2000 Itasca Sunflyer 36w water heater

[WinniLady]

I have a line leak behind my water heater. How do I get to it? We tried to take the water heater out but it would not come out. Can anyone help with this issue?

[Morich]

We don't get the best info, like the interactive parts we get on new, but we have to do some guessing.
So if one goes inside, what is directly behind the water heat inside? Is there a space with some form of paneling whee the trim and panel could be removed to get in to disconnect the plumbing that is topping you from sliding it out fromthe outside.

I hate the idea but I might guess you are looking at teasing some wood off inside to expose the rear. But the drawings I find are not good enough to let me see what that idea means, so not to panic----yet!

Sometimes getting that panel off is not that bad and can be done without much camage that will show after done. It can get into a time when we are glad RV are just put together with staples and prayer instead of actual wood and nails!

Any chance of a picture of what you have directly behind the heater? Always better if I can see instead of guessing!

I think this is the correct water heater manual and may show what to expect on the backside:
http://techsupport.pdxrvwholesale.co...ter-Manual.pdf

[WinniLady]

The water heater sits between a slide and a wheel. It is under the hallway

https://imgur.com/gallery/tCbSSSM

These images are what is behind the water heater from the bottom and the side

https://imgur.com/gallery/uTebo2J

[Morich]

Okay, thanks for the pictures! We can see what I was thinking was getting you nowhere!
I was on the wrondg side of the floor! And that does look like a tough place to get it moving.

Tell us what happens on trying to pull it out the side? Does it not want to move at all like it might be screwed or bolted down or does it move some but the lines are holding it from coming out more?

You know I'm shooting in the dark and never done this, so just throwing in ideas until somebody who may have done it might show up!!

But looking at the second picture from below, is there a plate on one spot that might give access to the plumbing on the heater back?
Looks like a terrible spot to get it off (if that is what I see) but maybe they did not give a good way to get there!




Looks like you have a big one going, so don't let me slow you down with talk!

[WinniLady]

When we tried to pull it out it came out some but it is being held by something behind it. We believe they are the water lines. That is the access panel to the water heater. Access to it is not good!

[Morich]

That looks really BAD!
About all the added that I have is a drawing that shows there are four different setups, depending on what options your RV may have.

This drawing , sheet 2?
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...l36w_plumb.pdf

Looking at it seems to show just the in and out water lines connecting to the back but different valves and such depedning on what and how you winterize? But there also has to be a gas line. I'm guessing the gas line goes in the front and you likely see it right away?

But I'm thinking that is a terrible thing to try to get the cover off and then actually getting where you can even see is a whole nother problem!!

[WinniLady]

I did find that scematic. I have the one on the top right. That still doen't help much. Thank you for taking the time to try and help. We have reached out to Winnibego to see if they can help.

[Morich]

Yes, sounds like the best plan.
Looking at how that winterize valve setup is there too. surely they left some plan for hooking that back up. We might be able to get in enough to snip off tubing to get the heater out but getting it back and connected, they surely had some plan.

Good luck!
Edit?
But then from what I read, the water heater is just in the way and th eleak may not be the heater but just the plumbing attached to the back! So maybe the question is not how to get the heater out but how to get to the plumbing on the back? Same result as it seems the best way to get space is to get the heater out! Kind of like talking in circles?

I hope they can give you some better ideas as going in from the top is not good or cutting metal off the bottom is no better! ARRGH!

[Ray,IN]

Richard is right, the rigid plumbing was installed after the heater was in place.
After looking at the pictures in post#3, I suggest the water is coming from above and leaking down into the WH compartment.