water heater

frednme · Veteran Member

water heater

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Without knowing what type/brand of heater you have, it is impossible to give advice.

Cheers,
Peter

-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Wednesday 19th of November 2014 11:10:46 AM

Sharke · Senior Member

Sounds like you have a dual hot water with gas burner for bush camping and and electric when plugged into power.I have a suburban gas hot water and the red light comes on hen goes out once the burner ignites.
cheers Jeff

-- Edited by Sharke on Wednesday 19th of November 2014 04:52:11 PM

Big Gorilla · Guru

Mine is a gas unit with 12 volt igniter. When I turn on the igniter switch, the red light illuminates and goes out once the gas has fired up. I have noticed sometimes the red light might come on and go off two or three times before the gas ignites. I don't know the cause of that but overall I have no complaints.

TAJ · Senior Member

should have a 240volt switch probably in a cupboard near

heater to use elect when in a caravan park

when first starts on gas my red light goes on and off

a few times sometimes starts first go

hope it helps TAJ

PeterD · Guru

frednme wrote:
was there enough water stored and how can I tell?.
is there a separate tank for the hot water?

You turn the hot water tap on and see if there is enough water.Are you getting water flow through the heater. If you fire the heater up without having water that has flowed through it you can bugger it. Have you been able to get water from the hot water tap.

The storage heaters in vans are just a cylindrical container with an electric element in them and a gas burner under. Water is supplied from the water tanks under the van or the high pressure hose connected to the water mains. The hot water is stored in the cylinder forming the bulk of the heater.

PeterInSa · Guru

Fred re [up until now I haven't used the waterheater in my dreamseeker sprinter campervan]

If your heater is a suburban and you have not checked the Anode, suggest you pull it out and check. I check ours every 18 months or so. Make sure that power is disconnected from your campervan, would also turn off the gas. I Blue Tac any holes that could fill up with water after the anode is removed, and of course remove the Blue Tac after the Anode/new anode is replaced. ( A New Campervan less than 18 months should to me not require the anode to be checked.)

If the anode is not changed, regardless of whether you use the water heater or not, the lifespan of the heater will be greatly reduced. Have been told that Gas/electric anodes wear out quicker than Gas only, do not know how true this is.

Peter

PeterD · Guru

Maybe looking at a video will assist. Ignore the bit about "bypass" and "winterising."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw5cJMUrsaE

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Ours shows red light till the gas ignites.. You can hear it..

Muskat55 · Veteran Member

Something interesting happened to me. I was told that the Suburban water heater in our Winnebago was "gas only" by the previous owner, and he was told the same by the original owner. Anyway I was mucking about the other day, pulled a drawer right out from under the oven and I could see the back of the water heater with a nice 240v cord coming out of it and plugged into a power outlet.......so I got out the manual for my "gas only" heater and there is a section not obvious or well written. It appears that on the outside of the unit in the bottom left hand side is a small almost hidden switch which was "off" ......I turned it to "on" and whammo! water heated by 240v mains power!! I suspect the first time in 8 years that this feature has been used. I also changed the anode which was down to about 15% left. Moral of the story its worth reading the manuals if you have them :)

aussie_paul · Guru

Muskat55 wrote:
Something interesting happened to me. I was told that the Suburban water heater in our Winnebago was "gas only" by the previous owner, and he was told the same by the original owner. Anyway I was mucking about the other day, pulled a drawer right out from under the oven and I could see the back of the water heater with a nice 240v cord coming out of it and plugged into a power outlet.......so I got out the manual for my "gas only" heater and there is a section not obvious or well written. It appears that on the outside of the unit in the bottom left hand side is a small almost hidden switch which was "off" ......I turned it to "on" and whammo! water heated by 240v mains power!! I suspect the first time in 8 years that this feature has been used. I also changed the anode which was down to about 15% left. Moral of the story its worth reading the manuals if you have them :)

What a great find Michael... A nice surprise...

Aussie Paul. smile