Water heater

gary d · 01-25-2018, 05:45 PM

Hello all .in the middle of a 4 month trip. All has been good. Bout a month we filled up our propane tank. Three of us traveled stopping off in cold areas at night. Used the heat a bunch. This morning found the propane empty. While camping we were plugged in all the time.owners manual is horrible. My question is since I need to stay parked with electric and no propane (don’t need it other than stove, can do without for 4 days. ) will my water heater revert to electric and heat water. And was one month too soon to run out of propane. Was worried I had a leak. 2018 Thor Windsport 35 m. Thanks in advance.

JamieGeek · 01-25-2018, 05:47 PM

The furnace will go through a ton of propane (our first weekend in the Axis was below freezing the whole weekend--used a full tank of propane in 2.5 days).

If you have the RV fridge with "Gas" and "Auto" settings: As long as you are plugged in it will use 120V and not gas (when on "Auto").

Edit: You said water heater. Not sure of the tankless variety but if your heater has a tank you'll have to turn on the electric element and turn off the gas (typically there are two switches for the water heater on the main panel: one for gas and one for electric operation).

gmc · 01-25-2018, 06:38 PM

Even if set to use gas - the fridge consumes very little propane... the water heater a bit more... but nothing like the furnace...
You can watch the propane gauge fall about as fast as the gas gauge on the V10 in below freezing weather.
i've gone 5+ months without refilling (Florida winter) and sucked down a half tank in a couple of nights (Arkansas last month)... The Windsport/Hurricane has larger tank that Axis/Vegas - so likely the same consumption Jamie saw...

To extend the most - use electric for fridge and water heater when plugged in... and use a small electric heater...
On colder nights I open the bathroom door (cuts off the bedroom/bathroom from front of MH on mine) and use the electric heater in bedroom area. The thermostat (forward of that door) is set lower (55-60) just to keep things from getting too cold up front...
Keeps the bedroom nice - and just have to kick up the furnace in morning to take the chill out of the rest of the RV.

(And Jamie answered the question on WH switches - you can use electric, gas, or both as needed...)

**16ACE27** · 01-25-2018, 08:09 PM

To answer your question:

No, the water heater will not REVERT to electric.

There is no "Auto" for the water heater as there is for the fridge.

As others have mentioned, you have to take action to turn on the electric element.

gary d · 01-25-2018, 09:41 PM

So I guess my question is. When I am hooked to electric I still need propane to use my fridge, furnace and water heater. I am hooked up with no propane and just hoping I get hot water. Will probably find out real soon since my wife is in shower.lol. The book is vague for this newbie. I thought the dealer said it was automatic once you unhooked than propane kicked in. So do you believe the hot water will with no propane. I don’t hear any screaming yet. What’s weird where I was when it was freezing I was hooked electric. Thanks in advance guys. Still no yelling.

gary d · 01-25-2018, 09:42 PM

By the way there is no switch in water heater area or panel

**16ACE27** · 01-25-2018, 09:44 PM

No, when you are on shore power you would only need propane for the furnace.

The fridge (if on AUTO) will run on electric.

The water heater has a separate switch to turn on the electric element.

The furnace always needs propane to provide heat.

gary d · 01-25-2018, 09:50 PM

Thanksguys I think I finally got it with your help. The only thing is my water heater is auto. I think. We are in this spot till Monday and only needed the water heater. I think we’re good. When we leave fill up propane and never put the heat on again lol

**16ACE27** · 01-25-2018, 10:04 PM

How do you turn your water heater on?
How do you turn your water pump on?
Don't you have a central contol panel where you control thinds like this and slide operation?

Travel trailers have a separate electric element switch at the water heater that you have to remove the outside access panel to get to.
Class As usually have two switch side by side for the water heater on the central control panel: one is for GAS (LP), the other is for electric.

gary d · 01-25-2018, 10:15 PM

Yep I got the same panel. But water heater Is automatic I believe. Class A Thor Windsport.

gary d · 01-25-2018, 10:15 PM

2018

**16ACE27** · 01-25-2018, 10:22 PM

You believe?

Either you have the same panel with switches for each or you don't, there is no believing.

If you have an automatic water heater it will be the first I have heard of and something i would definitely not want because it removes the ability of the user to be able to choose to have both heat sources heat the water for a faster recovery and longer "in-use" time before the water goes cold (read "longer hot showers")

It also removes the ability of the user to choose to not use the electric element when on limited shore power to prevent overloading.

