After our first weekend away dry camping with our new Seneca we have found the first issue to address would be the waste of water from the Truma water heater. We have found it takes close to one minute and maybe haft a gallon of pumping water to have warm not even hot water reaching the kitchen sink or shower, all of that time water wasted down the drain.
I have seen it mention but not a lot of detail what others have done to save this water having it running back to the water tank.
After doing some searching on the site I still haven’t found much information.
Wondering if anyone having done the modification could share with me some info on things like which solenoid, switch and switch location.
Any info would be greatly appreciated!
After our first weekend away dry camping with our new Seneca we have found the first issue to address would be the waste of water from the Truma water heater. We have found it takes close to one minute and maybe haft a gallon of pumping water to have warm not even hot water reaching the kitchen sink or shower, all of that time water wasted down the drain.
I have seen it mention but not a lot of detail what others have done to save this water having it running back to the water tank.
After doing some searching on the site I still haven’t found much information.
Wondering if anyone having done the modification could share with me some info on things like which solenoid, switch and switch location.
Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Bruce
Bruce,
I installed a recirc system on my Seneca, here is a link to some pictures from my Photos section. I swapped my original Girard tankless for a 10-gallon Atwood XT unit but that won't matter for your purposes.
I will pull together a list of the parts I used and how I went about it in more detail in the next day or two and post it. Happy to answer any questions you might have on how I did mine!
Bruce,
I installed a recirc system on my Seneca, here is a link to some pictures from my Photos section. I swapped my original Girard tankless for a 10-gallon Atwood XT unit but that won't matter for your purposes.
I will pull together a list of the parts I used and how I went about it in more detail in the next day or two and post it. Happy to answer any questions you might have on how I did mine!
That would be great Rob, I had seen a bit of yours recently when I was looking at pictures on the site for doing the water tank siphoning modification.
I upgraded my Truma Basic to the Comfort model, mostly so I could decalcify it myself. One of the benefits was with the Comfort’s small heated holding tank, I get hot water to the shower and kitchen sink in about 15 seconds.
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Mark and Joanne
2018 Jayco Seneca 37TS (M2)
2023 Jeep Rubicon XT Recon
We upgraded to the Truma comfort model but are still not happy with the wasted water to the kitchen. I am in the process of gathering parts and planning a recirculating setup similar to Robbbyr’s. Lots of cheap timer boards and temp sensors out there now that I am going to make use of. What floor plan do you have Bruce? I have a 2018.5 RB and have a pretty easy route to go back with the return line.
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Brian & Jeannie
2018.5 Seneca 37RB with to many mods to list
2015 Jeep JKU Rubicon
We upgraded to the Truma comfort model but are still not happy with the wasted water to the kitchen. I am in the process of gathering parts and planning a recirculating setup similar to Robbbyr’s. Lots of cheap timer boards and temp sensors out there now that I am going to make use of. What floor plan do you have Bruce? I have a 2018.5 RB and have a pretty easy route to go back with the return line.
We have a TS model on the m2 chassis. Yes I think the up grade to the comfort will be in our future as well. We did mostly boondocking with the toy hauler and plan the same for the Seneca and with a few trips coming up pretty fast I need to try and save water. We just got back yesterday so have not yet looked much into pipe routing for the return line. Please keep us posted on your recirculating set up.
I did a return line to the water tank and couldn't be more pleased with the results. Pulled the exterior TV off to access the PEX connectors and sink piping. Mounted the solenoid and wireless receiver on the cabinet back facing out. 30 seconds holding the remote and HOT water to the sink. Works faster for the shower, too. The most difficult/annoying part is getting the tubing over the wheel well in the void and hitting a drilled hole at the water tank bay.
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Rick
Palm Desert, CA (formerly)
Sioux Falls, SD (for taxes)
2014 Seneca 37FS
2015 Wrangler Sport toad
red-headed wife
Bruce,
I installed a recirc system on my Seneca, here is a link to some pictures from my Photos section. I swapped my original Girard tankless for a 10-gallon Atwood XT unit but that won't matter for your purposes.
I will pull together a list of the parts I used and how I went about it in more detail in the next day or two and post it. Happy to answer any questions you might have on how I did mine!
I did my hot water recirculation project in conjunction with the installation of a SeeLevel tank level monitoring system. So I had done much work to expose the holding tanks which provided access to run the recirculation line back to my freshwater tank. And to tie into the tank for the return I also incorporated an air gap (air break) manifold to stop the freshwater tank from siphoning half the water out.
In the enclosed compartment above the rear axle (where the gray tank resides) is where I teed off the new recirculation line just where the shower hot water line turns upward through the floor to the shower valves themselves. This is the very end of the hot water run, so every fixture gets purged when it flows. At that point I installed the 12-volt normally closed stainless steel-body solenoid valve. The outlet of the valve then leads to the air break manifold (pictured below) that ties into the overflow/vent lines of the freshwater tank. It was a straight shot back passing through the compartment above the propane tank where the black water tank resides. Then into the freshwater tank compartment to tie into the air break manifold. I put a valve there at the manifold so I can "adjust"the flow returning to the tank.
To control the solenoid valve I used a time-delay relay circuit. The relay is adjustable from just a few seconds of "on" time to up to about 5 minutes. Mine is set at approximately 30 seconds which is plenty to purge the lines of any standing cold water. The relay is triggered by a SPST momentary on switch. Anytime the relay is triggered and is energizing the solenoid circuit a led indicator light next to the switch is illuminated. I installed the switch and indicator light next to the bathroom sink. So whether planning to wash in the bathroom sink, take a shower, or use the kitchen sink, it is just a step or two away to activate the switch.
The relay is located below the bedroom wardrobe closet behind the power center. I used an unused circuit in the power center power the system. I ran a harness from the area below the wardrobe up between the wardrobe and bathroom sink walls.
To access the area to tie into the shower line I had to undo the passenger side fender skirt which then "hinges" upward. Then a plastic panel needs to be removed, then you have access to the area above the wheelwell. While my unit was open I took the opportunity to clean up wiring, support plumbing better, insulate under the gray tank, and insulate the wheelwells. I also installed and wired my SeeLevel tank level system. I did this on both sides but to just install a recirculation line it likely won't be necessary to open up both sides.
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Rob R.
Akron, OH
2014 Seneca 37TS
Toads: 2019 Ford Edge ST or 2013 Ford Focus ST
Rob, WOW!
All I can say thank you very much for taking the time to put this together for me! Looks like I have to get busy on it now, with the information you have given me I have no excuses for the DW not to get it done!
I also put in a recirculation system last summer. I did mine similar to the way Kurt Kuhl did his when he owned his Seneca since I have the same model. His video has some good information in addition to the great information from Rob.
I also put in a recirculation system last summer. I did mine similar to the way Kurt Kuhl did his when he owned his Seneca since I have the same model. His video has some good information in addition to the great information from Rob.
There is a bundle of wires behind the kitchen drawers. One circuit is for the lights over the countertops. I spliced that feed for the supply and then put the ground on one of several ground wires in that area.
As an aside on gaining access to the area under the stove. Simply remove the two drawers and you can then unscrew the cross brace. It is not glued in it is simply a Krieg system screw. Once removed you can crawl in there and work fairly easily.
I have a 2018.5 TS and I would appreciate any information or pictures on running the water line to the rear.
Thanks
David
I certainly will when I get it done.
I have the solenoid and relay ordered that Robbyr listed here with the write up on his installation.
I’m in Canada so getting the parts takes a little longer. I was hoping to have it done this week as we are leaving on the weekend for a week. Not sure whether I’ll have it done though.
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