Hot Water Tank Heating but No flow into the coach

[bpcannan]

Hello...looking for some insights

Here's the scoop...2010 Winnebago Journey Express 34Y with Motoraid hot water heater.
- Just summerized Friday and all went well EXCEPT no hot water coming thru the lines to the galley sink, bathroom and shower. - Just went out to check and see if the hotwater tank was actually producing hot water by screwing out the drain plug a bit until I got some water out and the water directly in the tank is HOT - working as expected.

- took my time running water thru the lines inside but not hot, maybe tepid but that is a stretch. - water flow thru lines are fine

- reset the hot water heater circuit breaker under the bed just because I was at a loss as to what to do. Interestingly now, when I flip it on it does not appear to turn on but on not seeing any amps in the Powerline panel inside.

- propane to heat hot water kicks on then off, I suspect because the thermostat in the tank is reading the temp properly

- checked outside shower line to make sure both the H/C handles and shower nozzle in the OFF positions

- I opened the access panel in the closet showing the back of the water heater -> no drips, and lines in/out of heater look good EXCEPT there are 2 short lines leading from the check valve house, short one of 2-3" is clear while longer one leading over to the hot water distribution line looks like it some yellowish tint inside the line (clog?). Did not try disconnect any of the lines

One more odd thing.... in the bedroom closet is the hot water tank winterization valve...by-pass/normal op valve...think circle with lever pointed to Normal Op at 90 degrees and By-Pass at 180 degrees. When the lever points to normal op (@90 degrees) I get no water flow but when I have the lever pointed own at 180 I get all the flow I want. Seems odd but could be me. If they are out of position how does one fix. The metal panel covering the back of the tank only goes on one way showing the normal/by-pass options could only be one way.

I did not, flush my hot water tank prior to summerizing - is that my issue? But any clog would impeded water flow wouldn't it.

Any help and thinking appreciated.
Thank you Brian

 

[Morich]

Got a picture and some ideas of things I know about but you will need to check--if you can get to the heater back??
I find the cold always goes in the bottom pipe and out the top to get the warmer water up top!
In you case the bypass appears to be pretty clear and routes cold water around to avoid filling the tank. Tank fills, so I think that is set right!
But there is a check valve at the hot water out point that keeps the water mixing with cold and going back in again. More effective?

Maybe take a look and see if this is what you see and think? Water comes to the heater on green and bypasses to go back to RV or it goes like the blue line and into the heater at bottom!
I think that is good as it fills!
When full the water comes through a check valve at top of tank and to RV.
But those check valves have a nasty habit of sticking, especially when stored!
First, I might try to put good city water pressure on the line and see if it would jar loose if I whacked it!
Alternate might seem to be getting a new check valve? But that depends on lots of things like how much space to work and how much work you want!

See if that fits your thinking ?

 

[Morich]

I think of these as kind of common but I have never bought one!
As and added idea, maybe keep this Winn number handy but buying local is often good and cheaper! Your set of drawings doesn't give much detail on sizes!

 

[bpcannan]

I think of these as kind of common but I have never bought one!
As and added idea, maybe keep this Winn number handy but buying local is often good and cheaper! Your set of drawings doesn't give much detail on sizes!
View attachment 870831

Thank you both for such quick replies.
The picture exactly what the back of my water heater looks like and the labeling matches my manual diagram

I like the idea of maybe giving the brass check valve fitting a whack to see if it will dislodge the ‘stickiness’.

I also understand water flow better with the colors now.

Interesting twist tho is…with the bypass/normal switch in the horizontal position shown I get very minimal water flow in the house yet when it is the vertical (bypass) position I get normal water flow. To me that’s weird.

Thanks
Brian

 

[Morich]

Yes, that does sound a bit weird as I think of the handles as showing how the water should flow through horizontal to go straight through the "intersection" of pipes and vertical as the water turning to go down!
But then when I read your post again, you mentioned clear tubing? That sounds like somebody may have been here before and changed some parts as there are no clear tubes shown???
I don't know that I have ever checked the water flow when in bypass, so little info on that!

