Troubleshooting an RV Propane Water Heater

An RV propane water heater can be costly to repair, especially if you are out on a camping trip at the time. Also, if you are far from anywhere and can't get a repairman out to look at it, you could spend your entire trip without hot water. For this reason it is a good idea to know a few things about how it works, so that simple things that come up can be fixed quickly without the expense or wait.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step 1

Check the tank to see if it is warm when no hot water is coming out of the faucet. If it is, then the heater itself is working, and the water is being rerouted or stopped by something. There is a water heater bypass, which could be the cause. Many RVs have this feature. It is a switch that routes the water away from the water heater, and is a simple matter of flipping the switch back the other way. The hot water issue could also be caused by someone else using another faucet. Small water heaters are not big enough to accommodate use of hot water in both locations, and will send cold water to one to keep the flow of water moving.

Step 2

Check the propane burner if you hear a noise. If the mixing gate is not adjusted correctly, it can cause a noise. The gate is where air is mixed with the propane, but if the air isn't coming in at the correct amount, a sound is heard. Also if the air flow is low, then the heater will not heat as fast due to a low flame.

Step 3

Drain the tank and rinse out the system with a water and chlorine solution if the water has a smell. Tanks that sit unused for extended periods of time can sometimes get bacteria in them. The solution will kill the bacteria.

Step 4

Check the propane nozzle where the gas comes out into the burner if the tank won't light when you are setting up camp. Sometimes this nozzle will get clogged and just needs to be cleaned out.

Step 5

Check for a loose wire if the tank is controlled by an electronic switch. A wire could get loose during breakdown and storage of a RV, and is a simple matter of reconnecting the wire and taping it with some electrical tape to keep it from coming loose again.

Article Written By Keith Dooley

Keith Dooley has a degree in outdoor education and sports management. He has worked as an assistant athletic director, head coach and assistant coach in various sports including football, softball and golf. Dooley has worked for various websites in the past, contributing instructional articles on a wide variety of topics.

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