Water Heater and Not Level when raising top

[JoyNoelle]

I took my 2010 1810h out for the first trip of the season and second trip over all and had some questions.

First, I have both an electric and gas switch for my hot water heater. I turned on the electric because I was at a full hookup. The water was not getting hot. Then realised I had not switched the bypass off after winterizing. I had antifreeze in the hot water heater but no water. When bypass was turned off the liquid came out black out of the faucet. It still did not seem to get hot. Switched to gas and everything worked. Is it possible I blew my electric element? As a side note which is better to us electric our gas.

Next question, I noticed when I raised the top that the trim between the top half and bottom half is exactly level in the kitchen but has about an inch offset in the bedroom area. The top seems about an inch lower that the bottom half trim. Should I be concerned our can I make it through this season camping before seeking service. I am a single female that doesn't feel super comfortable messing with the lift system.

 

[JIM L-HILO]

Hi Joy; First check to make sure the circuit breaker for the hot water heater has not tripped. On some Rvs there is a on/off switch at the heater so it can be turned off if working on it. If there was no water covering the electric heater element and you turned the electric switch on, the element will blow instantly. As for which is better, when hooked up to shore power in a RV park you are using their power, on propane you are using yours. As for the trim, do no worry if the trim on top and bottom are not level. The top should be adjusted so the seal mates with the lip on the bottom half at the same time all the way around. On some HiLos the top and bottom trim will be nearly level and others the top trim will be 1/2 to 1 inch below the bottom. If you have a air gap at the rear it is a easy adjustment. What city/state do you live in? Their might be a HiLo owner nearby with the know how to help you.

 

[JackandJanet]

Joy, the "black" color you described does not sound good. My guess is the electric element is toast.

The good news is, the element should be quite easy to replace. I haven't done it in my HiLo, but HAVE done it in home water heaters. The element normally just screws in. I'd try to take the old one out if I were you - it should be obvious how to do it and then take that part to an RV supply store, or maybe even ACE Hardware to look for a matching replacement.

One thing I'm amazed about is just how little propane the appliances in a HiLo uses when on gas. We tend to "boondock" mostly and use propane for the refrigerator, hot water, and, if needed, the furnace. Most of our cooking is outside on a camping stove or grill, but we've gone two weeks and have not used much over one 20# propane bottle.

And, follow Jim's advice on the top adjustment. What you describe is how our interior top/bottom trim looks like too. It's even at the back, and the top is about 3/4 lower in the front. But, the seal meets all around. DO NOT try to raise the top past where the seal meets. You can cause damage if you do. I know this from personal experience!

- Jack

 

[JoyNoelle]

I live in Pullman, WA but store my trailer for Winter in Boise, ID. I recently found there is a great service guy who knows Hilos in Boise but trying to avoid the 7 hr trip until winter. I will see if I can access the water heater element. I think I have to get at it from under the couch. If I have to run on propane this season I will.

I would really like to find a HiLo owner somewhere close to me just to have them help me walk through everything I have questions on. I want to learn how to do things myself but am not mechanically inclined. I get worried I am missing something important.

One more question. Should I be running the refrigerator fan at all times or just to get the fridge cooled down?

 

[JoyNoelle]

Ok I read through the responses one more time and realized I had another question. How do you tell if the seals are meeting properly?

 

[RCREYES]

Ok I read through the responses one more time and realized I had another question. How do you tell if the seals are meeting properly?

When it is raised all the way up, you can see the seal from the outside and tell if they meet. Just look in between the halves.

 

[C317414]

First, I have both an electric and gas switch for my hot water heater. I turned on the electric because I was at a full hookup. The water was not getting hot. Then realised I had not switched the bypass off after winterizing. I had antifreeze in the hot water heater but no water. When bypass was turned off the liquid came out black out of the faucet. It still did not seem to get hot. Switched to gas and everything worked. Is it possible I blew my electric element? As a side note which is better to us electric our gas.

As other mentioned, check the circuit breakers first. Hopefully that's all it is. If not, you may have damaged the electric element. The heater is a standard RV type, so spare elements should be readily available at RV dealers.

Typically the gas heats up the water much faster than electric. If you need hot water shortly after hooking up to shore power, start with gas and switch to electric once the water is hot. It's also a good idea to switch to gas if people are taking showers one right after another.

 

[hilltool]

By "refrigerator fan" I am assuming you mean the one behind the frig that has the switch in the side of the refrig cabinet? THAT one you usually use just if it is really hot and humid outside---- like in the 80s and 90s. If on the other hand, you have some type of fan IN the refrigerator that helps circulate the air---then running THAT helps things cool down just because it is distributing the cool air more evenly. I usually set my thermostat at about #4 when I first turn the frig on until it cools down-----then drop it down to #2 for the duration.

