Hi
I arrived on site on my latest trip and went through my normal set up routine but when i came to turn on the water heater it tripped not only the caravan main breaker but the hook up post and the rest of the site.Fortunately i know the owner so he hung around while i had a fiddle with connections etc but when i tried again the same happened.I tried it on gas,i removed the vent cover and turned it on,the light came on green and remained green but it didnt heat the water.I also noted that the on/off switch which is the outer ring of a double switch with the centre of it being like a rotating thermostat control that the centre dial seemed to be seized and wouldnt turn at all.It had all worked fine the week before,or on electric at least,i havent used it on gas for a couple of years but it had always been alright during service etc. I would have guessed at a dead short on the element but its the thermostat control being siezed that is concerning me a bit.Any ideas folks ?
That's a puzzling one and I would agree on the failed element for the loss of electric operation.
From your description, I assume you refer to the gas control whereby the outer ring switch enables gas use and ignites, and the inner ring being the thermostat. I doubt if the two problems are related, but is there chance you've had something in the van that has knocked the control and damaged it? Perhaps it's stuck/failed on the lowest setting and maybe even damaged the outer switching too. Would be worth arming yourself with a meter to check the switch over.
Thanks for that
I had assumed the 2 were connected but thinking about it you are probably right.The gas operation switch is only about 6 inches above floor level so could easily have been banged by something during transit or kicked by a little foot.
Change the element and take it from there i think.
Thanks again
I have had the water heater blow the trip switch and hook up post twice in 5 years, both times it was the element that had gone. I agree the 2 problems are likely to be unconnected as the water heater more or less runs to independent heating systems.
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Topic: Water heater problem
