Hot Water Tank

Beth Ann · 01-02-2016, 12:11 PM

I have a 2006 FF 139x (recently purchased) and was using the hot water heater for the first time. I thought that I followed all the steps in the manual. But the tank didn't fill up. Opened all the valves and tried the pump. Some did come out of the hot water side, but for only a minute. I must be missing a step in the process.

profdant139 · 01-02-2016, 04:57 PM

Hmmm. Are you connected to "city water," or are you using your water tank? If the latter, is the pump on? If it is, how much water do you have in your tank?

If you are a newbie (or even if you aren't), be sure to ask lots of questions -- we were all newbies once, and we love to help other folks avoid our mistakes.

pearseam · 01-03-2016, 11:11 AM

Did you purge the hot water tank of air, by opening the lever valve when filling the tank with water.

Beth Ann · 01-04-2016, 10:39 AM

I was filling the hot water tank from the fresh water tank. I open the 3 valves and turned on the water pump to fill the HWT. I also opened the hot water faucet in the kitchen and water did come and I thought got all the air out of the line. Then I turned on the wall switch for the hot water tank. I made some noises like it was coming on. The manual does not give a lot of details. Going to hook the city water connection and see if that works. Worried that I did or could burn out the heating element. This my first TT and still learning all the ins and outs

profdant139 · 01-04-2016, 10:44 AM

Don't turn on the switch that fires up the burner until you are sure there is water in the tank. (Is that the wall switch you mentioned? My water heater switch is on a control panel mounted near the floor by the door -- not easy to bend over and flip the switch. A wall panel would be very nice!)

Beth Ann · 01-04-2016, 10:55 AM

I did turn it on (I thought the tank had water) so I might have goofed. The propane is not hooked up and was using the wall switch to turn it on. How can I check to see if I goofed it up? or should I take to camping world (good sam member) and have them check it out

profdant139 · 01-04-2016, 11:16 AM

You might not have damaged it at all -- is there an electric heating element? If not, the wall switch would not have triggered the heater, since there was no propane. If there is an electric heating element, and if you left it on for a longish time, then you could have damaged your heater. But I would guess that a 2006 FF 139 does not have an electric element -- my 2003 139 did not, nor does my 2012 FF 139. So I bet you are okay!

Let's start over, then. First, make sure there is water in your fresh water tank -- you fill it through the fill pipe on the left side of the trailer. No need to fill it all the way. Next, make sure you have electric power, either via the battery or else via a cord plugged into a power outlet. Next, turn on your pump switch. Run a little cold water, using the sink faucet -- you should be able to hear the pump humming. Turn off the cold water.

Without turning on the water heater, turn on the hot water faucet. Cold water should come out. If the tank is empty, the faucet will sputter until the tank is full.

If you do not eventually get a nice stream of cold water, stop what you are doing. Leave the faucet on. Check the valves coming from the water heater, one at a time. You may find that one of the valves is turned the wrong way.

Once you have a nice stream of cold water coming from the hot water faucet, turn it off. Hook up the propane. Turn on the stove (yes, the stove). Light the burner. That will bleed the air out of the propane line.

Turn off the stove. Push the switch to turn on the water heater. Walk around to the side of the trailer near the water heater. You should hear some clicks, followed by a whoosh. That is the burner lighting off!

If you want, leave the water heater on. It will take maybe 20 minutes to heat fully, and then it will cut off.

One more thing -- don't get discouraged by all of this stuff. Using your trailer will soon become second-nature, easy, and fun, not complicated at all. And ask lots of questions!! We are here for you.

profdant139 · 01-04-2016, 11:21 AM

One more thought -- since this is a 2006, and you recently got the trailer, you should check the anode in the water heater. You will need a socket -- I think it is one inch and one-sixteenth -- and a socket wrench. When the water heater is cool, and with the pump off, open the hot water faucet to relieve the pressure. Unscrew the anode rod, using the socket wrench. Inspect the anode rod -- if it is badly pitted or eroded, get a new one.

Installation of the new one is a little tricky -- you have to hold the rod horizontal while screwing it in. I put teflon paste on the threads to seal the opening -- not everyone does. And supposedly, there is a recommended torque for tightening -- so many foot pounds. I just tighten it snugly, but not "killer tight."

Beth Ann · 01-04-2016, 01:05 PM

This is a dumb question...where is the anode located? I was looking around (inside of the trailer) the HWT and saw the 3 valves on the inside. Is it located on the outside of the trailer near the panel? I am going to try hooking up the city water line and see what happens. Thanks for the advice. I will let you know want happens

profdant139 · 01-04-2016, 01:28 PM

The anode rod socket is outside the trailer, on the water heater itself -- it is a hexagonal fitting.

And by the way, Rule Number One -- there are no dumb questions! That is the best part of the Fun Finder Club -- unlike rv.net, which has a wealth of good information but a lot of harsh language, this small group is emphatically friendly and non-judgmental. I am not sure how the moderators made that happen, but that is the culture here, and I like it a lot!

twinster2 · 06-16-2016, 08:20 AM

Beth- Not sure if your problem has been solved, but I recently found that the check valve going into my water heater was broken which did not let much water in or out on the IN line. If you problem with filling the hot water tank continues, you may want to inspect them for proper operation. They are the two copper fittings that go into and out of the hot water tank.

DiverRick · 06-16-2016, 09:38 AM

Try this. You say you have THREE valves around the tank, all open. One has to be closed!

Going by your pictures, there are two silver valves one each on the lines in and out of the tank. Those two should be open.

The 3rd valve is on a line that crosses over between these lines? That one must be closed, or all your water is bypassing the tank.

Hint: Configure them the opposite way for winterizing to keep anti freeze out of the hot water tank. (You close the 2 valves leading in & out of the tank, but OPEN the bypass valve)

Hope that helps!