Electric and or LP water heater Question

Madwinger · 08-11-2019, 08:28 PM

We just got back from a maiden trip in our new Eagle HT 25.5 REOK. We were at a campground outside West Yellowstone on 30 amp power. I turned on the switch that said Electric Water heater and expected to get hot water but after it being on for 4 hours, no hot water. So I turned it off and turned on the LP Water heater and it came on immediately and 45 min later we had hot water.

My questions is this. Am I doing something wrong? It is supposed to be either electric or gas? I turned off the Electric so I assume it works on LP with the electric switch off. Is it supposed to heat the water on Electric only?

The manuals are no help and I don't trust anything the dealer tells me.
Camping World....what a joke.

I again assume that if the electric buy itself does not work, this will be my first Warranty item. I have a few already. Jayco Quality control is really lacking.

Mark

RetiredOne · 08-11-2019, 08:44 PM

First place would be to check the breaker panel, find the WH breaker, flip it off and then back on, to makes sure it's working.

Are all your other 120 volt circuits working normally?

The heater should normally work off of electric by itself, if all systems are go.

Jagiven · 08-11-2019, 08:44 PM

Did you verify that the circuit breaker was in the "On" position.

I flip my circuit breaker off when my tank is empty, to keep from accidently burning out an element.

**JFlightRisk** · 08-11-2019, 08:49 PM

You're right. It should work on EITHER gas, or electric, OR BOTH for quicker recoup time.

Madwinger · 08-11-2019, 08:50 PM

Yes I did check all the breakers and fuses and looked to see if there was something behind the outside panel to reset but it all looks good.

Thanks for the replies. Now that I know this should heat just on electric i will take it in and get it fixed after our last trip. The LP works great but why use up your LP when your on 50 amp power.

Thanks again

Mark

Madwinger · 08-11-2019, 08:55 PM

That is good advise I will do that this fall when we put her to bed.

Mark

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jagiven

Did you verify that the circuit breaker was in the "On" position.

I flip my circuit breaker off when my tank is empty, to keep from accidently burning out an element.

**JFlightRisk** · 08-11-2019, 08:55 PM

I know on our little Jayco, the electric side of the HW heater is on its own breaker. (We have three double breakers, and it's all that's on the one side)

By any chance, did you turn the WH breaker off, then back on again, to reset it?

RedHorse1 · 08-11-2019, 09:05 PM

Possible the before you purchased the WH was empty and the electric switch was turned on. Doesn’t take long for an element to fail with no water around it. Check YouTube for test procedure, there should be a measurable resistance across the connections, can’t say what the value should be tho. But should not be a dead short or an open circuit.

**JFlightRisk** · 08-11-2019, 09:12 PM

Meant to ask, is it an Atwood, or Suburban WH?

Madwinger · 08-11-2019, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

I know on our little Jayco, the electric side of the HW heater is on its own breaker. (We have three double breakers, and it's all that's on the one side)

By any chance, did you turn the WH breaker off, then back on again, to reset it?

Yes I did that. It did not feel tripped but reset it any way.

Madwinger · 08-11-2019, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

Meant to ask, is it an Atwood, or Suburban WH?

Not sure but the trailer is new. I will run on LP till I can get it in for warranty. I just wanted to make sure it was not me doing something wrong. The dealer filled it with water before we picked it up and I have no idea if they had the heat element on before the tank got filled. I will let them get it working. Found a couple other things they will be working on this winter also.

Other than a few cosmetic things and this water heater issue, we love this trailer. Plan to get a lot of use out of it over the years.

**JFlightRisk** · 08-11-2019, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madwinger

Not sure but the trailer is new. I will run on LP till I can get it in for warranty. I just wanted to make sure it was not me doing something wrong. The dealer filled it with water before we picked it up and I have no idea if they had the heat element on before the tank got filled. I will let them get it working. Found a couple other things they will be working on this winter also.

Other than a few cosmetic things and this water heater issue, we love this trailer. Plan to get a lot of use out of it over the years.

It's a really great 5er. The reason for the brand question, the Suburban heaters may have a small rocker switch in the bottom left corner, outside. When that switch is off, so is the electric side. More than likely yours is an Atwood. Just trying to cover all the possibilities.

TomTom · 08-12-2019, 06:38 AM

Jflight beat me to it.Some water heaters have a switch on the outside right on the heater itself.

RedHorse1 · 08-12-2019, 07:14 AM

Another thought. The WH has an over-temp shutoff controlled by a second thermostat. If it kicks in there may be a warning light. Our 5th has a very small light between the gas/electric switches that lets me know if that happens. It’s done that twice since new. Turning off the AC and DC to the WH will reset it.

33 RLDS · 08-12-2019, 07:43 AM

On my unit with a fireplace I have a double throw switch under the counter. If I forget to move it to water heater, the red light will still come on indicating the water heater is on, but its not

Vista · 02-25-2021, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madwinger

We just got back from a maiden trip in our new Eagle HT 25.5 REOK. We were at a campground outside West Yellowstone on 30 amp power. I turned on the switch that said Electric Water heater and expected to get hot water but after it being on for 4 hours, no hot water. So I turned it off and turned on the LP Water heater and it came on immediately and 45 min later we had hot water.

My questions is this. Am I doing something wrong? It is supposed to be either electric or gas? I turned off the Electric so I assume it works on LP with the electric switch off. Is it supposed to heat the water on Electric only?

The manuals are no help and I don't trust anything the dealer tells me.
Camping World....what a joke.

I again assume that if the electric buy itself does not work, this will be my first Warranty item. I have a few already. Jayco Quality control is really lacking.

Mark

Mark, if you are still around, what was the resolution on this? I have the EXACT same issue on the EXACT same 5er.

Jagiven · 02-25-2021, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vista

Mark, if you are still around, what was the resolution on this? I have the EXACT same issue on the EXACT same 5er.

Have you checked you ac circuit breaker?

Vista · 02-25-2021, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jagiven

Have you checked you ac circuit breaker?

Yeah, but that is about the ONLY thing I checked. To be blunt, my info on this issue is small and unreliable as we picked up the trailer during Snowpocalypse 2021, and I wasn't in the mood to be testing water heater function beyond about 5 minutes of determining the electric mode wasn't doing anything. Turning on to LP produced almost immediate satisfaction.

I want to gather as much to check as I can when I head back to the fifth wheel in the next week.

dvspl · 02-26-2021, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madwinger

We just got back from a maiden trip in our new Eagle HT 25.5 REOK. We were at a campground outside West Yellowstone on 30 amp power.

I'm not sure what the final resolution to this was but it sounds like the OP has a 50 amp 5er that was plugged into 30 amp service. The electric water heater may have been shed by energy management system.

Madwinger · 02-27-2021, 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvspl

I'm not sure what the final resolution to this was but it sounds like the OP has a 50 amp 5er that was plugged into 30 amp service. The electric water heater may have been shed by energy management system.

Nope I have 50 amp at home. It will not heat on electricity only. Will take it in this spring for final warranty work over. I lived in for the most part last year trying not to bring Covid home to my wife.

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