no hot water

paulrtaylor · 01-16-2011, 03:31 PM

I don't have any hot water coming out of any of the faucets. If I by pass the water heater with the bypass valve evrything works but it is all cold of course. I took the lines off of the water heater and there is no restriction that I can see. There seems to be some kind of a check valve on the hearter but I don't know what it is suppose to do. It is an atwood water heater. Any help will be welcome.

Dirtbuster · 01-16-2011, 03:40 PM

Have you checked to make sure that your outside shower ( Hot & Cold knobs ) are turned off. If they are both on, it will screw up the hot water.

Ask me how I know!

DriVer · 01-16-2011, 03:57 PM

The problem could be a bad check valve in the back of the water heater. I just worked through this problem in Louisville in the beginning of December. Got ready for a shower and I got no flow from the hot water circuit. The problem was the top check valve once that was replaced everything was OK again.

paulrtaylor · 01-16-2011, 05:31 PM

Thanks for the replies. I think it is that top check valve. I will try to find one tomorow.

DAN L · 01-17-2011, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulrtaylor

Thanks for the replies. I think it is that top check valve. I will try to find one tomorow.

many check valves are plastic. the internal parts fail. some folks on this forum have had success in removing the internal parts and reinstalling the check valve body. there are 2 check valves, one on the hot and another on the cold water line. these check valves are necessary for winterizing with anti freeze to keep anti freeze out of the water heater.
camco makes all brass check valves in 2 configurations. the female end valve is part #23303. the male end is pn 88203230. i paid $9.19 each for mine at an rv store.

paulrtaylor · 01-17-2011, 03:39 AM

Thanks Dan! The part #'s will help me alot

paulrtaylor · 01-17-2011, 05:46 PM

Thanks to Dirtbuster,Driver,and Dan I now have hot water. It was the check valve on the cold side that was the main problem but now I have all new valves and everything is working fine.
Thanks alot to everyone

Paul T · 02-22-2011, 02:24 PM

How does one access the check valves please?

smlranger · 02-22-2011, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul T

How does one access the check valves please?

Paul:

There is a check valve on the cold water inlet at the back of the water heater. On most of the Winnebago's, there is either a small panel or round screw-out plug (or both) that you can remove from the rear of the enclosure for the water heater. There is usually another check valve in the hot water line behind the panel where you connect your city water.

Paul T · 02-24-2011, 02:04 PM

Thanks for the help. Spotted the one, (brass on mine), on lower cold supply but didn't attempt removal without spare in hand. It's in really close quarters and doesn't look fun to replace and make sure its leak free. My logic says that if one opens the tank drain valve and drains the tank, that thereafter one repressurizes the system, if water does not refill the tank the problem is isolated to cold in supply side. Else, hot out side. Plumbing schematic shows one valve on each line and indicates they are identical. Now to find the hot side valve and do them both at the same time.

smlranger · 02-24-2011, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul T

Thanks for the help. Spotted the one, (brass on mine), on lower cold supply but didn't attempt removal without spare in hand. It's in really close quarters and doesn't look fun to replace and make sure its leak free. My logic says that if one opens the tank drain valve and drains the tank, that thereafter one repressurizes the system, if water does not refill the tank the problem is isolated to cold in supply side. Else, hot out side. Plumbing schematic shows one valve on each line and indicates they are identical. Now to find the hot side valve and do them both at the same time.

On my Journey, the hot side valve was in the mass of plumbing immediately behind the panel where the 'city water/water tank fill' valve is located. When I had same symptoms as you describe, it was the valve on the hot side that had fallen apart and was obstructing water flow. While I was busting my knuckles, I replaced both of the valves for good measure.

A suggestion....when I replaced the valves using the existing plastic connections in the Winne plumbing, I had some minor leaks that just could not be stopped by simply tightening the plastic fittings, adding teflon tape, etc. So, I used some Pex tubing and some 'shark-bite' push-on connectors. I assembled my new valves with the shark bite connectors and short lengths of Pex, and reinstalled to the Winne connections. No leaks. Just something to consider if you have similar problems. Also, a hair dryer will help with disassembly of some of those hard plastic connections, especially in that tight space behind the water heater.

Paul T · 02-25-2011, 07:24 PM

Got it fixed – The problem valve was in the hot out line and in my rig it was screwed right into the back of the water heater towards the top. I’m not a real big guy which is good in that access to the valve was gained by removing the upper panel above the valves used to winterize and bypass the heater. There was a removable, (4X8 inch), access panel on the back of the heater enclosure but its purpose must be to service the cold input valve as it was too small and too far from the hot side valve to get a tool on the valve. As described by others here the internal parts of the valve had failed which allowed the small round plastic disk to jam against the water out side female fitting. The valve itself is male/male.
Now that I know where the thing is I wouldn’t hesitate to temporarily use a failed valve by just removing its internal parts which would have provided hot water flow until such time that a replacement was found. I picked up a valve at a local RV store which looked identical to the one I removed however it also had plastic internal parts. The parts folks at Lichtsinn Motors confirmed that all their valves have plastic internal parts so maybe I’ll get another 4 years out of this one.
There is no doubt in my mind that the hot outlet valve gets a lot more stress than the cold water input. In my configuration it was located within six inches of the electric heater anode and thus is under a lot of stress, (particularly if you left the electric heat on with low or no water inside the tank itself.

Thanks for the help smlranger. It only took me two tries to fix this problem - usually I need three or four attempts just to get my courage up.