Hot water for only a few seconds. - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

PappaPiggy · 07-22-2019, 10:23 PM

I have a Hi Lo Towlite 17T with a stock atwood water heater.

It starts great on gas or electric.
It heats up no problem.
when i open a hot water tap i get hot water for only a few seconds then it runs cold. I have flushed it out several times. checked and cleaned all contacts and sensors. heated it up and drained it of lots and confirmed that it fills up with lots of hot water. but i just cant get it to run hot at the tap for more than a few seconds. ???

JackandJanet · 07-23-2019, 12:29 AM

I wonder if you've got the winterizing valves set to bypass the water heater? These are two valves in the piping prior to the pump that may be on the rear side of the piping. Try turning them to the other position and see if that works.

Welcome to the forum!

- Jack

retiredcamper47 · 07-23-2019, 11:10 AM

Welcome PappaPiggy to the forum. In most cases the water lines at the water heater are shaped like the letter "H". Cold water in and hot water out, connected by the "bypass" line. Sounds like your bypass line valve is in the open position allowing cold water to mix with the hot water coming out of the heater. Make sure that valve is in the closed position. Hope this helps.

Bob

PappaPiggy · 07-23-2019, 04:26 PM

In my system there is no valve in-between. I have t valves. And I have both of them open with the handle parallel with the pipes.

cva34 · 07-23-2019, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PappaPiggy

In my system there is no valve in-between. I have t valves. And I have both of them open with the handle parallel with the pipes.

Had one t valve/3way...found that someone had removed handle and when they put it back on pointing wrong way..Had me stumped tell I totally removed valve and saw problem...

PappaPiggy · 07-24-2019, 12:15 AM

ill check that out.

Carra · 07-24-2019, 07:49 AM

If your trailer is equipped with an out door shower check to see that both valves are shut off and not just the hand wand if the valves were left open the cold water will run into the hot and cause it to run cold shortly after the hot is turned on
Just a thought

cva34 · 07-24-2019, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carra

If your trailer is equipped with an out door shower check to see that both valves are shut off and not just the hand wand if the valves were left open the cold water will run into the hot and cause it to run cold shortly after the hot is turned on
Just a thought

been there before just forgot to mention...thx for thinking about that one

RichR · 07-25-2019, 05:58 PM

The same thing can happen with the inside shower valves.

PappaPiggy · 07-26-2019, 01:10 AM

I’m stumped. All my valves are set right, I reversed them in many combinations and no better. My showers are shut off. I’m gonna take a clothes look on the weekend..

JackandJanet · 07-26-2019, 10:40 AM

Pappa - if the hot water tank has hot water in it and you only get heated water briefly, then that water supply is not being fed to the pump. Something, and I bet it's a valve, is preventing that from happening. You have the same trailer I have, but you haven't told us its model year.

In mine, the two winterizing valves would probably cause your symptom if set wrong. Note: There are THREE valves there, one of them opens the line that is used to add antifreeze. It is on the front of the piping as viewed from inside the trailer looking under the couch. This one should be closed.

The other two are BEHIND the pipes and I think they should be set horizontally for normal use, vertically for winterizing, but I could have this backwards. In any case, they should be parallel. If one, or both of them are wrong, the hot water would not be delivered.

Have another look at this area.

- Jack

PappaPiggy · 07-26-2019, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackandJanet

Pappa - if the hot water tank has hot water in it and you only get heated water briefly, then that water supply is not being fed to the pump. Something, and I bet it's a valve, is preventing that from happening. You have the same trailer I have, but you haven't told us its model year.

In mine, the two winterizing valves would probably cause your symptom if set wrong. Note: There are THREE valves there, one of them opens the line that is used to add antifreeze. It is on the front of the piping as viewed from inside the trailer looking under the couch. This one should be closed.

The other two are BEHIND the pipes and I think they should be set horizontally for normal use, vertically for winterizing, but I could have this backwards. In any case, they should be parallel. If one, or both of them are wrong, the hot water would not be delivered.

Have another look at this area.

- Jack

Thank you Jack. it is a 2004 model. and i have the winterizing valve closed and the other two parallel. plenty of water comes out of the hot tap after that initial blast of hot water so i am getting flow.

JackandJanet · 07-26-2019, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PappaPiggy

Thank you Jack. it is a 2004 model. and i have the winterizing valve closed and the other two parallel. plenty of water comes out of the hot tap after that initial blast of hot water so i am getting flow.

Yes, you WOULD get "flow" if the two valves were wrong, but it would be coming from the fresh water tank. Reverse those two "parallel" valves. And you can feel the pipes downstream from the valves to see what temp water is getting through. Since you have hot water at the start, one of them may be wrong. Possibly, yours should NOT be parallel?

If you can feel hot water in the pipe downstream of one of the valves, before you open a faucet, that valve should be correct. Try reversing the other one.

- Jack

PappaPiggy · 07-26-2019, 07:51 PM

what seems strange to me is...
1) the water is heating.
2) all shower valves are shut.
3) the winterizing valve is shut.
4) cold water valve into the HWH is on/parallel.
5) hot water valve exiting the HWH is on/parallel.
6) when i open the hot water tap hot water comes out for a few second and then cold.

But what I think is strange is as the pump is pumping isn't it just pumping cold water through the HWH and right out the top hot water outlet?[IMG]

[/IMG]

PappaPiggy · 07-26-2019, 07:53 PM

ill check once more Jack thanks

PappaPiggy · 07-26-2019, 09:10 PM

I got it! Jack you were right. The cold water valve must have been installed wrong so with it in the normal off position I get cold water just fine as well as a ton of hit water.

Carra · 07-26-2019, 09:11 PM

Thats awsome good job

JackandJanet · 07-26-2019, 11:48 PM

Yay! I'm so pleased you found the problem! Sorry I didn't think of a valve being installed wrong sooner.

One of the BIG advantages of a camping trailer over a tent is the availability of hot water. Enjoy it!

- Jack

Freddiefreeloader · 08-01-2019, 05:03 PM

In my 1990 model my access to the front of the HW heater and water lines, etc is up front under the couch/bed. Follow the water line for hot water as it comes out of the HW heater and if it is like my setup you will see a cold water line that runs into this HW line that supplies the hot water to your sinks. It has a valve that you can shut this off. Do not know the reason for this line running cold water into the new hot water supply, but shutting it off worked for me. I am sure there is a purpose but I did not try to over think it. I know that once I shut it off I have had extremely hot water out of my faucets on the last 4 or 5 trips and this is on the lowest possible setting on the HW heater itself.

Treeclimber · 09-17-2019, 02:39 PM

Don't remember where it was, but a few weeks ago there was a post about an on/off switch hidden right near the water heater for 120v. Mine has that switch and I just thought to take a pic. It shows the 12/2 wire coming in, goes to the switch then to the heater unit. Just an FYI.
Tree