Hot water tank not filling up

[Jkjk2009]

I have a 2015 reflection 308bhts. Came back to camper from work and went to take a shower and no hot water pressure. Felt tank, was hot, did relief valve quickly and water came out. So I turned off the electric to it and water coming in, then drained it. Tried turning water back on and nothing to tank. Cut pex before water heater tank and tried getting water there, nothing. Thought maybe frozen pipes but not that cold 28 degrees but kept inside at 68. Bought space heater to make sure and still nothing. Didn't know if anybody had an idea. Next step I am going to take off panel where the water hooksnuo to access the lines better and unscrew the one going to water heater and make sure valve is working. I'm going to tow home and try it there in warmer environment this weekend. I'm just going to stay in hotel next week since I can't take a hot shower. Any ideas before I tare into it more would be greatly appreciated since I'm new to the RV world.

Thanks Chris

[Cate&Rob]

Hi Chris,

With a 2015 Reflection, you will have a Kantleak Water System.
First thing is to check that the water heater bypass to the right of the main valve is not in the bypass position.
Second thing is to make sure the outside shower valves are turned off (this can mix so much cold into the hot that you think the hot is not working).
The Kantleak System does not have a check valve on the water heater outlet (like Nautilus) so that can’t be the problem.
We should be able to figure this out . . .

Rob

[Jkjk2009]

By pass is off and outdoor shower hasn't been used and don't see any leaks back behind where the water hooks up. No water is getting to water heater tank at all. I cut pex to verify there wasn't blockage at tank and added a valve there for future in case. So leads me to believe valve is plugged or the line itself is plugged. It was working for the 3-4 months I've been here then this past monday I came home from work and nothing. I put space heater down in the space behind water hook up to make sure wasn't frozen but still nothing

[Cate&Rob]

Hi Chris,

If cold water is going to the fixtures, but nothing is going to the water heater, I would suspect the water heater bypass valve. In the "city to fixtures" main valve position, water comes out of the four way valve to the centre T that feeds the cold water side and to the water heater bypass valve that supplies cold water to the water heater and hot water from the water heater to the fixtures.

From the attached . . .

Water Heater By-Pass Valve:
1) Normal- to supply cold water "to".. and hot water "from".. the water heater
2) Bypass- To divert cold water to the "hot" fixtures isolating water heater for sanitize/winterize or maintenance.

See further details in the attached file for how this is all plumbed.

Rob

[Jkjk2009]

Yeah I got how it all was plumbed looking at diagram online before but I'll definitely save this thank you. Yeah I figured it was the valve seeing how no other line was frozen. But put space heater down there and cranked furnace to 75 and still nothing. So assumed it had to be valve. But don't understand how it went bad just being opened whole time. I could see build up and changing it to bypass but didn't do that. It just stopped working while being open. But I'll order a valve and get it in before I tare it apart. I'll redo the pex crimp connections and try getting strain off the valves on how they got the pex ran now.

Thanks again
Chris

[Cate&Rob]

Hi Chris,

The "chronic" problem with the Kantleak system is the O rings on the cartridge in the main 4 position valve. These O rings get pushed out of place and disappear. "Disappear" could mean now plugging the water heater bypass valve . . . although it is difficult to believe that this could cause a 100% restriction.

Pulling the entire Kantleak valve manifold is relatively easy. This can be done from the front side after the panel face plate is removed and is a whole lot easier than trying to work in the space behind the panel. See the attached which was originally about how to replace the plastic centre T (another chronic leak problem) with a brass one. Following this process would get the whole assembly out and onto a workbench where you can figure out what is going on. If you have access to compressed air, you could blow out the lines to and from the water heater to make sure that there are no obstructions.

Another idea . . . some of the original water lines are soft hose rather than Pex pipe. The soft hose could be folded on itself or around a tight bend and causing the flow restriction.

Rob

[Jkjk2009]

Ok sounds good. I did take air compressor back with me from work last night but didn't blow air in it yet. Thought I would do it this weekend when off work and I pull it back to house. Yeah weird it would cause total blockage. I guess it could have been kinked before a little then an o ring blocked what little passage it did have. Seems to have pex to water heater. I want to look at it closer and making sure they just didn't switch over to pex in the run somewhere. Had limited time to investigate it fully with working 10 hr days and cold and dark by time I get back. Last thing you want to mess with haha. But I definitely will tare apart this weekend and see if I can find the issue.

Thanks again for all your help. Will make it easier once I start on what to look for. Just being new to the RV world I'd rather ask for little help and insight on what to look for before I start digging into it deeper without going to crazy on taring stuff apart haha. I'm definitely going to redo their fittings inside that compartment and replace with brass fittings I have from redoing plumbing at the house and redo their crimps. I noticed a small drip when I put it into bypass mode. Then going to try and get some pressure off the pex lines on how they have em ran so it don't put as much pressure on the connections and what not.

Thanks

Chris

[Second Chance]

The innards of the main Anderson valve can be removed and the O-rings replaced without disassembling anything but the center shaft of the valve. I've done it twice. With the O-rings, the important thing is to depressurize (bleed) the system before turning the valve. For example, if it's been on city water and you want to switch to the pump and tank, turn off the city water and, using either the outside shower or a faucet inside, relieve the system of all pressure. Then, slowly turn the valve to the new position before turning on the pump. I still periodically pull the valve shaft and use some silicone plumbing lube on the seals and O-rings to make sure things turn easily and don't get stuck.

Rob

[Jkjk2009]

Ok good to know thank you. Yeah I never switched valves when it quit working. It just stopped working

Thanks
Chris

[Cate&Rob]

Hi Chris,

One other thought . . . look for a check valve on the outlet of the water heater. The Kantleak system does not need one of these (because of how the bypass valve works) but many other systems require the check valve . . . and these can stick closed. It is possible that a previous owner installed a check valve . . . thinking that he needed one.

Rob

[Jkjk2009]

I cut the pex away from the water heater tank and didn't have flow there. I added a valve there for future to make shutting off water to it inside if it ever started leaking or anything else that it would be convenient for. It was working for 3-4 months then just stopped this week.

Thanks
Chris

[howson]

Could the tank be full of sediment that blocks water flow?

[Cate&Rob]

Could the tank be full of sediment that blocks water flow?

Hi Howard . . . interesting possibility.

Jkjk2009
Chris . . . Have you tried pulling the drain plug on the water heater to see what’s in there? (turn off the electric heating element first)

Rob

[Jkjk2009]

Yes I had pulled that. Then I cut pex before the water tank and added a valve. Still didn't have pressure coming in th pex. Ended up replacing the valve and worked like a charm. Going to take other one apart and see about redoing the inner parts. Thanks for all the help