Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 05-13-2014, 10:26 AM   #1
Winnebago Camper
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Colorado
Posts: 12
Atwood inlet check valve on 04 Journey

Has anyone out there replaced the inlet check valve on an 04 Journey 34H without removing the heater? There is a round screw-out access, but it is only about 8 inches diameter and I can only see the outlet, not the inlet.
__________________
04 Winnebago Journey 34H
330 Cat/6000 Allison
Open car trailer with Rubicon, Cobra or Fairlane
FiveJs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-13-2014, 10:39 AM   #2
Winnie-Wise
 
Skip426's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Powell River, B.C.
Posts: 339
:welcome: Sorry , I can't help with you question. I'm sure you'll get the info you need soon.
Just wanted to say , Hi.
__________________
99DSDP 3884, Freightliner, XC, CAT 3126B, 300 HP /ALLISON 3060
2000 Caravan toad, Remco & Blue Ox.
Skip426 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-13-2014, 11:11 AM   #3
Winnebago Watcher
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 4
Yes replaced both the input and the output check valves on an Atwood that was mounted on a 2005 Vectra. Always replaced the input side (located at the bottom of heater) first (that way all water is drained). No need to pull the water heater. Access panel is a small metal rectangular plate located underneath the water heater, held in place by 4 or 5 phillips head screws. Will need a one inch socket or a large crescent wrench to unscrew and reinstall the check valve. An arrow on the check valve indicates direction of water flow. Note during removal how your check valves are oriented. Do one at a time. Replace both while you are at it and will not have do it again for several years. The upper one (believe it is the output side) is the most difficult...need long arms to reach it. You will get wet, it is a small messy job. Do not turn on the water heater until it is full again or will have to replace the heater element.
pavepaws is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-13-2014, 12:46 PM   #4
Winnebago Camper
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Colorado
Posts: 12
PavePaws,
Thanks for the response. I had not seen the bottom panel--only the top screw out which gets me to the outlet. I contacted Winnebago tech and mentioned my plan to cut an access panel and they said some owners had done that. Well, the existing panel you advised of will get me to the lower inlet. THANKS, looking forward to hot water on my new-to-me home.
__________________
04 Winnebago Journey 34H
330 Cat/6000 Allison
Open car trailer with Rubicon, Cobra or Fairlane
FiveJs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-13-2014, 02:51 PM   #5
Winnebago Watcher
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 4
FiveJays - welcome. I neglected to mention that the one inch socket should be a deep-well type, similar to length of spark plug socket.
pavepaws is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-14-2014, 08:33 AM   #6
Winnebago Master
 
AFChap's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: ...hopefully on the road!
Posts: 1,653
Quote:
Originally Posted by FiveJs View Post
...looking forward to hot water on my new-to-me home.
I presume you do not currently have hot water. Replacing the valves may not have the effect you desire... After many problems w/the outlet check valve on mine I gutted it and put it back in place. I have no problems with having hot water.

It never worked, not even when new, because the plumbing fitting prevented the valve from closing. I discovered it when winterizing. I had it serviced under warranty and the dealer blamed the electronic bypass solenoid and replaced it with a manual bypass ..I later found that did not fix the problem. When I had it checked one year at GNR Winnebago said the check valve was aftermarket/not the kind they install, and replaced it, but I later found the new one also was forced open by the plumbing fitting.

Just a long way of saying that replacing the check valves may not cure a lack of hot water. I have known other owners who removed or gutted the outlet check valve with no effect on having hot water.
__________________
Paul (KE5LXU) ...was fulltimin', now parttimin'
'03 Winnebago UA 40e TRADED OFF JUL 2023 / '17 Jeep Grand Cherokee toad
AFChap is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2014, 07:23 AM   #7
Winnebago Camper
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Colorado
Posts: 12
Thanks for all the advise. First I gutted the suspect check, tank filled. Then purchased a new check and replaced the gutted check, tank filled. Have flow and the heater heats. All good.
__________________
04 Winnebago Journey 34H
330 Cat/6000 Allison
Open car trailer with Rubicon, Cobra or Fairlane
FiveJs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2014, 09:16 AM   #8
Winnie-Wise
 
Skip426's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Powell River, B.C.
Posts: 339
Thanks for posting that your fixed and the nature of the repairs.
So many forget, to do so.
__________________
99DSDP 3884, Freightliner, XC, CAT 3126B, 300 HP /ALLISON 3060
2000 Caravan toad, Remco & Blue Ox.
Skip426 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-21-2014, 05:09 PM   #9
Winnebago Camper
 
WReeder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 11
I just gutted both check valves on mine, unless you winterize with the antifreeze it should be ok not to have them!
WReeder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-25-2014, 10:54 PM   #10
Winnebago Camper
 
K7tom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 9
WReeder , Sir I just noticed that you have the very same coach that I just picked up a week or so ago.
I have a DC power problem. We came back to the coach Friday evening and the doc power was going out,I started losing the radio,then every thing else on the dash,then the steps. The engine battery was comp dead. All three batteries where put in by
Dealer last week. Any way I was just wondering if you ever ran into this issue?
Thank you for your time. Tom auburn,wa.
__________________
K7TOM / K8PIG
TOM,DAD,ETC.
K7tom is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-26-2014, 12:52 PM   #11
Winnebago Camper
 
