm!

We in southeast Texas now. Hot water heater don't work very hard. Sun is intense.

[lappir]

Replaced this switch with......

This mini fuse holder. I spoke with an RV Tech about what size of fuse to use and we looked at the back side of one of his switches and found 15ams, so that's the size fuse I put in. 

As soon as I flipped the breaker back on I could hear the water being heated and in a bit I found hot water at the faucet in the kitchen. I thought excellent. I have replacement fuses and if this one blows in a few days I might try a 20. 

It's been several days, maybe a week actually since I tried this. Even moved a couple hundred miles and no problems, until today when I heard the water pump pulsing. I had heard an occasional pulse during the night and thought there was a loose connection near the pump I installed a year ago, but after drying the area and watching it for over 6 hours and not seeing a drop or drip I assumed I was hearing things. 

When I walked around the trailer to turn off the water pump (need to remedy that) I noticed a small stream coming from the corner of the trailer. That's also where the condensation drain is for the Mini Split and it had been pretty active, but then I noticed there was water in the drip rail and found it quite warm. It is Hot today but this was on the West side of the trailer before Noon. 

Found the pressure release valve dripping a steady stream so I unplugged the 120 volt water pump and released the pressure. No air came out. Plugged the pump back in and in a short bit the drip started again. 

I had yet to fill the tank since my arrival, so I grabbed the hose with a new to me pressure gauge and regulator attached and hooked to the Hydrant. 60psi was the water pressure and I hooked it up to  my system. Started with a bit into the tank and then pressurized the system. Sure enough the drip started again. I've now turned off the water heater breaker and am running a load of dishes to cool off the water in the tank. I flushed the tank just a month ago so I think I will head to the hardware store later and buy a new pressure release. I assume they are the same, but will also search the Suburban web site to see if they have info. 

Now for those who have tolerated my story till now. Where is the thermostat and is it adjustable on an RV water heater? The water does seem much hotter than I remember, but other than installing the fuse I haven't done anything different. 

 

Rod 

[GlennWest]

Those pressure relief valves wear out. 

[Wrknrvr]

    In my experience,,,,, I will never operate that relief valve.

 

   I did it one time and it leaked.

 

   Customer made me install one on me.

  Make sure 110 vac is off.

   The thermostat is on the front , outside under a square black plastic cover. Note cover can be tight. There is a thermostat with a high limit switch , that is one piece.

  You can get a 120, 130, or 140 degree thermostat.      The high limit may be 160 to above.

[lappir]

Thanks for the replies. After the cool down it stopped leaking and I've hooked up to the City Water where I'm parked this week. Used my LP to heat the water today for a shower and run of the dishwasher again. 

I usually use the relief valve to purge the air out of the tank after flushing it. Takes less time to clear the pipes inside. It had occasionally leaked before, but a quick flush usually stopped the leak, but not the last time. 

I put a thermometer in the water and got 130, but that was after the dishwasher had filled. I had turned off the 110V breaker and had not yet activated the LP. Too hot to work on it the last few days. 

 

Rod

[Wrknrvr]

  There are two different thermostats.

 

   There is a 12 vdc thermostat for the propane 

 
   Then there is a separate thermostat for the 110vac 

[lappir]

4 hours ago, Wrknrvr said:

  There are two different thermostats.

 

   There is a 12 vdc thermostat for the propane 

 
   Then there is a separate thermostat for the 110vac 

I found them both and they seem fine. When my "Aftermarket" element failed it burned the 110vac and I replaced it. Sadly the dealership in OKC didn't know the difference and neither did I until I got it back home and the wire connections are different. Not exactly sure why, they seem to be built exactly the same except for that connector difference. 

 

Rod

ps, thanks for your replies

 

[Kirk W]

42 minutes ago, lappir said:

they seem to be built exactly the same except for that connector difference. 

The contacts inside of the thermostats are different for 12V and 120V. They are made of different materials and the move differently. 

[jamescapes]

Your water heater has served you well over the years but is showing its age now. With the electrical issues you've been having, it may be time to consider replacement before any further problems arise, for safety and reliability. A new, high-quality water heater could last you many more years of comfortable full-time use.

[Wrknrvr]

   One set of the thermostats are of a certain size wire connector to accommodate 12vdc power.

   The other set is with its own size of connector for 110 vac power

   They are made for there specific voltage.

 

   If you look at the individual thermostat set, there are two thermostats on that assembly.

   One is for normal temperature control, at it’s specific temperature range   

  The second one is actually a higher temperature setting thermostat. It functions as a safety thermostat. If the normal temperature thermostat sticks shut, this thermostat will still control the temperature.

   But at a much higher setting. So if you notice the water temperature is hotter than normal. That is telling you that the thermostat is bad.

it needs to be replaced.

[lappir]

" But at a much higher setting. So if you notice the water temperature is hotter than normal. That is telling you that the thermostat is bad.

it needs to be replaced."

So Vern, which thermostat is bad and needing to be replaced? 

I tested the temperature of the water and it was 130 when the relief valve was leaking. After allowing the tank to cool and only using the LP side I have no leaking. It's been too HOT outside to mess with it, especially since it's on the West side and there is NO Shade. Per chance is the faulty thermostat potentially the cause of all the electrical switch failures? The guy I spoke with about fusing it said the switches failed because of the "Heat" exposure and besides they are cheaply made. 

I changed the "Thermostat" last year for the 110vac side. 

 

Rod

[Kirk W]

3 hours ago, lappir said:

which thermostat is bad and needing to be replaced? 

It is actually very easy to check the thermostats with your multimeter. It sounds like you have a Suburban water heater. An easy way to see which thermostat controls 120V is to measure the voltage to it and then just order the pair as the two come as one unit. 

SUBURBAN 120V THERMOSTAT

Edited August 29 by Kirk W
add a link

[Ray,IN]

On 8/27/2024 at 10:41 PM, lappir said:

Thanks for the replies. After the cool down it stopped leaking and I've hooked up to the City Water where I'm parked this week. Used my LP to heat the water today for a shower and run of the dishwasher again. 

I usually use the relief valve to purge the air out of the tank after flushing it. Takes less time to clear the pipes inside. It had occasionally leaked before, but a quick flush usually stopped the leak, but not the last time. 

I put a thermometer in the water and got 130, but that was after the dishwasher had filled. I had turned off the 110V breaker and had not yet activated the LP. Too hot to work on it the last few days. 

 

Rod

An RV water heater is designed for an air space between the relief valve and top of tank. If this air space gets absorbed by water, when the water expands from heat, something must else expand or otherwise relieve pressure to prevent the tank and/or plumbing from rupturing.

I suspect that 120V switch on the heater is burning up from high resistance downstream, either wiring or element.  This switch is in only the "hot" wire, the white neutral wire connections must also be inspected for corrosion/resistance and tight connections, including back at the main breaker panel.

FWIW, All connections in the main breaker panel should be checked for tightness annually. That's my opinion.

As to age, my Atwood water heater is now 25 yrs old with original 120V heating element working fine.

Edited August 30 by Ray,IN