Water heater removal
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12-13-2005, 17:36
Post: #1
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Water heater removal
I was looking at what needs to be done to remove the water heater from
my 87FC and not sure how to remove the air line from the cold water side. If I cut it, is there a source to buy new fittings for the air lines? Also thinking about the heat exchanger and how much coolant is going to come out when I disconnect the lines and the best way to minimize this. Thanks for any input! Robert Britton 87FC Tres Pinos Ca. |
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12-14-2005, 02:11
Post: #2
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Water heater removal
Hey Rob, seems like this is the year for replacing Hot water tanks.
(I know of 4 FC's doing this) Any way, you did not say if you had a side bath or rear bath (I have a RB) In my situation the front of the closet had to be removed and a new tank installed. I reoriented the tank from facing the rear wall,(thanks BB..sheesh) so all the controls could be accessed from the front. This req'd some flexible hose. There was some coolant lost but not much. (less than a gallon for sure) You will need to have some fittings/adapters before you start. These are readily available at any hardware store. Crit Bliss has a side bath and can give you some pointers regarding his install at RIV. Good Luck! Scott B 86FC35 SC --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Britton" > > I was looking at what needs to be done to remove the water heater from > my 87FC and not sure how to remove the air line from the cold water > side. If I cut it, is there a source to buy new fittings for the air > lines? > Also thinking about the heat exchanger and how much coolant is going > to come out when I disconnect the lines and the best way to minimize > this. > Thanks for any input! > > Robert Britton > 87FC > Tres Pinos Ca. > |
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12-15-2005, 00:13
Post: #3
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Water heater removal
Robert,
I can't offer you much advice on the air line stuff, bust as far as the coolant lines are concerned, I just put a pair of vice grips on the hoses before I removed them from the water heater. This kept the coolant loss to just what was in the hoses from where the hoses were pinched to where they connected to the water heater. Just FYI, I bought a new heater from Seaward Products in Whittier, CA, direct from the Mfg. It was almost a perfect fit replacement (I think the original was an Atwood), and I gained an additional gallon capacity in the same dimension heater. Good luck...it was my first "major" project on my BB when I bought it over 4 yrs ago, and gave me the confidence to tackle all of the other projects since. Kevin McKeown Yorba Linda, CA 1986 38' PT [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] |
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12-15-2005, 07:22
Post: #4
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Water heater removal
Hi Kevin I put a Seaward water heater in mine two years ago and it was
the 1200 model . The coolant hoses came out of it from the front as the one I took out came out of the back & I had to change the plumbing around to suite it but it turned out good. I was wandering if you did anything different on the wiring for a reset for the heater as I have seen some posting on that. I have made two trips to AZ & one to FL & other short trips in the last two years without any problems with the engine heating the water heater too hot. Most of them in cooler weather. Being you installed the same name heater I was wandering what you did? Don 89 SP 36' Butler, PA I can't offer you much advice on the air line stuff, bust as far as the coolant lines are concerned, I just put a pair of vice grips on the hoses before I removed them from the water heater. This kept the coolant loss to just what was in the hoses from where the hoses were pinched to where they connected to the water heater. Just FYI, I bought a new heater from Seaward Products in Whittier, CA, direct from the Mfg. It was almost a perfect fit replacement (I think the original was an Atwood), and I gained an additional gallon capacity in the same dimension heater. Good luck...it was my first "major" project on my BB when I bought it over 4 yrs ago, and gave me the confidence to tackle all of the other projects since. Kevin McKeown Yorba Linda, CA 1986 38' PT [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] |
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12-15-2005, 08:18
Post: #5
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Water heater removal
Hi Don,
From what I remember, the hoses for the most part were pretty close on both the new and the old water heater. I used the stainless steel braided flexible hoses for the inlet water and outlet water, so this made it pretty easy. The drain line, from what I recall was a little difficult, but it turned out OK with standard fittings mostly available at Home Depot or any good plumbing store. Electrical was pretty straight forward...just hooked up the same wires (I had to shorten them a little). Pretty tight quarters in there...have a little mirror handy, and a good bright flashlight (as you probably already know). Be careful tugging and twisting on those rigid copper pipes...I sprung a leak about a year and a half ago (probably as a result of my water heater install), and that was a real mess. Use some care... As for the water getting too hot, the hottest it can get is as hot as the coolant/antifreeze. My motorhome coolant temp has never got over 205 or so, so I would guess the heater water would stay in the same range as a water heater at home, depending on how often the heater fills and the length of your drive. It is sure nice to have hot water whenever you drive somewhere. I also found that the water stays pretty hot for at least 24 hrs after shutting down, a testament to the insulation of the water heater. I probably wouldn't have done the install without the help of the then original Wanderlodge Forum. Wa Hoo to Yahoo! See ya! Kevin McKeown Yorba Linda, CA 1986 38' PT [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] |
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12-15-2005, 12:54
Post: #6
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Water heater removal
Thanks for the tips Kevin!
