99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

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99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

July 08, 2021, 12:26:55 pm

Hi All,
My 99 RB Atwood water heater is spraying water from the relief valve when the water heats up. I’ve tried the traditional turning off of water source and open the relief valve and snapping it shut and all but doing that whole sequence multiple times doesn’t seem to work. Also my collection of manuals seems to be missing the water heater one. I’m thinking the temperature regulator is bad and allowing the water to get too hot? I watched it as it was heating up the water and the burner never went off, just kept heating the water until it came spraying out of the relief valve. Maybe the valve is bad and allowing hot water venting too soon?
Any thoughts on what the fix for the problem could be would be awesome. Link to best part to fix could be cool too. I’ve also looked up manuals online for the Atwood G6A-8E 6 gallon, but if you got a good link or scan I could use that too, having trouble telling if I got the right manual for the right year it was manufactured.
Thanks All!

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #1 – July 08, 2021, 04:29:01 pm

"I’m thinking the temperature regulator is bad..."

I'd agree with that! And if so, the pressure relief is doing it's job by relieving the pressure!

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #2 – July 08, 2021, 05:27:35 pm

Hi JohnDon; Water expands when hot, just like everything else does. There is a one way check valve on the cold water inlet. If you don't have a hot water faucet open, there is nowhere for the hot water to expand, except to compress the air bubble in the top of the water heater tank. If you haven't turned off the water pump lately, and drained some water out, you may not have an air bubble to compress. That release of hot water from the pressure relief valve, doesn't just release when it is too hot, it also releases when there is too high a pressure.
Make sure that you have an air bubble in the tank. With the pump switched off drain some water out. I have a much maligned 1/4 turn ss ball valve on my drain plug, so I just use that to introduce some air, using the TPR . When water is hot, the solubility of manesium salts declines, and leaves deposits on the valve seat of the TPR. Snapping it closed can crush the white deposit to seal again; but I rotate the valve while it is closed, using the handle as a wrench*. It will seal up again. If the heater really wasn't shutting off, and the water coming out was near boiling, then you have a different problem. If you feel the need to replace the valve: Camco 10423 1/2" Temperature and Pressure Relief Valve with 4" Epoxy-Coated... Residential water heaters are usually 3/4". RV valves are 1/2". RonB

* some valves have a push button to open the valve, and rotating the handle doesn't help. On some, the handle actually rotates the plug that shuts off water flow, and will help clean the valve seat.

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Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #3 – July 08, 2021, 06:29:38 pm

Thanks Lazy Bones! We shall see if that is the issue!

Thanks RonB! So maybe I wasn't setting up that air bubble thing the right way, I thought I was. Are you saying that while I have the water heater on I should open the hot water tap just slightly? Will that help create the air bubble? How long do I leave it open, and at what point do I open it? I've seen the process described differently in different places, so maybe I didn't use the hot water tap opening the proper way while trying to compensate/create the proper air bubble.

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #4 – July 08, 2021, 06:43:47 pm

Also, RonB, the pressure relief valve wasn't just dripping, it was spraying water out. It started slowly, but eventually it was just spraying out of the valve. Does that sound like an air gap issue to you or more of a faulty thermostat or pressure valve? I was thinking a faulty thermostat but I really don't know, I trust you guys and your recommendations.

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #5 – July 08, 2021, 11:15:21 pm

Nevermind RonB!
After taking your advice and trying to make sure the bubble of air was properly in the tank I noticed that the pressure relief valve started spraying water pretty fast, about 10-12 minutes, and the water didn't seem that hot. I also checked the thermostat with my multi-meter to see if it was faulty and it seemed fine. This led me to believe the pressure relief valve must be faulty. The campground we are at in Salt Lake City right now had the part you recommended so I went in and purchased it and installed it just now. The pressure relief valve held with only minor weeping (seems like that's normal according to the manuals) and the burner turned off at about 25 minutes of heating. She seems to be fixed! Thank you sir!
John

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #6 – July 08, 2021, 11:23:45 pm

"The campground we are at in Salt Lake City right now..."

