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Old 04-22-2009, 10:37 AM   #1
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Check valve Atwood H20 Heater

Ok guys...don't tell me to do a search. I did and read all 139,001 posts on the subject.

2008 35J Sightseer. From reading the posts I now know that the squealing we were hearing with hot water was sound of the check valve(s) dying. Of course, when it/they died it blocked hot water flow. I am attempting to unscrew the one valve that I know about to rip out the guts of the valve. This valve is a 1" on the top. But a gorilla put it on with an impact wrench and that sucker will not budge.

The posts say there is a second one. Some say at the bottom and some say behind the utility compartment. I removed the face plate in the compartment and see no check valve. The cold water connection at the bottom of the hot water heater does not look like a check valve. The one on the top has a place to put a box end wrench on it; the one on the bottom is smooth cylindrical.

While I mull over how to unscrew the one vale I know of, does anyone with a Sightseer with Atwood and motoraid know if there is a second valve and, if so, where it might be? If I were home I would call Winnie but we are in Mexico near the Yucatan and don't have telephone capability.

Suggestions welcome. Thanks all!

(PS: I made up the 139,001 post number...but it sure seems like that many. You'd think Atwood/Winnie would change check valves!)

ON EDIT: I just found an Email address for Winnie so I've asked them. Some firsthand experience, busted knuckle reports still welcome.
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Old 04-22-2009, 03:46 PM   #2
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Had to change my check valve 2 months ago on an 05 Voyage. They are on pretty tight with little room to work. Used a 1" socket with 1/2" drive. Only change the outlet valve. The plastic plunger blew out and was wedged inside the water line. You can check the input valve by just seeing if the tank get full. Odds are the culprit is the outlet valve.
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Old 04-22-2009, 06:38 PM   #3
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Report back

Ok, bit the bullet and went after that sucker (the top one) with a 1" socket...has to be a med-deep length. It is in there. Got it out and the 10 cent part was failed. Pull the guts out, replaced it and all is well. The good news is on a 35J you can get to it from the access panel under the speaker that is under the fridge. On our 35U, you had to pull the heater.

If you hear squeeling when you use hot water, get your 1" socket out. Thanks!
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Old 04-23-2009, 08:02 AM   #4
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CAMCO RV Parts sells the replacement valve...and it has all high quality metal internal parts versus OE supplied Winnie sources..and it's plastic internals. About $8.. I installed one..no more problems...have a spare.

Found mine in a general (non dealer) RV parts store..just ask...be sure to get CAMCO one...Part Number 23303.

http://www.camco.net/Menu.cfm?SupCat...ProductId=2078[/quote]

Did not have to pull HWH in my 35U...it had access panel under HWH. I agree...odds are it is the top valve...use an open end wrench...as long as possible...turn..loosen in short partial turns..same for retighten..
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Old 04-23-2009, 01:37 PM   #5
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Our Hot Water Heater on 2003 Itasca Sunrise 36M has a access panel on the side of the HWH compartment 8 ½” x 18”. It is on the front end next to the living room slide-out. With the slide-out out its is easy access.


I attached photos to this post. The out flow to the sinks and shower is on the top. I just removed the "guts" plunger and spring and it is working for now.



Will decide if I will replace the check valves when I get home from Florida. Our hot water quit flowing yesterday in the afternoon on 4/22/2009.
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Old 04-24-2009, 07:54 AM   #6
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Just a quick follow-up. Got a very nice E-mail response from Winnie yesterday. They included the drawings (which I already had) but better, they identified where the 2 check valves are. They are both on the tank. I pulled the guts out of the outlet one and that did the trick. Thanks Winnie for the quick and helpful response!
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Old 04-24-2009, 12:56 PM   #7
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Read the following quote in another post:

“You do not need those check-valves if a.) you have a water-heater bypass system so you don't fill the heater tank with antifreeze, or b.) if you winterize by blowing air thru the system, drain your water-heater tank, and just use antifreeze in the sink traps and toilet.”

However I think I got backflow into the water tank when I had the diverter “bypass” on for the water heater with the drain plug pulled from the HWH tank water was flowing out.

I will do some more tests when I get home and may end up putting in NEW Check Valves.
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Old 10-17-2009, 03:46 PM   #8
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Follow-up to my above post.

The check valve IS required on the top “outflow” check valve that I gutted in Florida 4/22/2009.

Tried to add the Red Pop with the Hot Water Heater bypass on and the Red Pop flowed into the Hot Water Tank through the gutted old check valve.

Installed the new Check Valve and was able to winterize as usual 10/17/2009.
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Old 12-26-2009, 10:03 PM   #9
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Does anyone know why the outflow check valve on a 2002 Horizon is at the water compartment and the inflow is at the HWH? What I don't get is that if I winterize and drain the HWH and use the bypass valve, won't there sill be water in the line from the compartment back to the HWH? If this valve is to prevent anitfreeze backing into the HWH from the hot side, wouldn't it stop air as well and prevent draining the water out of the line? I have to winterize my MY in 2 weeks after moving it from Austin to NY, and after reading several forums, does it seems that going with the air blow out approach is best - more a must if the check valves (insides) are removed? AND my inlet check valve as just locked up (no flow).
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Old 12-26-2009, 10:21 PM   #10
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That is one of the reasons that when I winterize my 03 Journey DL, I drain the water heater, then blow out the lines, then bypass the heater before adding antifreeze.

Another line that may be missed is the water pump intake from the tank. I'm guessing that it somehow it gets enough water drained out by the low point drain. I do know that I have never had a problem with either.

I guess that the folks in northern Iowa must know something about winterizing.
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Old 12-27-2009, 02:16 PM   #11
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The inlet valve is optional.. The outlet valve you do not need to remove it from the heater to remove the core.. Just unhook the pipe from it and reach in with needle nose pliars

The cold water valve would have to be removed.. Or .. Well there is a violent way (Drill it out) but I do not suggest that as you have to figure out how to flush the debris out of the heater.
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Old 12-27-2009, 10:37 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wa8yxm View Post
The inlet valve is optional.. The outlet valve you do not need to remove it from the heater to remove the core.. Just unhook the pipe from it and reach in with needle nose pliars
Well the outlet side is easy to get to since it is in the water compartment - on this one, I left the (new) valve in place.

However, on the inlet side (cold in) that one is a b*tch to get at - winny must be joking with that little 5 inch round access panel on the back side of the HWH, but it is the only way to get at the valve . I did take the bottom panel off, but due to both the heater lines from the engine and the electric wiring, there is no access from the bottom to that valve. Once I got one end off the water line - the bottom end - then it was easy to pull the rest of it out of the round access hole and remove the top fitting from the valve and take it out. (so no need to get in with needle nose pliers from underneath the coach) Once out, I did remove the plastic insides on this one, and re-installed. I will leave the outlet side valve in the water compartment in place. What a pain in the *ss.
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Old 05-17-2015, 12:44 AM   #13
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Yep, this is a really old thread, but I wanted to thank everyone for the valuable info. I just had to change one of my valves and we now have hot water silence!
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