Day: August 8, 2013

by

Water Heater Gremlins Are Back

Well, I have no hot water again tonight. BUT I’m on to something. My water heats to only about 40F and then the water heater refuses to light again until the temperature has cooled several degrees.

I recently joined an RV forum where the folks in the tech section are actually helpful. I’ve narrowed down where I need to troubleshoot and I am likely in the market for a fixed temperature control thermostat or a thermal cut-off.

While I’m irked that things are starting to fall apart around here (tongue firmly in cheek), I am glad that this is coinciding with my having increased technical ability. Having to pay for a replacement part is a lot less daunting than having to pay for a part AND a tech.

I just got a rush work order, so I don’t have time to deal with this tonight, but I’ll get on it tomorrow before I go to town. I doubt I’ll be able to find what I need in Assiniboia, so I’ll likely be out of really hot water for a week. *sighs*

by

Gremlins

When I got in the shower last night, I was surprised that the water was just a notch hotter than tepid. It was chilly in the rig, so I didn’t linger long. I checked the water temperature and it was just at 40C, my limit of tolerance for shower water on all but the very hottest days of the year.

I checked the water heater ignition button to make sure the water heater actually was on. I’ve had several incidents in the last few weeks where I’d turn the water heater on in the morning and it would get switched off during the day. I’m pretty sure that’s Neelix’s doing when he gets up on two paws by the kitchen sink.

Anyway, not only was the switch to on, it wasn’t doing anything. It was completely dead. I confirmed that there was 12V power going to it (stabbing myself well and good with a multimetre probe in the process, owwwwww) and that I didn’t have a blown fuse. The manual said that for these circumstances, I possibly had too high voltage, which I most absolutely did not. So I went to bed feeling rather put upon. Augh, I’ve officially reached the stage where living in a ’97 motorhome is WORK.

Even though I have more pressing things to do today, I decided to start with the water heater. I hit the on button just to see if the RV gremlins (or should I call them faery godmothers?) might have effected a repair overnight.

They did.

I’m not looking a gift horse in the mouth, but GAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Well, at least I can get straight to work. That humongous contract I’ve been dreaming of all summer has finally landed and it’ll be nose to the grindstone for the rest of the month.