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Old 03-24-2016, 12:50 PM   #1
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Spring Cleaning

I know everyone will be getting out their rigs soon, but lets not forget to do a thorough check of ALL systems.

Even though we full time in ours, I know there are some things I miss. For instance, the water heater has started giving us fits lately...luckily it has been warm out and not in the dead of winter. Anyway, I bought new thermostats ($12 on Amazon) in case that was the problem, and downloaded the Atwood manual, and set out to troubleshooting. Well, low and behold, the igniter had a lot of soot on it and the orifice looked corroded. I spent 30 minutes this morning,drained the water heater (wow, that water was disgusting), took all the heater stuff apart, cleaned the orifice with alcohol, cleaned and blew out the flue (that was a mess), and cleaned the igniter. Put all back together, filled the tank (put the proper air pocket back in...and she lit off like you wouldn't believe.

Further reading in the manual and looking at the flame also showed that the burner was way out of adjustment. I adjusted the air shutter to 1/4 open, and the flame turned a nice blue with traces of orange. It is quite now, doesn't sound like an aircraft in tension on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. This should give me a more efficient and clean burning water heater now.

Yesterday, I decided to fire up the genset and check that system. I opened the front compartment, smelled something odd...did some looking, well in the end, it was the batteries. Between the two batteries I out 5 cups of distilled water into them...the tops of the cells were still covered, but it would have eventually been very ugly.


Today, I will be turning my attention to the AC system. I am also thinking of putting another vent in the living room on the driver's side trunk line. I think one more vent in the living room will do it good. I will look for a directional vent, that would allow me to aim it into the couch area.

Enjoy.

Cale
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Old 03-24-2016, 01:01 PM   #2
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, filled the tank (put the proper air pocket back in...and she lit off like you wouldn't believe.
Making things work does give a person a good feeling. I've never heard of the "air pocket" though. Could you help me understand what that is?

Thanks,
Bill
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Old 03-24-2016, 01:08 PM   #3
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Great idea on adjusting air shutter - I would have never thought to check this - on the list!
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Old 03-24-2016, 01:11 PM   #4
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Making things work does give a person a good feeling. I've never heard of the "air pocket" though. Could you help me understand what that is?

Thanks,
Bill

Page 26 explains this: http://manuals.adventurerv.net/Atwoo...er-Service.pdf

Page 21 starts my water heater, I have a GC10A-4E water heater, this covers their full line.

Cale
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Old 03-24-2016, 01:24 PM   #5
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Must be the scientific RV name for the Temperature, Pressure relief valve. Commonly known as the TPR valve.
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Old 03-24-2016, 05:06 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by sundancer 87 View Post
Must be the scientific RV name for the Temperature, Pressure relief valve. Commonly known as the TPR valve.
There should be an air pocket in the top of the water heater to allow for expansion during the heating. The TPR plays into the sequence by allowing excess pressure to escape. If you don't have the air pocket the valve will quite often dribble, also you will get noises from the water heater as the excess pressure pushes on the various valves and piping.

Aaron
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Old 03-24-2016, 06:17 PM   #7
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I finally got around to pulling all ceiling vents and taping them up...yes, I have had this for 15 months and just got around to do each of the vents.... The factory kind of installed tape in all vents... I fixed that. They did not use a hole saw to make the ceiling holes...very sad indeed. I added a vent in the living room, very quick and easy. May put one in the loft also. Last, but not least...at the end of the trunk runs in the garage, one side was not closed off...I filled it both sides with expanding foam, a definite stop to the cool air escaping into the attic space.

Cale
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Old 03-24-2016, 10:59 PM   #8
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Page 26 explains this: http://manuals.adventurerv.net/Atwoo...er-Service.pdf

Page 21 starts my water heater, I have a GC10A-4E water heater, this covers their full line.

