Strange water heater

[Steve-O Man]

Hey guys I need a little help. My 2016 Jayco has a 6 gal. gas/ele. Atwood water heater. I swear the first few times out I had hot water at all faucets. This past July I had no hot water at any faucets on a 3 day trip to the mountains. Just got back from a cross country trip (9100 miles) and here is the weird part; had hot enough water in the shower IF I didn't turn the cold faucet on at all. At the same time no hot water (or even warm) at the bathroom lavatory sink or the kitchen sink. As my cross-country trip progressed I had to start using a little cold water in the shower and the faucets in the bathroom, and kitchen started giving me lukewarm water. By the end of the trip the bathroom faucet was still lukewarm but you could almost call what was coming out of the kitchen sink very warm. Any ideas?

[Jagiven]

I am surprised there has been no reply.

I fully suspect the issue is your bypass valve at the water is open. This will allow the cool water to mix in with the hot water. This is a fairly common issue, especially in the spring.

[Sundancer330]

Check your valves on the back of the HWT, should look like this with a 3 valve system.

[Atlee]

Either in the middle of '16 or '17, Jayco changed the valve system for the hot water heater. My '17 23RB, made during the latter half of the '17 production run, only has one valve to change to shut off the hot water system.

Originally Posted by Sundancer330

Check your valves on the back of the HWT, should look like this with a 3 valve system.

[mmwhit]

You might also check your outside shower to make sure it is turned off at the shower valve (both the hot and cold are completely turned off). I have read where the condition you describe can be caused by leaving the outside shower valves open while turning the flow of water off at the shower head and storing the shower hose in this condition. This apparently allows cold water to mix with hot water in the plumbing system and can cause the effect you are describing. It sounds strange but I would check to make sure that is not the problem.

[wabirch]

Good tips here, hope this clears up soon.

[norty1]

A new wh bypass started being used by some mfg's a few years ago. They use 2-3way valves instead of 3-2way valves.
Both work the same, just less valves.

Here is a pic.

[Atlee]

I'm pretty sure my WH only has one valve. The outlet line from the WH must have a check valve in it. I'll take a closer look when I go visit it in the driveway later today.

Originally Posted by norty1

A new wh bypass started being used by some mfg's a few years ago. They use 2-3way valves instead of 3-2way valves.
Both work the same, just less valves.

Here is a pic.

[SouthCo]

My 2017 JayFlight has two valves. I just winterized it 4 days ago. My 2014 had three.

[Atlee]

Checked a few minutes ago. My setup definitely only has 1 valve to turn. No more, no less.

My trailer is a 2017 Jay Flight 23RB, and was built in the last half of the 2017 production year.

Originally Posted by Atlee

I'm pretty sure my WH only has one valve. The outlet line from the WH must have a check valve in it. I'll take a closer look when I go visit it in the driveway later today.

[norty1]

The valve may not be in plain sight but should be there somewhere. I have never seen a newer one without a way to bypass the wh.

Does the one you see have 2 or 3 positions?

[Jagiven]

Originally Posted by Atlee

Checked a few minutes ago. My setup definitely only has 1 valve to turn. No more, no less.

My trailer is a 2017 Jay Flight 23RB, and was built in the last half of the 2017 production year.

I have seen a single valve setup with a check valve. As I recall a 3 way valve right before the water inlet to the HW tank, and a check valve between the bypass pipe tee and the HW tank outlet.

[Atlee]

There is only one shutoff valve. I looked at every line going into or coming out of the water heater.

I didn't check today if it had more than two positions.

Back in either June or July, I was asking on here about the WH and the bypass valves, because unlike my old trailer which had 3 valves, this one only had 1 valve. The answer was the newest Jay Flights were coming out with only 1 valve to operate the bypass.

Originally Posted by norty1

The valve may not be in plain sight but should be there somewhere. I have never seen a newer one without a way to bypass the wh.

Does the one you see have 2 or 3 positions?

[Atlee]

I must apologize. After looking again very closely this morning, I did finally find a 2nd cut off valve.

I had made an assumption that put egg on my face. I had assumed the person putting the valves in at the factory would have had the common sense to turn the valve lever around so it pointed out where folks could see it, just like the other valve that looks just like it, but is on the inlet side.

Originally Posted by Atlee

There is only one shutoff valve. I looked at every line going into or coming out of the water heater.

I didn't check today if it had more than two positions.

Back in either June or July, I was asking on here about the WH and the bypass valves, because unlike my old trailer which had 3 valves, this one only had 1 valve. The answer was the newest Jay Flights were coming out with only 1 valve to operate the bypass.

[norty1]

Great. It should be 2-3 way like the picture in post #7.