Would that be the S.L.C. KOA?? If so, I know it well!

Happy to hear you fixed your problem.

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #7 – July 09, 2021, 12:17:53 am

Haha, you are correct LazyBones!
Last night here, been here a couple days, next stop ThousandLakes Rv Park to visit Capital Reef Nat Park for the weekend!
Thanks for you help with the problem as well, glad it's fixed.

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #8 – January 15, 2022, 05:38:23 pm

Atwood Water Heater G6A7E
94 TK 22.5
I was flushing out my water heater and the clear plastic tubing blew off and now is inside the water heater… 🤔 Is there anything I can do??
Am I headed out to Vince to have a new water heater installed.

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #9 – January 15, 2022, 07:26:05 pm

Hi ChrisB; I'm sure you can get that hose out of the drain. If it's the plastic Camco pipe you might need a little water flowing into the tank to get it to float at the right heighth. Might be able to grab it with a hemostat or something. You could leave it in there until you can get it somewhere convenient to work with it. It certainly doesn't require a new water heater. RonB

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #10 – January 15, 2022, 11:53:43 pm

RonB
Are you suggesting I remove the pressure valve?
I can not see the clear hose at the bottom of the tank, I can’t see anything?
I used a dental tool to probe around… I don’t feel anything. I suppose a bendable flashlight might be helpful.

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #11 – January 16, 2022, 03:11:55 am

Hi ChrisB; The drain hole on my '99 TK should be the same as yours. Should be the same exact water heater actually. It is a 1/2" fitting hole with the plastic plug removed. I'm not sure if the drain is at the exact bottom of the tank. You might remove the tpr valve, also a 1/2" hole I believe, and shine a light in there. The tank is aluminum, but might not be very shiny inside, but maybe coated with some magnesium oxide, which is white. Running the water pump will run water into the tank (from your fresh water tank) from behind the drain valve. Or you can supply some into the tpr hole, to see if some water flow can push that clear hose out of the drain hole. You just need some part of it out, or visible enough to grab it with something. It is a 6 gallon tank, so it does have a lot of room in there for a (about 6") hose. It may have been propelled a ways inside. Hopefully there wasn't anything in there to get tangled up in.
A wet/dry shop vac might suck part of it closer to the drain hole. I included a picture of my drain valve on my tank. The propane line is a bit in the way. You might remove that temporarily to get better access, RonB

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #12 – January 16, 2022, 07:35:21 am

I do a hot vinegar soak once a year to keep the deposits from accumulating on the pressure reielf valve, tank, etc. You can find many videos on the process. In your case you may need to do the soak ....flush with wand then another vinegar soak. The age of the relief valve and sensors do warrant replacement if original , preventive maintenance can really help keep these issues to a minimum. Good luck

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #13 – January 16, 2022, 08:54:09 am

Hello,
I have the same water heater.
I will remove the pressure valve, see if I can’t spot the tube and remove.
I don’t want to cause fire if I turn on the water heater. I don’t know how this might occur but not sure this has ever happened to anyone. I too clean out the water heater with vinegar… I was essentially water blasting the inside of the tank when the hose ejected into the water heater. The size of the two holes makes it almost impossible to locate and pull out the plastic tubing.
Definitely not your typical LD issue.

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #14 – January 16, 2022, 09:31:35 am

With a full hot water tank(cold water) I’d would remove the drain plug then open the relief valve. I’d not be surprised if the force of the water flushes out the tube.

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #15 – January 16, 2022, 02:35:30 pm

Thanks for the suggestions everyone… I made a long circular tool with a dental scrapper at the end and still can not feel or see the plastic tubing.
Also, I refilled the tank, emptied it and see feel nothing.
At this point I will see about removing the water heater and trying to fish out the tube… again, possibly installing a new water heater.
$.90 hose clamp and I don’t have this issue.