Aside from the lift mechanisms- any decent rv dealer/mechanic should be able to help you figure out all the other stuff in the trailer like lights, stoves, plumbing, etc. It is pretty standard. The trick is finding one who is honest and competent. Ask around.

Rick

 

[JoyNoelle]

Thanks all...I just get nervous as this is the biggest item that I own that I feel like I have to maintain. I live in a Condo where most of the maintenance is taken care of by the Association. I feel like it is such a learning curve to understand all of these things when it has never been my background. I am trying not to overstress but I am afraid of all the things that can go wrong.

I will go back to where I have stored the trailer next Monday and will check the circuit breaker first.

Now onto understanding my batteries. I plan to dry camp over Memorial Day and want to make sure I understand what to expect. I haven't checked the status of my batteries and need to know if they will be good enough to last for Friday - Monday afternoon just for lights, water pump, and possibly running the heat for just a short time to take the chill off before bed.

Need to find a Multimeter and someone who can show me how to operate it.

 

[Garry-HILO]

Thanks all...I just get nervous as this is the biggest item that I own that I feel like I have to maintain. I live in a Condo where most of the maintenance is taken care of by the Association. I feel like it is such a learning curve to understand all of these things when it has never been my background. I am trying not to overstress but I am afraid of all the things that can go wrong.

I will go back to where I have stored the trailer next Monday and will check the circuit breaker first.

Now onto understanding my batteries. I plan to dry camp over Memorial Day and want to make sure I understand what to expect. I haven't checked the status of my batteries and need to know if they will be good enough to last for Friday - Monday afternoon just for lights, water pump, and possibly running the heat for just a short time to take the chill off before bed.

Need to find a Multimeter and someone who can show me how to operate it.

Joy, you can find an inexpensive multimeter at Harbor Freight which will provide JUST about the same results as a more expensive unit. Instructions are included for checking batteries. As far as your water heater you should do an internet search for your water heater for parts. If the water heater is an Atwood, the company has two different heating elements. One element screws in and the other bolts onto the heater tank. I have made repairs to an Atwood on two occasions and the screw in heating element is not hard to service, and since your water heater is inside a storage bench it should be easy to access. All power should be disconnected before working on the water heater.

 

[JackandJanet]

Joy, I'm just a bit worried that your battery will not last for your "boondock" adventure.

You need to make sure it is fully charged before you leave. I'm guessing you can't plug it in to house power before you go to charge it? If that is the case, you'll be depending on your tow vehicle to do the job as you travel. That MAY work, but if you have your refrigerator running on DC, it's going to limit the charge or even cause the battery to drain.

Once you get to your campsite, you'll use the battery to raise the top - that puts a pretty heavy load on the battery. DO make sure to unplug the trailer from the tow vehicle before you raise the top or you might blow the fuse in the tow vehicle's charging circuit.

Then, try to limit your use of trailer lights unless they are LEDs. Incandescent lights put a fairly high drain on the battery too. If you can, it would be best to use LED camping lights (don't use propane or gas lights inside the trailer).

Make sure your refrigerator and hot water are running on gas. I'd try to avoid using the furnace if you can. The blower fan in the furnace pulls quite a bit of current too. But, you needn't worry too much about the water pump. Yes, it draws power, but it doesn't run too often.

If your battery runs down and if you have not blown the tow vehicle fuse, you can add a charge to the trailer battery by hooking up the tow vehicle and running its engine. Effectively, it's acting as a generator.

If I sound like a "wet blanket", I'm truly sorry, but all the things I've talked about I've learned the hard way - through experience.

DO get a multimeter - in addition to Harbor Freight, you can find an inexpensive one at Home Depot and it comes with instructions too. Learn how to use the voltage function to read the voltage at the terminals of your trailer battery. If the battery is being charged, the voltage will be between 13.5-14.4V. It is fully charged if it is above 12.6V and not powering anything. If the voltage on the battery drops to 12.1, and it is not powering anything, it is at a 50% charge state. If the voltage is at 11.95, it is at 25%, and 11.7 is "dead".

Jumper cables would be handy too, especially if your tow vehicle fuse blows. You could recharge the battery directly from your tow vehicle's battery with them. Home Depot sells an inexpensive, good, 6 gauge cable in their tool section.

I hope I'm not discouraging you. I just want you to have a FUN camping experience. Feel free to PM me if you have questions and I'll give you my telephone number if you need to talk.

