# Hot Water Heater Not To Hot On Shore Power



## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

This weekend I used the Outback and having power I used electric heating for the water heater. Well I noticed that it didn't get very hot just warm and not warm enough to take a shower. I ran it all night than gave up and switched to gas and then had good hot water.

It the electric heating just not that good or do I have a problem?


----------



## huntr70 (Jul 8, 2005)

I use mine on electric as much as possible and it maintains the same temp as using gas.

Did you double check that the breaker was on in the power center??

That was the first mistake I made.........

Steve


----------



## 2500Ram (Oct 30, 2005)

huntr70 said:


> I use mine on electric as much as possible and it maintains the same temp as using gas.


Interesting, mine only gets luke warm on electric as well. I wonder if the heating element is going bad?

Bill.


----------



## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Should work just as well as propane for max temperature but is slower to recover. Over night it should have been fine unless DW did dishes just before you tried to take the shower!!!!


----------



## 2500Ram (Oct 30, 2005)

Is there a temp setting for use on ac? If so where would I find it









Thanks,

Bill.


----------



## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

2500Ram said:


> Is there a temp setting for use on ac? If so where would I find it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Unless you got one of these babies you have a fixed and typically very hot setting.


----------



## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

2500Ram said:


> Is there a temp setting for use on ac? If so where would I find it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Unless you got one of these babies you have a fixed and typically very hot setting.









[/quote]

Andy that is that and would it help is I don't get hot water in the first place?


----------



## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

N7OQ said:


> I don't get hot water in the first place?


The adjustable thermostat or lack of one would not help but the fixed thermostat may be a problem.

In the middle of the picture below you see the letters TSTAT, that is where your fixed temperature thermostat is and where the adjustable one would go if you wanted to install it. It is held in place with sticky foam insulation up against the side of the tank, it is not directly exposed to the water.

If the unit heats correctly on gas then it is not a thermostat issue. I would suspect a bad heating element or a bad connection to the element. The electrical element is inserted from the back of the water heater and I do not have a picture of it. You could need to check the element resistance (Ohms) to see if it was bad.


----------



## Karma (Nov 13, 2005)

I had the same issue. Turned out my electric heating element was dead. I had assumed it was just weak, but it would seem that even after you switch off the gass heater, the water retains heat for almost 12 hours -- well insolated for sure. 
The thing that kills the electric elements is turning on the electric heater switch with no water in the hot water tank. The instant you do this the element is blown.


----------



## freefaller25 (Mar 19, 2006)

We had a first time use issue also. One of the connections to the relay on the water heater was not connected. I guessed that this was done to protect the system on the lot incase a visitor turned on the heater but I don't know. It may just have been left off.

You'll have to gain access to the inboard side of the heater and remove a small cover to access the relay and wiring. You've got to do this to trouble shoot the element anyway so it will not be wasted work.

Good luck.

Tony


----------



## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

OK thanks everyone, I will put a amp meter on it tomorrow and see if it is bad. I have a panel under the front bed that gives me access to it.

I do like that adjustable stat Andy think I will buy one 120 degrees is what I like to keep the water at.

Thanks everyone


----------



## Sluggo54 (Jun 15, 2005)

N7OQ said:


> OK thanks everyone, I will put a amp meter on it tomorrow and see if it is bad. I have a panel under the front bed that gives me access to it.
> 
> I do like that adjustable stat Andy think I will buy one 120 degrees is what I like to keep the water at.
> 
> Thanks everyone


Bill, I understand the motive for the 120 degree water, but keep in mind that tank doesn't hold much. If you hold out hope of getting through a shower without a sudden case of the Geezes - might want to leave it hot.

Sluggo


----------



## kargorooOutbacker (Jan 8, 2007)

Ours was not connected at all.








I had to take it to the dealer. Apparently is not uncommon.


----------



## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

Sluggo54 said:


> OK thanks everyone, I will put a amp meter on it tomorrow and see if it is bad. I have a panel under the front bed that gives me access to it.
> 
> I do like that adjustable stat Andy think I will buy one 120 degrees is what I like to keep the water at.
> 
> Thanks everyone


Bill, I understand the motive for the 120 degree water, but keep in mind that tank doesn't hold much. If you hold out hope of getting through a shower without a sudden case of the Geezes - might want to leave it hot.

Sluggo
[/quote]

Agreed, 6 gallons of 120 degree water won't last long at all. I wonder if it would be possible to retrofit the shower with a valve that has a balancer in it so you won't get burned if someone turns on a faucet while the shower is being used.

We have a rule if someone is in the shower, no water gets used by anyone else, it's much too easy to get burned if another faucet is turned on.

Mike


----------



## NJMikeC (Mar 29, 2006)

Folks,

I just last week found something out. If you have the Water Heater like Andy has in his picture then you have an Atwood XT it should provide up to 9 gallons of heated water meaning of course it heats better. If you have the Atwood XT and throw the adjustable thermostat on it then I believe you would really be in business.

Bill when I first got my trailer the electric mode didn't work. It was a bad connection at the relay. The relay is in a little black box right next to the water heater but I would guess you have to remove a panel from inside to get at it. Look for the yellow wire and that was the culprit as it supplies 12 V to the turn on the relay which thereby gets 120V to the element. When you hit your switch you should hear a click which is the relay closing. If you hear it now then I guess don't bother.

Mike C


----------



## wicandthing (Jul 11, 2005)

One trick I use is to use both electric and gas when taking showers. It helps the heater to recover faster. Once showers are done, I cut it back to electric to save propane.


----------



## ED_RN (Jun 25, 2006)

Long and short is I have a 2006 23rs and on the electric setting I have hot water in less than an hour. After 2-3 hours the water is hot enough that you can't comfortably leave your hand under the water if just the hot water faucet is on. If your's isn't getting this hot something is wrong and you should have the dealer check it out.
Do you get hot water when using propane? If not there may be a mix up in the water lines so that you are getting water from the fresh water tank mixing with the hot water. This happened to friend of mine who had a tent trailer.


----------

