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water heater problems

Yahoo Message Number: 109414
I am fast finding out with this CC conversion that there is no such thing as doing a repair and walking away. Every repair I have made on this thing, I have wound up making a minimum of five repairs in order to fix one. My latest mis-adventure involves the the water heaters (2)..This is an all electric coach and the water heaters are electric with the motor aid. For some reason, CC used water heaters with immersion type elements. As you guy's know, if the water heaters are turned on without water in them the elements will self destruct in short order. Both elements are burned out. These are the four bolt type elements . When these heaters were manufactured, they used steel bolts and the water heaters are alum. Over the past twenty years, a reaction has set up between the bolts and the alum water heater. When I tried to back the bolts out, they brought threads and all .I have drilled and tapped three of the holes using the next larger size bolts, however, thanks to the PO one hole is even larger than the next size up. What is the procedure for repairing this problem short of replacing the heaters ?? Can these things be Helicoiled ??

Re: water heater problems

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109417
This doesn't answer your question, but I experienced forgetting to turn off the breaker before draining my electric water heater, at which point it stopped working. On my model the empty water tank tripped a safety switch, shutting off power to the electric elements before the burned out. The reset button is very small and located at the bottom of the water heater... reset using a pencil eraser. Has happened twice and both times the reset button saved me.

John Coleman

02 intrigue 11467

Re: water heater problems

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109418
If you can reach the effected area and you have room plus having enough metal, yes you can install helicoils.
Don

'02 Intrigue 11427
'02 Intrigue #11427

Re: water heater problems

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109424
LOL... Seriously if these water heaters are in fact 20 years old then they've done their job. Just replace them both, or just install one in place of the 2. Can't get upset with a device that's lasted that long...!

Jim

Re: water heater problems

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109425
Two reasons I don't want to do this. The water heaters with the motor aid, I understand, are no longer available. The second reason is that I would have to do extensive renovations in order to change to one heater. There is nothing to wear out with the water heaters except the elements and the thermostats so why scrap them ??

Re: water heater problems

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109430
You can find water heaters with the motoraid. Problem is that they are over twice the price of a non motoraid heater. They have a new part number because of the control board but they are available.
Don

'02 Intrigue 11427
'02 Intrigue #11427

Re: water heater problems

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109433
Good to know Don!! I was told that they had stopped making those due to the close proximity of the potable water with the engine coolant which kind of made sense.I had one motor home with this option and really liked. As long as the motor was running, you had hot water.

Re: water heater problems

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 109435
The motoraid is nothing but a piece of aluminum tubing tack welded around the exterior of the water tank. Unless there is a catastrophic failure of a weld being burned through the tank (which would happen during manufacture), there is no way that coolant can contaminate the fresh water.
Don

'02 Intrigue 11427
'02 Intrigue #11427