plumbing

[cheryltiemens]

!st time using this forum.

Issue with water in our 1989 Wanderlodge. Have had to replace the water heater and pump, couple months ago. Now seems we have an issue getting the hot water to flow. Cold water is not an issue, pump seems to run fine but we do hear a hammer noise every so often.

Any ideas, or are there some schematics for the under the bed water system out there? Water Heater does seem to put out hot water. the outlet
pipe is hot. Also kitchen faucet has more pressure then the bathroom.
Thanks

[cmillsap]

(12-31-2014 16:07)cheryltiemens Wrote:  !st time using this forum.

Issue with water in our 1989 Wanderlodge. Have had to replace the water heater and pump, couple months ago. Now seems we have an issue getting the hot water to flow. Cold water is not an issue, pump seems to run fine but we do hear a hammer noise every so often.

Any ideas, or are there some schematics for the under the bed water system out there? Water Heater does seem to put out hot water. the outlet
pipe is hot. Also kitchen faucet has more pressure then the bathroom.
Thanks

Cheryl,

I’m not familiar with the water system on your model bus but they all work pretty much the same way. The way you describe the issue, it appears the line from the water heater to all the faucets is shut off or somehow blocked.

It sounds like the pump is providing cold water to the faucets and also hot water to the water heater (evidenced by the water heater’s outlet line being hot) but the water heater is unable to supply the hot water to the faucets. If none of the faucets provide hot water, check the hot supply line coming from the water heater and going to the water distribution panel (If you have one, it’s a panel with all the water valves on it) to see if there is hot water to that point. Maybe there is a main hot water shutoff valve in the line from the water heater supplying the water to the distribution panel.

Chuck

[GregOConnor]

wow you are the first to not call it a hot-water heater. I'll go with Chuck but add that an inlet restriction would be possible also. The other thing that may be a long shot, and I am not sure if it is possible to mix up,, but if you are using the engine heat exchange ,,,did you hook the potable-fresh in and out to the storage tank? or in error to the radiator fluid path?
both paths are continuous and independent but the potable fresh water path has the larger storage and the blow off valve.
You may understand all this but I for one was surprised that the engine heated the water heater tank while the bus was running down the road

[Itchintogo]

Hi Cheryl,

I agree with Greg and Chuck. Perhaps the hot water valve feeding the bus is not in the open position.

Couple of things though:

1. Is your Wanderlodge a SP or PT? It does make difference.
2. Are all the faucets with out hot water? Or just one of them like the shower for example in which case it may be a balancing valve issue with in the shower faucet itself.

[oldmansax]

Make sure you re-installed the check valve the correct way.

TOM

[mikebulriss]

(12-31-2014 16:07)cheryltiemens Wrote:  !st time using this forum.

Issue with water in our 1989 Wanderlodge. Have had to replace the water heater and pump, couple months ago. Now seems we have an issue getting the hot water to flow. Cold water is not an issue, pump seems to run fine but we do hear a hammer noise every so often.

Any ideas, or are there some schematics for the under the bed water system out there? Water Heater does seem to put out hot water. the outlet
pipe is hot. Also kitchen faucet has more pressure then the bathroom.
Thanks

If you are sure you have all the lines hooked back up correctly, then I see a different issue. Hammer noise? Sounds like the plumbing is air bound to me. Same thing happened on my 91 after I changed out the shower mixer valve. A buddy had a similar occurrence on his 89 and clued me on it. To get the air out of the line, make sure the pump is on and go outside and open the drain line in the black water tank compartment. While that is going, come back in and start opening faucets. Worked for me (and my friend that clued me in on it). Good luck and let us know what you find.

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

[GregOConnor]

Water hammer and trapped air is a big problem. I leave my pump on all the time even when it is stored. To keep from opening a valve and running air in the system. One of the issues many folks have is with icemakers that continue to ask for water and when there is no pump pressure, the valve soon allows air to enter the ice maker line. That light duty plastic air filled line ends up blowing apart when the air in it is hit and compressed by a column of water when the pump or city water is later turned on.

The water hammer-bang happens when rushing water is abruptly stopped. incomming water continues to pack the line and compress air if it is in the line. With air in a line you can pack several hundred psi of momentary pressure even if you have a hose bib pressure regulator. Once the column of water maxes out the compression stroke, the air forces the water back in a power stroke. Sometimes it goes back and forth. eventually the entire plumbing system will have greater psi than that delivered. To get air out of the line you need to open every lateral line and fill it with water. Ice maker seem to be one of the last to get water filled up and the first to sneak air in.