Thermostats

[CeeMac]

Hello - I’m new here

Can anyone help me understand where the thermostats for the refrigerator and hot water heater are? We have a 2020 Kodiak Ultralight 261RBSL with Dometic appliances.

We had a carbonated water on the top shelf freeze and explode, and the RV repairman who replaced our thermostat for the hot water heater (because it was heating water to 190 degrees) look and he couldn’t find it. Nor does he know why our refrigerator is too cold and our hot water too hot.

Has anyone run into this, and is there a fix?

Thanks!

[franktafl]

Look up the model number of the fridge and the water heater then Google the manuals, the only way…

[persistent]

Please post make and model of refrigerator for better advice.
Please post make and model of water heater.

An RV technician who cannot find the water heater thermostat is not a qualified appliance repair person. The same is true if he cannot adjust the refer temperature.

Find a different repair person.

[CeeMac]

Originally Posted by franktafl

Look up the model number of the fridge and the water heater then Google the manuals, the only way…

Thanks - I was able to do that with the refrigerator, so that is all sorted. Now that we’re parked, I’ll get the numbers for the hot water heater.

This is a previously owned camper and all the manuals are long gone. I appreciate your help!

[CeeMac]

Originally Posted by persistent

Please post make and model of refrigerator for better advice.
Please post make and model of water heater.

An RV technician who cannot find the water heater thermostat is not a qualified appliance repair person. The same is true if he cannot adjust the refer temperature.

Find a different repair person.

Thanks - I’ll do that today and let y’all know.

[CeeMac]

Originally Posted by CeeMac

Thanks - I’ll do that today and let y’all know.

The fridge issue is fixed.

The water heater is Dometic WH-6GEA .

I found the manual on the Dometic site. Unfortunately, unlike the manual for the refrigerator, it has very little troubleshooting information. Or, maybe it does and I don’t understand it.

Right now the water gets to 190 degrees. We are on shore power so we flip the “Electric” switch on, wait twenty minutes, and then take a shower and wash dishes. Once we’re done, we turn it off.

The RV tech was very thorough - in my haste to explain things, I made him sound unknowledgeable, but we’ve used him several times and he’s always been able to help. He did replace a red wire, and if I understood him correctly, it was the thermostat, which had burned out. He said the only thing he could think of is that the sensor for the hot water heater is sitting on styrofoam, and is actually registering a much lower temperature than the water inside the tank.

We aren’t keeping the water heating all the time because we don’t want to burn the new thermostat out.

My question is, does anyone have experience with this? What did you do?

I have a hard time believing that Dutchman would build a faulty system into a 2020 camper, but again, I’m new to this stuff. Thanks for any help!

[persistent]

The thermostat should not be mounted on styrofoam. It should be mounted on the tank wall. Of course it cannot work if insulated from the hot water. However, the mixing valve does not need to be attached to the metal tank.

You may need a service manual for your make and model.

Here is the installation and operations manual.
https://www.dometic.com/en-us/outdoo...-heater-219438

There are three temperature monitoring devices in the water heater. See page 21.

1) Fixed temp. operating temperature (self resetting). Its temperature is not listed, but may normally be very high. The storage temperature in the tank may be uncomfortably hot or even dangerous to skin.

2) Over temperature “fuse” (blow back safety fuse does not reset). For when heat exchanger tube is blocked.

3) The Water Heater is also equipped with a mixing (moderating) valve which mixes cold water with higher temperature storage tank water to moderate outlet water to approximately 130°F (54°C).

Temperature of water in the tank is too high for comfort and safety. This is normal. The “mixing valve” mixes cold water with the hot water as it exits the tank. The temperature out of the mixing valve should be 130 degrees F. See section 6.6 on page 19.

If it is not working, it needs to be replaced by a qualified technician.

This mixing technique provides more available 130 degree water than the 6 gallons of high temperature water in the storage tank.

[CeeMac]

Originally Posted by persistent

The thermostat should not be mounted on styrofoam. It should be mounted on the tank wall. Of course it cannot work if insulated from the hot water. However, the mixing valve does not need to be attached to the metal tank.

You may need a service manual for your make and model.

Here is the installation and operations manual.
https://www.dometic.com/en-us/outdoo...-heater-219438

There are three temperature monitoring devices in the water heater. See page 21.

1) Fixed temp. operating temperature (self resetting). Its temperature is not listed, but may normally be very high. The storage temperature in the tank may be uncomfortably hot or even dangerous to skin.

2) Over temperature “fuse” (blow back safety fuse does not reset). For when heat exchanger tube is blocked.

3) The Water Heater is also equipped with a mixing (moderating) valve which mixes cold water with higher temperature storage tank water to moderate outlet water to approximately 130°F (54°C).

Temperature of water in the tank is too high for comfort and safety. This is normal. The “mixing valve” mixes cold water with the hot water as it exits the tank. The temperature out of the mixing valve should be 130 degrees F. See section 6.6 on page 19.

If it is not working, it needs to be replaced by a qualified technician.

This mixing technique provides more available 130 degree water than the 6 gallons of high temperature water in the storage tank.

I cannot thank you enough for this very valuable information. You just saved us a whole bunch of time and money. Thank you thank you thank you!

My husband and I will take a look at the manual (I downloaded it from the Dometic site), and your directions and see what we can sort out.

Have a great day