Any idea what might happen if I try to use the water heater with an eight inch clear plastic hose floating around in almost boing water?

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #16 – January 16, 2022, 04:01:04 pm

If it were me, I think I would just leave the plastic tube in there. You probably don't drink water out of the water heater and really doubt it is going to dissolve and block the faucets.

IF I was intent on removing that piece of tubing, I would work on removing the plumbing from the inlets of the water heater. On my midbath, I can get at those fittings by dismantling the rear sofa; I did that when I installed a water heater bypass kit. Then I would try to use a small flexible flashlight to illuminate the inside of the tank and try to look in through one of the other openings. Then I would try to maneuver some sort of tool to snag that tube and pull it out..

One area of concern I have about water heaters is that last year someone was trying to find an exact fit replacement and could not find one. I thought they ended up just using a replacement tank portion to avoid butchering up the hot water heater opening on the exterior of their Lazy Daze.

Moral of the story is to not put foreign objects in human or Rv orifices!😀

Steve K (who has rigged up a narrow nozzle to vacuum Teflon tape remnants out of that tanks!)

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #17 – January 16, 2022, 04:27:00 pm

Quote from: Steve K. - January 16, 2022, 04:01:04 pm

If it were me, I think I would just leave the plastic tube in there. You probably don't drink water out of the water heater and really doubt it is going to dissolve and block the faucets.

I agree it's going to be very difficult to get the tube out, probably an exercise in futility.
The flusher's tube will not be harmed or cause problems remaining in the tank, that is where it is likely to remain for the duration.
Let us know if you get it out and the method used.

Owning the same flusher, I going to attach the plastic hose to the valve with a hose clamp.

Larry

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #18 – January 16, 2022, 04:34:44 pm

Steve, I agree with your thoughts… sadly my brain seems to want to remove plastic tubing.. I would get nervous every time we turn on the water heater.
I need to find out how to get the the rear of my water heater… 94 TK 23’ Chevy
I have my owners manual, read it numerous times-off the top of my head it does not explain how to remove the water heater or how to get to the rear of the water heater.
Simply, I need to call Vince.

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #19 – January 16, 2022, 04:47:18 pm

ChrisB, just a FYI, but Vince no longer works at Lazy Daze; he’s at Leisure Coach Works in Fontana.

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #20 – January 16, 2022, 04:55:09 pm

How would Mechanical Fingers work? Probably like fishing in the dark but the best idea I could come up with!

Likely the tube is laying on the bottom of the tank.

Amazon.com : mechanical fingers

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #21 – January 16, 2022, 04:55:28 pm

Quote from: ChrisB - January 16, 2022, 04:34:44 pm

Steve, I agree with your thoughts… sadly my brain seems to want to remove plastic tubing.. I would get nervous every time we turn on the water heater.
I need to find out how to get the the rear of my water heater… 94 TK 23’ Chevy
I have my owners manual, read it numerous times-off the top of my head it does not explain how to remove the water heater or how to get to the rear of the water heater.
Simply, I need to call Vince.

Having LD replace the water heater is going to be expensive, I doubt they would be willing to try getting the tubing out.
Anyway, I wouldn't go through the effort and expense of removing and replacing a 27-year-old water heater, it would be replaced with a new one.
In most cases, LD isn't working on rigs older than 25 years old anymore, any decent RV shop can do the same as LD.

The tubing isn't going to melt in 140-degree water nor is it going to plug up the outlet, it's most likely an total non-issue.
I would go ahead and use the water heater and see if any problems pop up.

Larry

Re: 99 RB Atwood water heater spraying water from relief valve

Reply #22 – January 16, 2022, 05:38:44 pm

"I was flushing out my water heater and the clear plastic tubing blew off and now is inside the water heater… 🤔 Is there anything I can do??"

You could monitor it with a borescope. They can be bought from Amazon for about $20 and work with a smart phone. The one I have I would think would fit up the drain hole. Don't think you'll gain much besides seeing it inside the tank.

JohnF

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