RV Water Heater Troubleshooting Made Easy

Nothing can spoil a great trip faster than going to wash off the dirt of a hard day’s play and finding that you only have cold water because the water heater in your recreational vehicle is not working properly. This is even more annoying if you are relatively new to the recreational vehicle life and have no knowledge of RV water heater troubleshooting methods or how your hot water system functions.

No matter what your mechanical skill level is, RV water heater troubleshooting does not have to be difficult. In fact, with the help of this expert-taught, step-by-step video you can enjoy the satisfaction of both a hot shower and the knowledge that you discovered what was causing your RV water heater malfunction in the first place. And the best part of all, you don’t need to worry about taking your RV into a shop and waiting days to hear back. You can get the job done in your driveway, and likely for much cheaper!

Every step is covered and easy to understand from making sure that your system has the fuel and power it requires to checking that connections and components are working properly. With just a few short minutes of your valuable time, this video will explain how the water heater system on an Atwood RV is designed to function, then proceed to help you to diagnose your problem in a safe, efficient manner.

How to Diagnose Your Water Heater’s Issue

To help you get your water heater system back up and running like new, RV maintenance and repair expert Dave Solberg walks you through a quick inspection and explanation of each component. First things first, you should check that gas is coming through to your appliances. Light the stovetop burner and look for a steady flow with a solid flame. Next, use a voltage meter to check the input to the heater, which should be at least 10.5 volts.

If that is the case and you are receiving sufficient voltage, you’ll then use a test light to work your way from the thermostat back to the coil. Dave explains what you should do if power isn’t reaching the thermostat (e.g. replacing a broken fusible link). Now, say you start up the system but you don’t hear a click. This likely means the coil is broken and needs to be repaired or replaced. If you do hear a click but don’t get a flame, you might have a clogged orifice or bad valve. These can easily be cleaned and/or replaced.

The last step of the RV water heater troubleshooting process is to turn off the LP system to check for a spark. If you don’t get a spark, your system could have an electrode that is bent or carbon grounding. Again, easy fix, quick solution. Okay, but what if you get through each of these steps and still can’t figure out what’s wrong? Please leave us a message or email your problem! We’ll be happy to work it through with you to find the right answer.

How RV Repair Club Makes Maintenance Simple

Clear, easy-to-follow video and dialogue make it easy to determine what replacement component or repair work will be needed to make your water heater fully operational once again. Stop and start this RV water heater troubleshooting video at key points or back it up or fast forward it to quickly find the information you need.

You can even watch this informative video on your smart phone or tablet as you examine your system, so that you can easily differentiate between the various components, wires and connections and refer back to the screen each step of the way. We also recommend that you go back through the RV Repair Club archives to discover more troubleshooting tips for your water heater and other essential components of your vehicle. We cover all of the bases, and release new videos weekly to answer all of your RV maintenance and repair questions, such as in-depth guides to understanding your RV plumbing and water systems.

What’s more, unlike some RV water heater troubleshooting videos of lesser quality, you won’t have to endure annoying advertisements or attempts at humor when all you really want is a hot shower. Ready, set, troubleshoot your RV’s hot water system now!