Water heater not working with "City water"

KustomBrad · 11-20-2022, 04:25 PM

So here's the issue with my newly acquired Quantum. The water heater ONLY works when the water pump is pulling water from the storage tank. As soon as I turn the pump off and go to "city water" mode, I can't get the water heater to turn on. I pulled the little screen out of the inlet think that maybe it was not letting enough water flow through the system, but to no avail. Am I missing a valve of some kind that switches from one to the other? I've climbed all over this thing and am having no luck. Am I missing something? Thank you for any input...

DavidEM · 11-20-2022, 05:16 PM

If it is a tankless water heater, then you may not have enough city water pressure to produce sufficient flow to turn on the wh.

Just use the tank in that case. Or you may be able to improve the flow by removing a restrictive orifice in the shower head. Unscrew the head from the hose and see I there is an orifice.

David

**16ACE27** · 11-20-2022, 05:32 PM

As David said. Water flow is the key on a tankless system. If it works on the pump then that eliminates the downstream openings. So the next question is: Is this a single location problem (low city water pressure) or an all location problem?

If all locations, then time to hunt down an obstruction between the city water inlet and the common cold water supply header. It could be a kinked hose, bad check valve or a broken o-ring wedged in the pipe.

KustomBrad · 11-20-2022, 06:44 PM

So California will hate me now but I really don't care! I removed ALL of the restrictions and BOOM, I have heat! Thank you guys for the input! Now I question why the motorhome manufacturers don't set their rides up for worst case scenario (water, power, etc.) instead of best case...

**16ACE27** · 11-20-2022, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KustomBrad

So California will hate me now but I really don't care! I removed ALL of the restrictions and BOOM, I have heat! Thank you guys for the input! Now I question why the motorhome manufacturers don't set their rides up for worst case scenario (water, power, etc.) instead of best case...

Which restrictions?

MLP · 12-03-2022, 10:59 PM

Ok. The OP did not respond. CA has water flow restrictor requirements to reduce water use.

**16ACE27** · 12-03-2022, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MLP

Ok. The OP did not respond. CA has water flow restrictor requirements to reduce water use.

So those would be restrictions in his house plumbing? Not the RV plumbing?

In that case, not an RV issue.

MLP · 12-03-2022, 11:49 PM

That should be true. I don't know of any RV manufacture that would install them. Well unless the dealership did by mandate. It would not surprise me that in CA, the city, county, or state now mandates it.

Chateau_Nomad · 12-04-2022, 05:07 AM

Just an opinion here. We often boondock, which requires conservation of water to prolong the time "out there" in remote areas. Not being able to reduce the flow rate of hot water runs counter to conserving water. So... having to run the water full force just to get hot water??

I'd like to propose a manufacturers modification. Use a modified version of a currently existing water recirculating system. By modify I mean allow 100% flow through the heater, but allow the user to adjust flow at the faucet... redirecting the "excess flow" to recycle back into the fresh water tank - instead of just blasting full pressure water down the drain.

Full hookups are nice... but that defeats the advantage of having a motorhome.

**EA37TS** · 12-04-2022, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad

Just an opinion here. We often boondock, which requires conservation of water to prolong the time "out there" in remote areas. Not being able to reduce the flow rate of hot water runs counter to conserving water. So... having to run the water full force just to get hot water??

I'd like to propose a manufacturers modification. Use a modified version of a currently existing water recirculating system. By modify I mean allow 100% flow through the heater, but allow the user to adjust flow at the faucet... redirecting the "excess flow" to recycle back into the fresh water tank - instead of just blasting full pressure water down the drain.

Full hookups are nice... but that defeats the advantage of having a motorhome.

Check out the Super C section on the Jayco forum. A number of folks added a recirculating system to their tankless hot water systems. The recirculated water dumps back to the fresh water tank. These Seneca owners have been doing this for a few years now.

Chateau_Nomad · 12-04-2022, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EA37TS

Check out the Super C section on the Jayco forum. A number of folks added a recirculating system to their tankless hot water systems. The recirculated water dumps back to the fresh water tank. These Seneca owners have been doing this for a few years now.

Yep I'm familiar with the recirculation system... Water Miser or something like that? I have considered doing a simple home-brew version. However, mine is a legacy 6 gallon tank. I was referring to those with tankless heaters being able to not only recycle/recirculate, but also turn down the flow rate (trickle) at the faucet and STILL get hot water. Wouldn't that require full flow/pressure through the heater?

While recirculating cold water back to the fresh tank (until it's hot) is a definite bonus, the next step would allow something less than full blast at the faucet... like when a trickle of hot water is all that's needed.

Judge · 12-04-2022, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad

Just an opinion here. We often boondock, which requires conservation of water to prolong the time "out there" in remote areas.

I have a Girard tankless and we rarely boondock for more than a day or two but I have gone 5 days on a 60 gallon tank. We showered and did dishes pretty normally.

Now if someone wants to go longer than that then it may be an issue but for us that is not our type of camping.

I have to run the hot water for at least a minute in parts of my home to get how water with a regular hot water tank... and that's in southwest Florida where it doesn't get cold. I don't have to run the hot water that long in the motorhome to get hot water from the Girard.

I think a lot of people make more of an issue out of it than it really is but...... water flow is everything for the Girard to work properly.

**EA37TS** · 12-04-2022, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad

Yep I'm familiar with the recirculation system... Water Miser or something like that? I have considered doing a simple home-brew version. However, mine is a legacy 6 gallon tank. I was referring to those with tankless heaters being able to not only recycle/recirculate, but also turn down the flow rate (trickle) at the faucet and STILL get hot water. Wouldn't that require full flow/pressure through the heater?

While recirculating cold water back to the fresh tank (until it's hot) is a definite bonus, the next step would allow something less than full blast at the faucet... like when a trickle of hot water is all that's needed.

The Jayco folks did their own recirculating setup and not some prefab for purchase system.

Chateau_Nomad · 12-04-2022, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judge

I have a Girard tankless and we rarely boondock for more than a day or two but I have gone 5 days on a 60 gallon tank. We showered and did dishes pretty normally.

Now if someone wants to go longer than that then it may be an issue but for us that is not our type of camping.

I have to run the hot water for at least a minute in parts of my home to get how water with a regular hot water tank... and that's in southwest Florida where it doesn't get cold. I don't have to run the hot water that long in the motorhome to get hot water from the Girard.

I think a lot of people make more of an issue out of it than it really is but...... water flow is everything for the Girard to work properly.

Judge - you have half again as much water as our 40 gallons. I forget the flow rate of our pump, but a minutes worth of water down the drain is substantial for us. The tap furthest from the heater takes maybe 20 - 30 seconds... but we capture that water for our Berkey water filter.

We're planning an extended Rocky Mountain trip next summer. Few if any spots we want to visit have hookups. Our goal is four days without filling/dumping. A bonus is most creeks are clean enough for fresh water after minimal filtering.

After all that... back on topic! For the O.P. - Last year I started exclusively using the fresh water tank and pump as our water source... NEVER hooking up to "city water". I never worry about pressure. I just flip the pump switch off when we leave the camper... no worries about leaks, etc.

Yes, we can hear the annoying pump running, but the pressure/flow is ALWAYS consistent.

Upgrades planned are the previously mentioned recirculating setup... and maybe an accumulator tank to smooth out the water flow an keep the pump from working so hard. Even then I don't think a tankless would work for our camping style. Different strokes!

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