Hot water issue

[Fox hunt]

When I turn on the hot water it is kind of a trickle low pressure both city water and pump it seems that there is some air in it. When I turned on the heat it was hot but only a little and then went cold. I'm pretty sure I filled it before turning on heat I could hear it filling. When I turn the hot water shut off valve it seems to produce more flow when it's part way on.

[Iowa Dave]

If when open you have water and air mixed coming out you want to purge this. If it’s trapped in the hot water tank, you might try taking the outer cover off the water heater and at the top of the there Is a pressure relief valve with a flipper on it. Carefully open the flipper with gloves on and you might get a significant air discharge and then a flow of water. Flip the flipper back close and go inside and open the bathroom taps and and see if they’ll run straight water and then the sink taps. Hopefully you’ll have all the air out of the system and get a better flow.
That’s what I did the other day when setting the trailer up for the season.
Iowa Dave

[gbaglo]

Pix of the valve Dave is talking about.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

When I turn the hot water shut off valve it seems to produce more flow when it's part way on.

What shut off valve? Do you mean the faucet, or one of the two valves involved in bypassing the water heater?

[Fox hunt]

Yes the valve I shut when winterizing

[Fox hunt]

I will try the flipper thing in the morning

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

I will try the flipper thing in the morning

Is this the flipper thing?

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Is this the flipper thing?

I’m sorry I was not more precise in my description. On the hot water tank at the top of the tank on the outside access panel end of the tank is a pressure relief valve. It’s a safety device however it also has a manual metal tab which can be lifted to rleave pressure in the tank. It’s usually used to make sure there’s no hot water under pressure if the anode is removed at the bottom of the tank but can also be activated to release air pressure in the tank. This allows the tank to fill completely with water which you will sense when water starts to run out of the valve spout. It’s worth a try.
Iowa Dave

[thoer]

Kate, after you use Dave's method with opening the relief valve, with your hose hooked up to city water, leave just the hot water tap on in the kitchen or bathroom, the water pressure should be able to push any remaining air out of the system. Sometimes you have to let it run for a while. Make sure you have the bypass valves that Glenn posted the picture of completely turned the right directions too.

[sclifrickson]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

I’m sorry I was not more precise in my description. On the hot water tank at the top of the tank on the outside access panel end of the tank is a pressure relief valve. It’s a safety device however it also has a manual metal tab which can be lifted to rleave pressure in the tank. It’s usually used to make sure there’s no hot water under pressure if the anode is removed at the bottom of the tank but can also be activated to release air pressure in the tank. This allows the tank to fill completely with water which you will sense when water starts to run out of the valve spout. It’s worth a try.

Iowa Dave

Per the Suburban owner’s manual, the hot water tank is designed to maintain a small volume of air during use, which is used to accommodate thermal expansion. There are even instructions for how to re-establish the air pocket, should it be inadvertently lost during prolonged use of the tank. There is no mention of using the overpressure relief valve to deliberately remove the air pocket. Just sayin’.

[Iowa Dave]

I guess I’ve never encountered a problem and I always seem to have some air in that tank. Usually I can get the pump to prime up and push both hot and cold water by opening the taps and flushing the toilet a couple times but after I drain and winterize and remove the anode for the winter it seems like it’s more reluctant to prime up. That’s when I usually bleed some air off. The manual is certainly right, there should be some thermal e passion capability. had expansion tanks and all that stuff on public facilities when I worked for the city as well as backflip prevention etc. I had certified operators keeping everybody safe by code back then.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by sclifrickson

Per the Suburban owner’s manual, the hot water tank is designed to maintain a small volume of air during use, which is used to accommodate thermal expansion. There are even instructions for how to re-establish the air pocket, should it be inadvertently lost during prolonged use of the tank. There is no mention of using the overpressure relief valve to deliberately remove the air pocket. Just sayin’.

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

I guess I’ve never encountered a problem and I always seem to have some air in that tank. Usually I can get the pump to prime up and push both hot and cold water by opening the taps and flushing the toilet a couple times but after I drain and winterize and remove the anode for the winter it seems like it’s more reluctant to prime up. That’s when I usually bleed some air off. The manual is certainly right, there should be some thermal expansion capability.

All correct, but just to clarify Dave was not actually removing the air pocket since the pressure relief valve is not at the very top of the tank. He was simply removing the majority of the air in the empty tank. Otherwise it needs to be pushed out through the faucets.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

When I turn on the hot water it is kind of a trickle low pressure both city water and pump it seems that there is some air in it. When I turned on the heat it was hot but only a little and then went cold. I'm pretty sure I filled it before turning on heat I could hear it filling. When I turn the hot water shut off valve it seems to produce more flow when it's part way on.

Try running the hot water at the sink with the hot water heater bypassed. If the flow is strong you have isolated the problem to the tank, bypass valves or interconnecting piping. If it is still a trickle with the water heater bypassed maybe there is something lodged in the supply side valve restricting flow. I would cycle both valves back and forth several times and keep trying the hot water in both bypass and normal modes through the water heater to see if the situation changes.

[Fox hunt]

The tank got hot and a little hot water came out then cold . When I did the release valve hot water came out of the water heater but not out of the facet. With the bypass valve on bypass water is strong with it not bypassed weaker with it a little in between stronger then not bypassed. But now no hot water comes out of the tank bypassed or open

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

The tank got hot and a little hot water came out then cold . When I did the release valve hot water came out of the water heater but not out of the facet. With the bypass valve on bypass water is strong with it not bypassed weaker with it a little in between stronger then not bypassed. But now no hot water comes out of the tank bypassed or open

Since the tank is filling and the faucet flow is strong when in bypass your top bypass valve must be ok. Just a guess but is the bottom bypass valve bad? It is working ok in bypass mode, but it sounds like it is not opening up fully to the hot water heater when in normal mode.

[padlin]

QUESTIONS
Are you getting any cold water out the faucet?
Are you hooked to city water or running off the fresh tank with the pump on?

[Fox hunt]

I am getting cold water both city and tank with pump

[Fox hunt]

The hot water heater is working firing up I'm just not getting the water

[Fox hunt]

Finally figured it out there are two bias valves I had opened one but didn't see the second looked at the picture again and realized my error thank you for your help!

[Fox hunt]

Now everything is working perfectly I'm very thankful first time I winterized and un winterized. And third time camping in this trailer. My dog fig hated the bike basket and I crashed the bike when she managed to wiggle out hanging hr self by her harness - glad i didn't snap to her collar. I don't think she is a biker!