I also bought a new heater from Seaward and it loos like it will drop wright in. Robert Britton 87FC Tres Pinos Ca In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, krminyl@a... wrote: > > Robert, > > I can't offer you much advice on the air line stuff, bust as far as the > coolant lines are concerned, I just put a pair of vice grips on the hoses before > I removed them from the water heater. This kept the coolant loss to just > what was in the hoses from where the hoses were pinched to where they connected > to the water heater. > > Just FYI, I bought a new heater from Seaward Products in Whittier, CA, > direct from the Mfg. It was almost a perfect fit replacement (I think the > original was an Atwood), and I gained an additional gallon capacity in the same > dimension heater. > > Good luck...it was my first "major" project on my BB when I bought it over 4 > yrs ago, and gave me the confidence to tackle all of the other projects > since. > > Kevin McKeown > Yorba Linda, CA > 1986 38' PT > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > |
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12-15-2005, 13:20
Post: #7
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Water heater removal
--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, dspithaler@a... wrote:
> I just talked to the folks at Bluebird about that today. They told me that when they replace a water heater they always drill a hole with a hole saw directly over the reset button, that way if it does trip you dont have to remove the electrical cover to get to the reset button, as it may be hard to get off after being installed. My 87FC currently has a Seaward water heater and I have never had to reset it due to high temps from the heat exchanger, or any other resons for that matter. On my 87FC the water heater is under the bed in the back and easy to get to. When I install the new Seaward I will just drill the hole and hope for the best. Robert Britton 87FC Tres Pinos Ca. > Hi Kevin I put a Seaward water heater in mine two years ago and it was > the 1200 model . The coolant hoses came out of it from the front as the one I > took out came out of the back & I had to change the plumbing around to suite > it but it turned out good. I was wandering if you did anything different on > the wiring for a reset for the heater as I have seen some posting on that. I > have made two trips to AZ & one to FL & other short trips in the last two years > without any problems with the engine heating the water heater too hot. Most > of them in cooler weather. Being you installed the same name heater I was > wandering what you did? > Don > 89 SP 36' > Butler, PA > > > I can't offer you much advice on the air line stuff, bust as far as the > coolant lines are concerned, I just put a pair of vice grips on the hoses > before > I removed them from the water heater. This kept the coolant loss to just > what was in the hoses from where the hoses were pinched to where they > connected > to the water heater. > > Just FYI, I bought a new heater from Seaward Products in Whittier, CA, > direct from the Mfg. It was almost a perfect fit replacement (I think the > original was an Atwood), and I gained an additional gallon capacity in the > same > dimension heater. > > Good luck...it was my first "major" project on my BB when I bought it over > 4 > yrs ago, and gave me the confidence to tackle all of the other projects > since. > > Kevin McKeown > Yorba Linda, CA > 1986 38' PT > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > |
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