# Water Pouring From Neighbors' 5Er



## 2lman (Nov 24, 2008)

Last night, I was driving through the campsites at the county fair and saw a 5er with water pouring out from under it. I assume there was a broken waterline somewhere and there was nobody home. I was considering turning off the water at the spigot but I wondered if that would cause damage to the water heater. What happens to the water heater if it is turned on and doesn't have water in it?

I feel bad an wonder if I should have done something more.


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## Kyoutbacker (Apr 26, 2006)

We camped next to a family that were new campers with a 5er. In one day they had filled both the black and grey tanks and they were overflowing out the bottom of the 5er. On talking with them (and loaning them my portable tank), they did not realize they could not treat it like a regular house. All had taken a shower on arriving and in the morning and used the toilet a lot without visiting the campground restrooms.


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## luverofpeanuts (Mar 9, 2010)

2lman said:


> Last night, I was driving through the campsites at the county fair and saw a 5er with water pouring out from under it. I assume there was a broken waterline somewhere and there was nobody home. I was considering turning off the water at the spigot but I wondered if that would cause damage to the water heater. What happens to the water heater if it is turned on and doesn't have water in it?
> 
> I feel bad an wonder if I should have done something more.


Yikes... it's a bad feeling to be powerless.

The only think I could think of would be to find the water heater and turn the master switches off that are outside....then turn the water off at the spigot. In the grand scheme of things, there is likely nothing you could do that will help alleviate the damage significantly. Sounds nasty!


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## spepi (Apr 12, 2010)

I would have thought the same...to do something, but on the other hand...I wouldnt want anyone to see me, and think I was sabotaging anything...


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## luverofpeanuts (Mar 9, 2010)

spepi said:


> I would have thought the same...to do something, but on the other hand...I wouldnt want anyone to see me, and think I was sabotaging anything...


True... you wouldn't want to get handed a bill for *causing* all the damage!


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## Justman (Jul 22, 2006)

Yes, you never know what people are going to say. Probably the best thing to do is to get in touch with the campground host or park ranger and let them know what's going on.

Personally, I think most people (myself included) would appreciate the assistance and wouldn't get upset. Then there's the other 1/10 of 1% of the population that would go beserk.... The problem is identifying them.


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## sunnybrook29 (Oct 7, 2009)

Tell me if I am wrong ! It is my experience that these water heaters fill at the top and run out at the same level ! They are never empty unless you drain them from the BOTTOM , the same as the one in your home ! There is always water in these heaters unless you open the drain on the bottom ! AM I CORRECT !


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

sunnybrook29 said:


> Tell me if I am wrong ! It is my experience that these water heaters fill at the top and run out at the same level ! They are never empty unless you drain them from the BOTTOM , the same as the one in your home ! There is always water in these heaters unless you open the drain on the bottom ! AM I CORRECT !


Cold water fill from the bottom and hot water out the top. Most fear turning them on empty as they are plenty of people that drain them between trips or never fully un winterize them by closing the water heater bypass line. They can easily be drained, not by accident but empty is still empty.


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## Tangooutback (Apr 16, 2010)

CamperAndy said:


> Tell me if I am wrong ! It is my experience that these water heaters fill at the top and run out at the same level ! They are never empty unless you drain them from the BOTTOM , the same as the one in your home ! There is always water in these heaters unless you open the drain on the bottom ! AM I CORRECT !


Cold water fill from the bottom and hot water out the top. Most fear turning them on empty as they are plenty of people that drain them between trips or never fully un winterize them by closing the water heater bypass line. They can easily be drained, not by accident but empty is still empty.
[/quote]

If the hot water tank is empty, can it be turned on? is there any circuitry or mechanism to alleviate turning on the heating element when the tank is empty?

If the trailer is going to sit idle for couple of months is it necessary to drain the tank?


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## rsm7 (Aug 8, 2009)

Tangooutback said:


> If the hot water tank is empty, can it be turned on?


Yes it can...so I've heard...

















Randy


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Tangooutback said:


> If the hot water tank is empty, can it be turned on? is there any circuitry or mechanism to alleviate turning on the heating element when the tank is empty?
> 
> If the trailer is going to sit idle for couple of months is it necessary to drain the tank?


You can turn on the water heater without water, nothing to prevent this.

Extended periods of non use, the heater should be drained but extended periods is sometimes a personnel choice. A couple of months to me is extended.


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## Tangooutback (Apr 16, 2010)

CamperAndy said:


> If the hot water tank is empty, can it be turned on? is there any circuitry or mechanism to alleviate turning on the heating element when the tank is empty?
> 
> If the trailer is going to sit idle for couple of months is it necessary to drain the tank?


You can turn on the water heater without water, nothing to prevent this.

[/quote]

Is this design flaw in every trailer from every manufacturer?

Hmmm...is there any way to tell if the tank is full before I turn on the heat?

When city water is connected to the TT, does it automatically fill the water heater tank?


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Tangooutback said:


> Is this design flaw in every trailer from every manufacturer?
> 
> Hmmm...is there any way to tell if the tank is full before I turn on the heat?
> 
> When city water is connected to the TT, does it automatically fill the water heater tank?


1 - Yes

2 - Open any hot water tap and as long as the winterizing valve is not in the winterize position then once you get water from the tap the water heater will be full.

3 - Yes, when you follow the information in response #2 above.


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## Tangooutback (Apr 16, 2010)

Andy, thanks for the info. Where is this winterizing valve located at? What does it look like?


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## duggy (Mar 17, 2010)

Tangooutback said:


> Is this design flaw in every trailer from every manufacturer?


Electric house water heaters are the same. If the water even drains down a couple of inches, the top element will burn out. Gas house water heaters seem to have circuitry that prevents them from running unless they are full.

Doug


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Tangooutback said:


> Andy, thanks for the info. Where is this winterizing valve located at? What does it look like?


Located on the back side of the water heater. It will be in a tee fitting in the cold water inlet and between the hot water outlet.


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## sunnybrook29 (Oct 7, 2009)

I just went out and looked at my Sunnybrook . It has what I would call a ' high loop ' on the back , looks like mine will always have water unless I drain !
A standard household heater will always be full unless drained from bottom , even a leak down the line will not drain the tank. Go look at yours !It comes in and out at the same height !


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## duggy (Mar 17, 2010)

sunnybrook29 said:


> A standard household heater will always be full unless drained from bottom , even a leak down the line will not drain the tank. Go look at yours !It comes in and out at the same height !


For the most part, that is true, however, I have accidentally drained water from a water heater while doing plumbing. I opened all the taps in the house, to drain down the system. Some water drained backwards out of the tank through the basement laundry taps. A few days later, the customer called and said their water heater wasn't working properly, and it turned out it needed a new top element. Now I always kill the power to the water heater, before draining the system, and no, I don't generally open the tap on the bottom of the heater.

Even though the inlet and outlet may appear to be at the same height, the cold inlet will have a tube to the bottom of the heater. That way the cold water is introduced to the bottom, and the hot water which naturally rises, stays at the top where it is drawn off. Even if half the tank is cold, there will be hot water available.

Doug


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