Water Heater Heating Element 'Wattage' question

Most of them are 1400 watts. IME any 1400 watt heating element will work. Around $10 at a big box store. No need for RV specific part. They're easy to change if it's a Suburban, kind of a PIA if it's an Atwood.
 
OK thanks, I just had a RV Technician ask me over the phone about this -- because water is pouring out of the pressure valve after finally getting the Hot Water Heater to plug into electricity a couple of days ago.

Note that it was only working on Propane until now because it was unplugged way in the back and hard to reach until a Technician came out and noticed that. ...I bought it used a few months ago. Why it was unplugged, who knows?

And yes, I had previously replaced the Heating Element thinking that might be the problem, but that didn't solve it. So, the Technician now is asking me if I installed the correct wattage. All I know is that I bought one from Ace Hardware that, at least "looked", just like the old one.
 
Well, as I mentioned, water was pouring out, so would't that suggest there is water in the tank..? ...or maybe not?
 
The heating element may not be the problem. The relay that supplies power to the element may not be opening when it's supposed too to cut power to the element. What I would suspect though would be one of the thermostats. There are two of them, one that will allow power to go through when the temperature gets too low. The other is for if the temperature gets too high it will cut power. I would be checking both of them. The element will continue heating so long as it has power. For it to stop the power going to the element has to shut off.
 
Thank you for that.
One thing that I should point out in case it matters, is that everything was working fine on Propane -- no water spilling out of the pressure valve, etc. It was only when we finally got the Electricity working for the unit.

Some additional information is that I don't live on the property wehere this RV is, but nearby. I tend to go out there every day for a little bit to do work, etc. But, it wasn't until 3 days later (after the electricity was plugged into the unit) when I noticed the water coming out pretty heavily form the back of the unit. Turning off the unit did not do anything. But, turning off the water source did.
 
WhittleBurner said:
The heating element may not be the problem. The relay that supplies power to the element may not be opening when it's supposed too to cut power to the element. What I would suspect though would be one of the thermostats. There are two of them, one that will allow power to go through when the temperature gets too low. The other is for if the temperature gets too high it will cut power. I would be checking both of them. The element will continue heating so long as it has power. For it to stop the power going to the element has to shut off.
Click to expand...
Marcy, that description is basically correct in operation. The main thermostat is the one that allows the heat to come on and heat up the water, then opens up once the temperature is reached. The other one is a "High Limit" thermostat and those are a safety device to kill power to the heater in case the main thermostat fails closed and does not open. The high limit one is usually a 180° set point and that is approx. 32° less than when water begins to boil. If that one would fail also, at the same time, that would be a bad day and hopefully the temp/pressure relief valve would open before the explosion happened.
 
Grand Master IceMan said:
Thank you for that.
One thing that I should point out in case it matters, is that everything was working fine on Propane -- no water spilling out of the pressure valve, etc. It was only when we finally got the Electricity working for the unit.

Some additional information is that I don't live on the property wehere this RV is, but nearby. I tend to go out there every day for a little bit to do work, etc. But, it wasn't until 3 days later (after the electricity was plugged into the unit) when I noticed the water coming out pretty heavily form the back of the unit. Turning off the unit did not do anything. But, turning off the water source did.
Click to expand...
Was the water coming out of the pressure relief valve? Or someplace else?
Rich
 
triplethreat said:
Marcy, that description is basically correct in operation. The main thermostat is the one that allows the heat to come on and heat up the water, then opens up once the temperature is reached. The other one is a "High Limit" thermostat and those are a safety device to kill power to the heater in case the main thermostat fails closed and does not open. The high limit one is usually a 180° set point and that is approx. 32° less than when water begins to boil. If that one would fail also, at the same time, that would be a bad day and hopefully the temp/pressure relief valve would open before the explosion happened.
Click to expand...
Are all of these thermostats in play on both AC and propane operation? Sounds like the OP's water heater temp on AC is getting too high and the relief valve is doing what it is supposed to (as opposed to propane operation).
 
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