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  1. #1
    Fireside Member Andy+Mo's Avatar
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    Ran Water Heater without Water

    Okay, I made a rookie mistake. I just brought home my gently used 2017 303RLS and turned on the water heater (gas and electric) buttons by mistake. They must have been on for at least an hour. My unit was winterized at the dealership I bought it from and I later noticed the hot water tank plug was removed. My unit was put into a winter storage unit the next day. I am wondering if I ruined the heating element in my hot water tank? Ugh!

  2. #2
    Site Sponsor Jerryr's Avatar
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    Could be but it's not an expensive mistake. If you fried the element it's less than $20 to replace the part.
    Jerry & Linda
    Emma & Abby our Mini Golden Doodles & JR our Amazon Parrot
    2017 Reflection 337RLS, Build Date 01/2017, Titan Disk Brakes, Goodyear G614s 235/85/16 G Rated tires
    2022 F-450 King Ranch Ultimate, 4,868 lb Payload, Bedrug Bedliner, Andersen Ultimate II Aluminum 5th wheel hitch
    http://visitedstatesmap.com/image/FLGANCSCsm.jpg

  3. #3
    Fireside Member Andy+Mo's Avatar
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    Thanks Jerry! I am brand new to this whole deal and an nervous I am gonna brake something. It would be good for me to find a bank of videos to learn what i need. I have started working my way through the manual. The place I am storing it puts a tender on the battery. I engaged the battery kill switch in the storage locker and am wondering if I should also tell them to disconnect the actual battery connection to the RV so that it does not affect anything else like the leveling system? Thoughts?

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    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    Andy+Mo - At the Atwood tech seminar at one of the recent Rallies, we were told that the Atwood water heater element is manufactured from material very similar to an electric stove element and will "likely survive" being turned on with an empty tank. I don't know of anyone who has actually tested this . . . but, you might be OK.

    Rob
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  5. #5
    Long Hauler bertschb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andy+Mo View Post
    It would be good for me to find a bank of videos to learn what i need.
    I would recommend YouTube. There are TONS of videos about all aspects of RV'ing. You can learn how to maintain your holding tanks, hitching up to your rig, backing up, leveling, towing, all kinds of maintenance items, batteries, solar panels, tires, brakes - EVERYTHING!

    One thing I would recommend to avoid damage is when you are ready to leave a camp site, walk around the interior and exterior of your rig twice to make sure you remember everything. Fridge doors closed, shower and interior doors secured, antenna and vents down, jacks up, hitch secured, etc, etc. My wife and I both walk around twice to make sure we don't forget anything. So far, so good.

    If you use a battery tender, you don't need to disconnect the battery cable.
    Brian & Kellie
    2020 Solitude 310GK-R, FBP, 1,460w solar, 540ah BBGC3, MORryde IS w/disc brakes
    2020 F-350 Platinum SRW Powerstroke Tremor, 60g TF fuel tank, Hensley BD3-F air bag hitch

    Previous setups:
    2019 Solitude 373FB-R, 2019 F-350 Platinum DRW Powerstroke, Hensley BD5 air bag hitch
    2016 Reflection 318RST, 2016 GMC 3500 Denali SRW Duramax, Hensley BD3 air bag hitch

  6. #6
    Fireside Member Andy+Mo's Avatar
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    Thanks Rob! I hate being the test dummy but it probably fits... :-)

  7. #7
    Fireside Member Andy+Mo's Avatar
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    Great advice Brian - thanks!

  8. #8
    Site Sponsor orbiker's Avatar
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    Brian said: " walk around the interior and exterior of your rig twice to make sure you remember everything"

    I second this. My wife walked around inside and said everything was done. I pushed the button without looking and heard a crunch. The big dog food bowl got bent up real bad. Luckily that was all.

    My job is the outside and her's is the inside. Switching the viewpoint should help.

    Some people do check lists to help with the different tasks. (just a good thought)
    Backpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
    Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
    02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
    10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
    10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
    03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
    FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021

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