Cale
Thanks, I've never heard of that before. Something for me to keep an eye on if the relief valve starts dribbling. Which also proves I've never read the manual for my water heater
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Old 03-24-2016, 11:14 PM   #9
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There should be an air pocket in the top of the water heater to allow for expansion during the heating. The TPR plays into the sequence by allowing excess pressure to escape. If you don't have the air pocket the valve will quite often dribble, also you will get noises from the water heater as the excess pressure pushes on the various valves and piping.

Aaron
The air pocket is sort of a given. I open the valve when filling the tank and wait until water comes out of the valve. The valve is lower than the top of the tank so unless one is pushing in more water than the valve can release the air pocket will automatically be created.
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Old 03-25-2016, 10:52 AM   #10
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The air pocket is sort of a given. I open the valve when filling the tank and wait until water comes out of the valve. The valve is lower than the top of the tank so unless one is pushing in more water than the valve can release the air pocket will automatically be created.
Lots of ways to lose the air pocket. If you are filling the tank with the valve open and forget to close it right away it can fill past it. If you fill while sitting on uneven ground is another easy way. Sometimes it will go away on it's own. I always know when I lose it because of the noises.

It is an easy fix, just turn off the water flow to the unit, relieve the pressure by turning on a faucet, then open the pressure vavle until the water stops flowing, close the valve and re-pressurize the system.

Aaron
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Old 03-25-2016, 12:59 PM   #11
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Lots of ways to lose the air pocket. If you are filling the tank with the valve open and forget to close it right away it can fill past it. If you fill while sitting on uneven ground is another easy way. Sometimes it will go away on it's own. I always know when I lose it because of the noises.

It is an easy fix, just turn off the water flow to the unit, relieve the pressure by turning on a faucet, then open the pressure vavle until the water stops flowing, close the valve and re-pressurize the system.

Aaron
Absolutely right your are, there are so many ways to do things. I was thinking primarily of the 20 static years of using various RV water heaters in my solar house. I didn't have water to waste so when the first trickle came the valve would be shut.
I might have actually followed the rules, by accident of course.
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Old 03-25-2016, 01:11 PM   #12
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Something we all should do more often is flush the hot water heaters. We don't have a sacrificial anode in these, seeing the chunks of white calcified water come out was disgusting at best...also hard on the electrical heating element.
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Old 03-25-2016, 01:13 PM   #13
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I wonder if there is an anode that can be installed in the drain port?
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Old 03-25-2016, 01:14 PM   #14
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True, but some of us have Suburban heaters with anodes. Still get chunkies in the bottom of the tank.
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Old 03-25-2016, 01:16 PM   #15
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I wonder if there is an anode that can be installed in the drain port?
Don't see why not, they probably both are the same thread and size.
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Old 03-25-2016, 01:51 PM   #16
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I don't know if I would add one or not. These tanks are aluminum. Adding an anode, if dissimilar metal may have other bad consequences, for instance, the rod threads being fused to the tank.

Cale
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Old 03-25-2016, 01:56 PM   #17
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Up until about 9 months ago, I used a PurFlo water softener. In preparation for the winter, I stopped using it, as I did not want to be outside in the cold trying to regenerate the silly thing. I may start using it again.

My Outback had a Suburban water heater, I used a water softener and filters the whole time we had that trailer. The water heater was flushed every six months and the water was nice and clean each time... I may have to go back to that practice altogether.

Cale
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Old 03-25-2016, 01:58 PM   #18
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I replaced the anode in the steel Suburban tank last week. The anode threads are plastic, much like the drain plug is plastic.
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Old 03-25-2016, 03:16 PM   #19
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Mine is an Atwood, it gets flushed at the end of the season when I winterize. I also stuff the hose in the drain plug hole and back flush it too. ANY water that goes into my RV is filtered and I try and avoid water that is obviously high in mineral content.

Aaron
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Old 03-25-2016, 04:02 PM   #20
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I wonder if there is an anode that can be installed in the drain port?
That's where mine is, I pull the rod and as the tank is draining I clean scrap off all the gunk from the seasons camping and there is lots of it.

Once the tank is empty, I flush the tank until I don't get anymore sand and grit coming out of the drain.
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