WReeder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by K7tom View Post
WReeder , Sir I just noticed that you have the very same coach that I just picked up a week or so ago.
I have a DC power problem. We came back to the coach Friday evening and the doc power was going out,I started losing the radio,then every thing else on the dash,then the steps. The engine battery was comp dead. All three batteries where put in by
Dealer last week. Any way I was just wondering if you ever ran into this issue?
Thank you for your time. Tom auburn,wa.
If you had the battery's changed out it could be related to that. If they could have a short in the connection or connected the batteries wrong and gave you 24 volt vs 12?
WReeder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-27-2014, 11:39 AM   #12
Winnebago Camper
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Colorado
Posts: 12
The electrical system, both chassis and coach batteries have not given me trouble, though I too am a brand new owner of this 10 yr old low mileage coach. Related to batteries, I just modified my tray by adding 3 inches to the back, now the tray will accept 4 coach batteries. We will be boon-docking, thus the modification. However, this topic should be in a different string since it does not relate to my now fixed heater fill problem.
__________________
04 Winnebago Journey 34H
330 Cat/6000 Allison
Open car trailer with Rubicon, Cobra or Fairlane
FiveJs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-28-2014, 09:48 AM   #13
Winnebago Owner
 
Cloudrnnr's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 68
Quote:
Originally Posted by FiveJs View Post
. Related to batteries, I just modified my tray by adding 3 inches to the back, now the tray will accept 4 coach batteries. We will be boon-docking, thus the modification. However, this topic should be in a different string since it does not relate to my now fixed heater fill problem.
FiveJs, have you put together a thread on your battery add? Curious about doing the same to support a change to a residential fridge.
Cloudrnnr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-29-2014, 07:58 AM   #14
Winnebago Camper
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Colorado
Posts: 12
cloudrnnr,

I do not have a string, but it is a fairly easy modification if you can cut and weld steel. The time involved was about 2 hours and cost about $30. I will attempt to attach an after pix to the string.
1. Remove the coach batteries and disconnect the chassis batteries
2. Cut out the rear vertical wall of the coach battery tray, remove the battery mount studs.
3. Measure the width of the tray and length of 2 deep cycle batteries end to end.
4. Cut both a new rear wall and floor extension from 2 or 3 inch steel strap to fit within the width of the tray.
5. Cut a 2 inch angle iron floor and wall support for the rear of the tray.
6. Position and clamp the angle iron in the rear floor an inch greater than the 2 x battery length.
7. Tack weld the angle iron into the tray. Test fit the 4 batteries end to end front to rear. If ok, remove the batteries and finish weld the angle iron
8. Position and clamp the steel strap to extend the floor and rear wall, weld in place
9. Position the 4 batteries, measure the width side to side of the batteries and mark 4 holes on the floor, about 1 inch greater than the width to reposition the hold down studs on the outside of each batteries.
10 Remove the batteries, drill a suitable hole for the 4 hold down studs, using a square file make the drilled hole square to position the square on the stud.
11. Install the studs, batteries and measure side to side the distance between the studs.
12. Cut hold down straps from 1 inch strap, 2 inches longer than the dimension in #11. drill 2 holes per dimension with equal dimensions on both sides.
13. Paint all the new steel and studs with a suitable rust preventative paint.
14 install the batteries, I put the negative poles in the center and positives in the front and rear.
15. Connect the cables and get an auto parts shop to fabricate 2 new cables to connect the new battery in parallel.
16. You are done!
__________________
04 Winnebago Journey 34H
330 Cat/6000 Allison
Open car trailer with Rubicon, Cobra or Fairlane
FiveJs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-29-2014, 09:11 PM   #15
Winnebago Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Northern Oklahoma
Posts: 871
Quote:
Originally Posted by FiveJs View Post
Thanks for all the advise. First I gutted the suspect check, tank filled. Then purchased a new check and replaced the gutted check, tank filled. Have flow and the heater heats. All good.
How did you determine the inlet check valve was the problem? I have a 2004 Meridian and will probably be facing this same problem in the near future since so many things have started or continued going haywired on this coach since it was new.
wagonmaster2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2014, 09:49 PM   #16
Winnebago Camper
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Colorado
Posts: 12
The inlet check valve when working properly allows flow into the heater but no back flow in the wrong direction towards the tank or city fill from the heater. In my situation, the heater would not fill from either the tank/pump or city fill. Thus there was also no flow through the heater, nothing on the hot water side in the coach when the bypass and city fill valves were in the normal positions. If I put the winterizing valve in bypass, then I had cold water flowing through the hot water side in the coach. Switching back to normal there was no flow--thus I deducted the inlet check was bad not allowing flow into the heater. Later I determined the failure was the spring allowing the ball to plug the inlet.
Hope that helps. If you have hot water flow, your checks are operating properly...
__________________
04 Winnebago Journey 34H
330 Cat/6000 Allison
Open car trailer with Rubicon, Cobra or Fairlane
FiveJs is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
atwood, journey


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Check valve Atwood H20 Heater Belgique Electrical | Charging, Solar and Electronics 12 05-17-2015 12:44 AM
Atwood water heater check valve location & purchases source wagonmaster2 Plumbing | Systems and Fixtures 20 11-22-2013 03:30 PM
Atwood water heater check valve Stumpjumper Plumbing | Systems and Fixtures 13 07-05-2005 10:49 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Winnebago Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:51 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.