No hot water

[pmleist]

We have a 1995 17' Sunline T1700 travel trailer. There is water in the hot water tank when we loosen the drainage valve and water coming out of the hot water taps. The pilot lights and when turned to "on" the flame comes out to heat the water. Still no hot water even after waiting over an hour to make sure it heats up. Any ideas would be helpful?

[Gene]

Welcome to the forum pmleist.

The picture of the water valves on the back of the tank look like it is in "bypass" mode. The cold water is not going into the tank it is just bypassing the tank and going to the hot water line.

Mine is not quite like that so I may be wrong.

[pmleist]

Yes that was it. There was water in the hot water tank, but the valves got turned to bypass.

[mainah]

Looks like to me too. Point the valve levers both towards the copper fittings.

[MACK C-85]

Looks like to me too. Point the valve levers both towards the copper fittings.

I'll add my two cents......the valves in the second picture are definitely in bypass mode. Valve handles pointed to the bypass pipe = bypassed, pointed to the coppper pipes normal operating mode.

BTW, pmleist, the purpose of the bypass is when you winterize, with the tank "Bypassed" you can drain your hot water heater, and then put RV anti freeze in your pipes. Saves 6 gallons of antifreeze. A trailer your size should take way less than a gallon to winterize.

MY trailer also has a winterizing kit on it, basically the same type of valve installed in the line between the fresh water tank and the water pump, the third side of the valve has a 4' piece of plastic hose on it. To winterize I stick the hose into the bottle of pink stuff, flip the valve in line with the hose, and turn on the water pump. Makes it very easy to walk around open the valves at each sink, the showers, toilet, etc. till the pink stuff comes out.

Mack