- Jack

 

[Papa-HILO]

battery

Now onto understanding my batteries. I plan to dry camp over Memorial Day and want to make sure I understand what to expect. I haven't checked the status of my batteries and need to know if they will be good enough to last for Friday - Monday afternoon just for lights, water pump, and possibly running the heat for just a short time to take the chill off before bed.

On previous dry camping trips when my batteries (I have two in the Hi Lo) got low I'd hook up the seven pin plug to my truck and let the truck run for about an hour and they'd be charged up again. Just a suggestion. We have dry camped for two weeks. You just have to manage battery use.
God Bless
Papa

 

[sam-HILO]

HiLo water heater

Our forum members are great about answering questions. Maybe you could put an ad in the paper for someone to do minor RV repairs. It has already been mentioned that many of the appliances in the HiLo are common to all RVS. Have plenty of extra batteries for flashlights and spare fuses. Buy a pack of assorted at Walmart ect. I would invest in a warm down sleeping bag. Some like the travasacks as they have a summer side and a warmer side to them. Some companies make knock of versions of these. Have a great time camping.

 

[JoyNoelle]

I do have two batteries. I believe they are 6 volt deep cycle but that will be sorted out next Monday. I will track down a multimeter to make sure the batteries are up to snuff. I have slept in tents over Memorial day so I do have a great sleeping bag if its cold. Just would love the feeling of a little warmth before bed. Most of my lights have been converted to LED and we have battery powered laterns. I spend most of my time outside and will get a fire going to warm up. I am just going to cross my fingers for warm days and clear skies.

 

[hilltool]

Another "heater " solution is a "Mr. Buddy". They come in different sizes and costs but they run on those standard camping propane cannisters you can get most anywhere. YOU NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS, Though. If you use one make sure you have PLENTY OF VENTILATION - you don't want carbon monoxide poisoning! That said, I've used ours quite a bit in fall and spring when boon docking and they do a decent job of warming up the trailer----I make sure I keep the bathroom "door" drawn to keep as much warm air in the cabin as we can.

Rick

 

[JoyNoelle]

Thanks Rick...I have looked at the Mr. Buddy and may just have to invest in it. I am just not sure what size to get. I am in a small trailer so the Little Buddy may work but the medium one looks more stable. Do you just use the small canisters or do you have the adapter to use the larger tanks?

 

[C317414]

Thanks Rick...I have looked at the Mr. Buddy and may just have to invest in it. I am just not sure what size to get. I am in a small trailer so the Little Buddy may work but the medium one looks more stable. Do you just use the small canisters or do you have the adapter to use the larger tanks?

I'm not sure that the little one will work and I agree that it is not as stable. I've used a Portable Buddy Heater (I think that's what you are calling medium) a lot in the past and like it. I found that you can increase it's effectiveness by putting a small battery powered fan on something slightly above and behind the unit.

To be safe, get a battery powered Carbon Monoxide detector. Also, consider not using the heater when you are sleeping.

 

[campthewestcoast]

I live in Pullman, WA but store my trailer for Winter in Boise, ID. I recently found there is a great service guy who knows Hilos in Boise but trying to avoid the 7 hr trip until winter. I will see if I can access the water heater element. I think I have to get at it from under the couch. If I have to run on propane this season I will.

I would really like to find a HiLo owner somewhere close to me just to have them help me walk through everything I have questions on. I want to learn how to do things myself but am not mechanically inclined. I get worried I am missing something important.

One more question. Should I be running the refrigerator fan at all times or just to get the fridge cooled down?

Forum member JMDohering lives in Idaho. You may want to PM him and see if he is headed your direction anytime soon, and would be willing to meet up with you. We met him last year at the HiLo Rally in Colorado.

 

[hilltool]

I, actually, use the smaller one though, I admit, there have been times when I wanted the bigger one. Our trailer is 22 footer. I need to leave it on for awhile to get it to make a noticeable difference, like an hour, but it does eventually heat things up. The little fan is a good idea and we carry one for the summers, anyway. It DOES have a safety device on it so that if it is knocked over it will shut off----but its base is not much wider than the canister. If you can afford the next size up- get it. That said- with a decent sleeping bag and that heater you should do pretty well-and you wont be running down your battery with the furnace. The fan on the furnace sucks a good deal of juice .

Camp on!

 

[JoyNoelle]

Mr. Buddy it is then. It's on sale at Amazon for around $75. As a follow up question, if it warm can I run the Fantastic Fan that I have in my trailer without pulling too much juice or is that out as well?