Water Heater

[terryannbautz]

I need to know this as well please.

With limited/intermittent hot water, we hoped that draining and flushing the water heater might help. (Found out we should be doing this once a year minimum...some folks advise every couple months.) First we just drained the water heater; quite a bit of sediment/calcium buildup came out. Still limited/intermittent hot water. We then we bought a wand to better direct a spray inside the water heater, and flushed out more sediment. Still limited/intermittent hot water. We then we added vinegar to our water heater, left overnight with hot water heater on as hoped that might solve it. Nope. We determined it definitely the check valve. I was able to get back to it, removed the hot water line, however I was not able to get the black check valve to turn to remove it; afraid I would break this plastic piece. Called in an RV tech who advised it was 50/50 chance he could remove it without breaking the check valve. If broke, would need a new hot water heater. Luckily he was able to remove it without breaking this black, plastic piece called a check valve, and replaced it with a brass one. Attaching a photo of the back of the water heater, and another of the black check valve, looking down into it. This black piece sticks up a good inch, once you remove the hot water line, so if you are really handy and have the right tools, could probably do this yourself...unless the valve breaks!

[Cadman65]

Thank you so much!! I'm giving it a shot tomorrow night. I needed this!!

[terryannbautz]

Thank you so much!! I'm giving it a shot tomorrow night. I needed this!!

Best of luck! I am in a 2016 36 foot Reflections fifth wheel...had to kinda wiggle back and reach to access the water heater as its behind the furnace. Don't know what tool the RV tech used to loosen and remove it...some type of wrench...I tried but it kept slipping and I could just not get a good grip on it to turn it! Let me know how it goes!

[Cadman65]

Where is this located? I took the check valve out on the hit side of the hot water heater

[Spark2]

I would phone Grand Design and the lady that answers the phone will be able to move your call over to experts that are responsible for the plumbing. The should be able to help you. Vern

[Cadman65]

I called grand design, and I have replaced everything they told me to replace. And still no water out of the hot side of the faucets. They told me to call them and let them know what I find, so they can put it in their memory bank for some other poor soul that has the same problem

[Spark2]

My issue with the Atwood 6 gallon tank which is run on 115 vote power and propane is this. I was running the heater on propane and the propane bottle I was running it on run out of propane. I than witched over to the other bottle. After that when I tried to run the furnace on the new bottle all it would do is click three times and than show a problem on the panel inside the RV. You could smell propane so the gas valve was getting power bud it would not ignite. So what is it now, the igniter or is it the small electrical board at the water heater?

[terryannbautz]

Where is this located? I took the check valve out on the hit side of the hot water heater

I believe there is only one check valve, and it is on the hot water connection to the water heater. I took a photo, attached, prior to my disconnecting the hot water line.

[Spark2]

Thanks Terry: It was the electrical panel mounted in the front of the Hot Water Heater. The igniter part of the board malfunctioned. The new board is wider but it is designed so the two mounting screws line up and the wider part is on the left side. 10 minute job to install. Dometic now owns Atwood and the warranty is two years on the original one and one year on the new one. Again thanks for sharing your idea’s. Vern

[boyscout]

I called grand design, and I have replaced everything they told me to replace. And still no water out of the hot side of the faucets. They told me to call them and let them know what I find, so they can put it in their memory bank for some other poor soul that has the same problem

I see that you're one of several people here dealing with a similar problem, but no resolution reported in the thread. Did you get yours figured out?