water heater replacment

[Curt Sprenger]

Glen, nice write up. Please add this to the forum so others can locate it
when in need.

On 10/15/07, ragster_ga wrote:
>
> Robert,
>
> One of the first projects on my PT-40 after purchasing last July was
> to replace the leaking water heater. While I knew there was a leak,
> the damage was hidden and not easy to identify. When I pulled apart
> the water heater shelf area, there was softness in the wood below.
> So it was clear that it had been sitting wet for a long time.
>
> In my case, I decided to do a total bed/rear decking replacement. I
> spread the work out over a week. My queen bed is centered and
> against the rear cabinets.
>
> I used the Atwood EHM11SST tank to replace the original. It has all
> the connections on one side and stainless steel housing. You can
> find them for around $425 if you shop.
>
> On the '86 PT-40, there are two pieces of wood on top of the engine
> housing. One goes from the queen all the way to the rear under the
> cabinets. It has a cut out for an access door to the engine
> compartment. The wood is on top of a small felt pad which is on top
> of the steel engine housing.
>
> You should pull the wood over the engine access door to determine if
> the felt pad underneath has any moisture. If it does, it will be
> trapped between the wood and the steel and never escape. Eventually
> you will have mold and dry-rot. If this pad is dry...you are a step
> ahead.
>
> I removed all the rear cabinets below the overhead. The overhead is
> self supporting and can remain. There is a heat exchange in the
> center-bottom of the cabinets that is used for bedroom heat. I did
> not remove the heat-exchanger, but I did remove the screws holding it
> down and removed the wood from under it. This kept me from having to
> undo the hot water hoses from the engine. I might be easier to
> remove it if you have to.
>
> Hopefully, when you remove the HWH, you will not have had any water
> get under the wood. If you did, and it is contained to just one
> local area, you could possibly cut out the damaged section and leave
> the remaining.
>
> In my case, I wanted to be sure I got out all the moisture so I
> removed everything. I touched up the steel housing (a few
> scratches). Sealed all the existing screw holes from the old plywood
> mount holes. Put down a thin foil insulation pad. Then put down the
> plywood. I pre-drilled each hole through the wood / engine housing
> and attached the new wood with stainless steel screws.
>
> Take plenty of pictures to remember how it goes back together if you
> have to disassemble anything. There are a lot of very similar parts
> in removing the cabinets, that took me a few extra minutes to
> remember how to get it back together...however it will only go back
> one way.
>
> The best choice for wood in my opinion is a Marine Grade Plywood.
> Expensive, but it has glues that will not break down to water
> exposure. You can special order it through Lowes here in my town.
>
> Another choice that might be OK would be to use a copper based
> pressure treated plywood. Do not use the arsenic based wood, unless
> you want to expose someone to the arsenic .
>
> When I put the wood back down, I did it in three sections. One
> section was the width of the coach, and went from the back wall to
> about one inch forward of the rear cabinet wall (just about 1/2 inch
> to the rear of the engine access door). Then I put a piece to the
> left of the access door and another piece to the right of the access
> door. I used 3/4" plywood. I also put down new wood for the access
> door. For it, I used a 1/2" piece because the steel access door is
> raised about 1/4" from the rest of the housing.
>
> Hopefully in your case, you won't have to remove any of the decking.
> Be sure that no water has gotten between the wood and the steel
> housing. If that happens, it will not be apparent by looking at the
> top of the wood, but hidden problems will arise over time.
>
> If you don't have to replace any wood and not remove the cabinets, 1
> day should be no problem. It will be tight getting the HWH out and
> the new one back in, but it will fit through the door opening. You
> will need to remove the door and the shelving/panel above, in the
> rear, and to the driver's side of the HWH to make it easier.
>
> I tried to find a pan to put under the HWH but could not find one to
> fit. I still would like to custom make a pan and set it under the
> HWH and have a drain out the rear through the engine compartment in
> case of a leak. I did use 3M 4200 marine caulking to seal the seams
> to prevent water penetration.
>
> The biggest thing you will need is moral support if you have to pull
> it all apart. My old body complained for a few days afterwards from
> all the bending and weird positions required to remove the rear
> cabinets.
>
> Glenn Allen
> 1986 PT-40
> Marietta, GA
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com,
> "Robert & Teri Rahn"
> wrote:
> >
> > I was able to get back to the water heater and check for leaks. It
> is
> > not leaking out of the pressure relief valve and there is no
> leaking at
> > any of the pipes. It is a little wet way back at the corner back
> there
> > which must be directly above the hole where the water is dripping
> out.
> > I turned the water heater off a few days ago and water is still
> > dripping slowly out of the hole in the engine compartment. So the
> water
> > heater must be rusted out and the leak is coming from below it.
> Where
> > is the best place to buy one of these heaters and what is the best
> way
> > to remove it? It looks like it is going to be quite a chore to get
> it
> > out of there.
> >
> > Robert Rahn
> > Kalispell, Mt.
> > 1988 PT 40
> >
>
>
>



--
Curt Sprenger
1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
Anaheim Hills, CA


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