Make no sense to me.

Shawn62 · 01-25-2018, 11:32 PM

gary d,

I own a 2017 35M. I checked the specs on your 2018. It comes standard with residential refrigerator. They do not have a propane option switch.

I see no mention of automatic water heater. You can heat water with electric or propane or both.

The manuals are vague on most topics.

Don't believe what a dealer or techs says unless you verify it.

I found that all the salesmen and techs I talked to never owned a motorhome except one. The one that did had a 1987 coachman fleetwood.

We love our 35M. Hope u enjoy yours. MH ownership is an adventure itself.

Travelin' Texans · 01-26-2018, 01:09 AM

If you have that same control panel, you DO NOT have a automatic water heater. If you have both switches, "gas" & "110v", on at the same time & run out of propane then yes you'll still have hot water on electric but will be running on both once you refill your propane.
Until propane refilled confirm the water heater "gas" switch is turned off.
You do have to have 12 volt (battery power) for furnace, water heater & if you have a rv fridge, residential fridge It's not necessary.

knucklehead · 09-22-2018, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gary d

Hello all .in the middle of a 4 month trip. All has been good. Bout a month we filled up our propane tank. Three of us traveled stopping off in cold areas at night. Used the heat a bunch. This morning found the propane empty. While camping we were plugged in all the time.owners manual is horrible. My question is since I need to stay parked with electric and no propane (don’t need it other than stove, can do without for 4 days. ) will my water heater revert to electric and heat water. And was one month too soon to run out of propane. Was worried I had a leak. 2018 Thor Windsport 35 m. Thanks in advance.

I have a Windsport 29m, 2018. I'd like to have contact with you Gary to see how your coach is doing vs. mine. I've had a water leak in the outside receptical that kicked out my GFI circuit, bad motor on driver side overhead bunk, leak in passenger side cab window, bad USB charging port in bedroom, freshwater tank breaking free from it's mounts, kitchen sink drain coupling separated and leaked water out of the slide out and several other small things. This has been more irritating than our first RV was, a 2017 Axis 25.2 that only had a couple things wrong. I know all RV's rattle and shake and that leads to all kinds of issues. Are you pleased with your Windsport and what has been your experience??? Bob Trice

gary d · 09-22-2018, 06:43 PM

Hey knuckle. I am just through my first year. We had a few problems at first, backup camera had to go back twice ,great now. Overall we are pleased with our 35m and will be leaving in a few weeks for a 5 month trip. Sorry to hear about your problems.

Lt Keefer · 09-22-2018, 07:13 PM

Well knucklehead your list is pretty short for a new product from Thor. I had 15 things I had to fix on my new Hurricane 29M. I'd say you hit the lotto on that short of a list. gary, I don't think you have an auto feature on the water heater. You have to manually turn it on, either gas or electric.

knucklehead · 09-24-2018, 12:51 PM

That's good news I guess. Not nieave about ANY MH off the lot. Even a Provost must have something get by QC. We love our Windsport 29m and would like other WS owners to log in with good or bad stories....

Mlleml · 09-24-2018, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knucklehead

That's good news I guess. Not nieave about ANY MH off the lot. Even a Provost must have something get by QC. We love our Windsport 29m and would like other WS owners to log in with good or bad stories....

Also have a 2018 Windsport 29M. The water heater is not automatic; operate it as described above. Our RV had a host of issues upon delivery and more continue to pop up. Things like the USB outlet inoperable, speaker wires not connected, bathroom door fell off due to improper mounting, warped seat under the dinette cushion, missing trim work at dinette, black tank flush inoperable (installed backwards), error codes on slide, jack failure, the infamous wind noise at the grill to name a few. Mostly fit/finish carelessness. In all we’ve been out 4 trips and have had one so far with no issues. Fortunately we have a good dealer who has addressed everything (so far). Painful process but typical as I have come to learn. Too bad it had become accepted practice to expect these things in the RV world, not just Thor.

Laco · 09-24-2018, 11:32 PM

None of the tank water heaters I know of are auto select. They have two switches, one for LP one for electric, you turn one of them on and shortly there is hot water. The tankless have no electric setting, only LP, but they really use very little LP, at least that has been our experience.

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