 

[powercat_ras]

A lot of us have removed the check valve on the outlet side of the hot water heater and replaced it with a gate valve. The check valve even when it is not stuck shut slightly constricts the hot water and this causes issues when mixing hot and cold water for showers or at the sinks.

The gate valve allows the outlet side of the hot water heater to be blocked when winterizing. Winnebago used the check valve instead of a shutoff valve, apparently because it was slightly lower cost.

 

[bpcannan]

Yes, that does sound a bit weird as I think of the handles as showing how the water should flow through horizontal to go straight through the "intersection" of pipes and vertical as the water turning to go down!
But then when I read your post again, you mentioned clear tubing? That sounds like somebody may have been here before and changed some parts as there are no clear tubes shown???
I don't know that I have ever checked the water flow when in bypass, so little info on that!

It all looks like original tubing, maybe I stated when I should have more careful and said opaque, translucent?

 

[RayIN]

Make sure the outside shower water valves are closed. It's the usual cause of what you experience.

 

[bpcannan]

OK, Checked it, was not 100% completely closed but when closed no changes. Would have been too easy if that was the fix.
Thanks
Brian

 

[Morich]

I think the idea of changing out or removing the check valve is missing why it is there. It's not a matter of building cheap but more a way to improve the function and get better life out of the heater as well as the propane we use.
One of the basic ideas of fluid is that warm rises and cold sinks. It's what makes weather.
When we look at the check valve it is meant to keep the hot water from moving out into the RV lines to cool. If we leave that pipe open the hot water goes out, moving cool water in. If we have a constant flow of hot out and cool in, we have to reheat that cool water full time, making the heater kick on and use energy to reheat the same water over and over, as well as adding wear to the heater!
In the long run, an open pipe will use up more propane or electricity as well as wear the heater out sooner!

I find it very rare when us rookie users can design better than Winnebago folks who have been doing it full time for a long time!

 

[Yankee-WO]

Hello...looking for some insights

Here's the scoop...2010 Winnebago Journey Express 34Y with Motoraid hot water heater.
- Just summerized Friday and all went well EXCEPT no hot water coming thru the lines to the galley sink, bathroom and shower. - Just went out to check and see if the hotwater tank was actually producing hot water by screwing out the drain plug a bit until I got some water out and the water directly in the tank is HOT - working as expected.

- took my time running water thru the lines inside but not hot, maybe tepid but that is a stretch. - water flow thru lines are fine

- reset the hot water heater circuit breaker under the bed just because I was at a loss as to what to do. Interestingly now, when I flip it on it does not appear to turn on but on not seeing any amps in the Powerline panel inside.

- propane to heat hot water kicks on then off, I suspect because the thermostat in the tank is reading the temp properly

- checked outside shower line to make sure both the H/C handles and shower nozzle in the OFF positions

- I opened the access panel in the closet showing the back of the water heater -> no drips, and lines in/out of heater look good EXCEPT there are 2 short lines leading from the check valve house, short one of 2-3" is clear while longer one leading over to the hot water distribution line looks like it some yellowish tint inside the line (clog?). Did not try disconnect any of the lines

One more odd thing.... in the bedroom closet is the hot water tank winterization valve...by-pass/normal op valve...think circle with lever pointed to Normal Op at 90 degrees and By-Pass at 180 degrees. When the lever points to normal op (@90 degrees) I get no water flow but when I have the lever pointed own at 180 I get all the flow I want. Seems odd but could be me. If they are out of position how does one fix. The metal panel covering the back of the tank only goes on one way showing the normal/by-pass options could only be one way.

I did not, flush my hot water tank prior to summerizing - is that my issue? But any clog would impeded water flow wouldn't it.

Any help and thinking appreciated.
Thank you Brian

We had a similar issue. Found out Winnebago had labeled the valve on hot water heater backwards. Instead of Winterize it was Normal and vice a versa. Try setting your hot water bypass valve opposite