Water heater problem

[kempert]

I have noticed recently that my water heater is not as efficient as it used to be. It takes much longer for it to get the water hot. Is the problem the anode or could it be something else?

The anode and the gunk in the tank would be my first guess and the first thing to check. There could be reduced electric flow but that is a whole nother story. Check the anode first.

[RockyMtnRay]

[quote author=kempert link=board=2;threadid=1854;start=msg13146#msg13146 date=1082342220]
I have noticed recently that my water heater is not as efficient as it used to be. It takes much longer for it to get the water hot. Is the problem the anode or could it be something else?
[/quote]

The purpose of the anode is to reduce electrolytic reactions within the heater that cause corrosion of tank walls and eventually a leak. In and of itself it has no effect on the heater's effectiveness.

Hot water heater efficiency is basically reduced by two things: mineral deposits on the inner tank walls which essentialy insulate the tank from the combustion chamber and/or poor combustion in the combustion chamber (assuming you're having problems when running on propane).

Removing the anode and inspecting the interior of the tank with some kind of scope or mirror will give you some idea of how much mineral deposits you have...if they are pretty thick you might be best off simply getting a new water heater. I suppose it's possible to dissolve/flush the loose stuff out with some acid (vinegar or possibly muriatic (hydrochloric) acid) but haven't read anything about the efficacy or problems of doing such actions (a full flush of the rest of the plumbing would be needed as well).

A check of the burner for flame condition might reveal a partly clogged combustion chamber or possibly dirty gas orifice, either of which will greatly reduce combustion efficiency. If you're fairly comfortable with doing maintenance on gas appliances, this isn't rocket science; but if you're not, a trip to an RV propane specialist might be in order.

Good luck...water heater efficiency issues can be a real pain to diagnose and fix. But I'd start with a check/tuneup of the combustion chamber...that part of the system is most likely to have problems due to dirt and/or insects.

[kempert]

Thanks for the info. I noticed the problem while using electricity. I'm going to try to flush the heater as best as I can. I'm also going to check how it works on gas.

Flushing the water heater would be good for anyone's heater. The trailers have sat around all winter and some of this crud may have adhered strongly to the bottom and sides. A suggestion, first flush the heater and catch the water in a bucket. Examine the contents for deposits and quantity of sediment. Then I would fill the tank about 1/3 full and take my trailer for a ride over some roads that are either bumpy or better yet curvy. This could force the deposits to become freed. I would repeat this procedure until absolutely clean. You do not want any of this gunk getting into your water pump or water faucets.

Hal

There is a cheapo sprayer wand for sell at camperworld and other places for cleaning the gunk out. Anodes don't cost much and are carried by most camper stores/RV places. Easy job, even I can do this one!

[RockyMtnRay]

[quote author=kempert link=board=2;threadid=1854;start=msg13152#msg13152 date=1082386654]
Thanks for the info. I noticed the problem while using electricity. I'm going to try to flush the heater as best as I can. I'm also going to check how it works on gas.
[/quote]

Ahhh...that suggests a different course of action. I don't have the electric option in my TM's water heater so didn't consider the issues regarding an electric heating element. Actually the whole concept of having shore power electricity available when camping is pretty foreign to me...especially for high power usages like heating water.

However, based on my experiences with household type electric water heaters, the usual problem with slow heating when using an electric element is buildup of mineral deposits on the element itself (those deposits are very insulative)...and the easiest fix for the problem is to simply replace the element. It may be the element is also the anode, but in any case remove the element from the heater and inspect it. If it's at all pitted or has even a bit of mineral buildup, just go get a new one. I bet that will solve your problem.

The solutions mentioned above about flushing the heater are certainly valid for removing nasty sediment...but probably won't do much for mineral deposits. Mineral deposits are basically hard as a rock and aren't easily dislodged by a simple spray of water or a bit of water sloshing around.