# Will My Hot Water Heater Work On Gas If The Elec Is Broke



## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

My wife actidentally hit the sw for the elec HW heater, it was on for 30 min or so. I did drain the old water out the petcock, I can only assume it is burned up. Any idea how hard it is to replace the element???

Also will it still work on gas if the elec element is burned up??


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

!! Sorry man, it's likely toast.

Replacing the element is a simple screw out deal, ....it's getting to it that could be a challenge. You may need to pull the heater out to get it from the back.

The WH will still work fine on gas.

Good luck!


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## 4campers (Jun 6, 2007)

battalionchief3 said:


> My wife actidentally hit the sw for the elec HW heater, it was on for 30 min or so. I did drain the old water out the petcock, I can only assume it is burned up. Any idea how hard it is to replace the element???
> 
> Also will it still work on gas if the elec element is burned up??


Was there water in it yet? you said you drained it and didn't say it was empty, if so you may not have to worry. If you had water in it there my have been enough in it to keep it from frying. maybe you just popped the SB and just reset. Yes the WH will work just on gas. GOOD luck eather way.


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

Ok, so not all bad news. As long as it works on gas im good. They really put that thing in a bad spot on my unit, its very easy to bump it. I think I will put a guard in front of it, like a handle for a drawer or something so you have to reach around it to turn it on.

It may have some water in it. I installed a anode rod/petcock thing to drain it. Im not sure how much is left in it? I may be able to get to it from the inside if I remove the fiber board from the inside that protects it. Mine is under the bed in the back. I will find out in Dec on the way to Fla, Its got pink stuff in it now but if it still works on gas, im good.

Better check the gas before I go though, thanks for the input.


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## 'Ohana (May 20, 2007)

4campers said:


> My wife actidentally hit the sw for the elec HW heater, it was on for 30 min or so. I did drain the old water out the petcock, I can only assume it is burned up. Any idea how hard it is to replace the element???
> 
> Also will it still work on gas if the elec element is burned up??


Was there water in it yet? you said you drained it and didn't say it was empty, if so you may not have to worry. If you had water in it there my have been enough in it to keep it from frying. maybe you just popped the SB and just reset. Yes the WH will work just on gas. GOOD luck eather way.
[/quote]

Travis

I had the same experience earlier this year







, only there was no !! water in mine and it was on for at least an hour.
After letting it cool down I filled the up the tank turned the elec. on and found that no harm was done








I'm guessing I got lucky, so mabey you will too









Ed.


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

I would not assume that your element is toast, Travis. We too experienced a similar "incident" with our H2O heater a couple of years ago. In spite of all my fears, the element made it through the trauma with no damage. We'll keep our fingers crossed for you.









Happy Trails,
Doug


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

Thnaks, Garthsdad gave me the scoop on testing it. It is cold and rainey here so maybe next week I can put the voltmeter on it and check for continunity. If its good the next mod will be to put a guard in fornt of the switch so it cant happen agian. I will keep you posted.


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## 4campers (Jun 6, 2007)

battalionchief3 said:


> Thnaks, Garthsdad gave me the scoop on testing it. It is cold and rainey here so maybe next week I can put the voltmeter on it and check for continunity. If its good the next mod will be to put a guard in fornt of the switch so it cant happen agian. I will keep you posted.


I did the samething not long ago, I reached around to turn the pump on not looking and thinking I hit the right switch I hit the wrong switch buy mistake, and had the scare I wasn't looking for, but luck had it, I had the SB off and it was just the red light that came on at the switch, no damadge to the element, so I am thinking maybe you did the same thing and had the SB off and just the red light was on. What do you think? is that what could have happened to you? I hope. Good luck


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## kjdj (Sep 14, 2004)

I disconnect the power from the element when I know the tank will be empty for a while.

Hope this helps.


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## 'Ohana (May 20, 2007)

battalionchief3 said:


> Thnaks, Garthsdad gave me the scoop on testing it. It is cold and rainey here so maybe next week I can put the voltmeter on it and check for continunity. If its good the next mod will be to put a guard in fornt of the switch so it cant happen agian. I will keep you posted.


For what it's worth, I now make it a habit when breaking camp to turn off the w/h circuit breaker along with the panel switch.







Then when we go out again, the switch on the panel display will get turned on as normal. Then sometime later I'll get yelled at by the DW when theres no hot water where upon I'll remember to flip the breaker back on









E.d


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

outbacknjack said:


> For what it's worth, I now make it a habit when breaking camp to turn off the w/h circuit breaker along with the panel switch.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


LOL!








That sounds soooo familiar!

When we first set up, I always crank up both the electric and gas sides of the heater to get hot water fast. Once the water is up to temp, I kill the gas. That usually works great until the next morning when the water has cooled down because the gas is off, and I never closed the breaker for the electrical side!









Happy Trails,
Doug


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

OK, update....
I can get to the back, I grabbed a volmeter and put it on the "continunity" setting. The one where it beeps showing their is a complete circuit. I touched the 2 screws on the element and it beeped and the display read 11. So I assume it says their is 11 ohms of resistance? I assume thats ok and shows it working or did I blow it.....Thanks.[topic="0"]UPDATE[/topic]


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## GarethsDad (Apr 4, 2007)

If your meter is like mine than you should be Good to go if nothing happened on the meter than thats when it's not good. 11 ohms of resistance is a good thing to see as the wire that transfers the power to heat by means of resistance. James


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

I feel you are correct, James. I also noticed it is a screw in kind ( just for my FYI ) and it sits very low in the tank, almost on the bottom. SO, knowing where the drain is and the anode rod ( does nothing in my tank ) with the petcock it probally has water left in it. With that in mind and having a complete circuit with some resistance in the coil, I think its ok......this time.

I like the breaker idea, I will have to do that one too.


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## GarethsDad (Apr 4, 2007)

On most water heaters in general the elements or burner will be on the bottom of the tank as that is where the cold water feed is as the water heats up it will rise up to the top of the tank where the hot water line is. " Hot water rises and cold water falls". Water heaters use the thermodynamics by design. James


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## nynethead (Sep 23, 2005)

My last trailer was an 06 29BHS, I thought mine was toast and purchased an element. Then as I was replacing it I discovered the breaker was off in the garage for the electric.

If your element is bad, PM me and I will ship you the element I purchased for my 06, I am sure it is the same.


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

Ok, thanks. I will find out around Dec. when we go to Florida.


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