New Water Heater Installed

[Buttercup]

I have the new water installed. Of course I documented the procedure I used. Take a look...

[uwe]

Good Job!
I used a semi flexible sealer that came recommended by an old RV guy in town. I forget the name of it, but it looked like a thin bead/roll of vulkem on wax paper.
The stuff compressed and sealed very well, and stayed flexible. I suppose you could use Vulkem as well.

[Buttercup]

Good idea... I was going to use strips of weather-stripping. The stuff that is self adhesive on one side, peel and stick. But being as I have 6 tubes of vulkem, I could just use that.

[Safari Tim]

If you look at the way atwoods frame is made, there are slot holes up and down the inside of the flanges where they are bent.

I would run a thin bead of vulkem behind the flange to make sure those get filled. I did not do that on mine and ended up having to do it from the front.



Then I would run a nice bead of vulkem on the trailer itself around the opening.

If your going to bring your gas line through the bottom, try and drill that hole before you mount the water heater. The newer heaters want the gas line from the back side.

Also another tip. If you look to the inside of each wire hinge for the door, you will see the head of a screw I added to keep the hinge pin from popping out. Put a screw and washer on the metal clip that keeps the pin in place. This actually happened to my old weater heater and it was a little pain to find a replacement.

Don't forget to use your original door if you have one. The aluminum vent grill pops off the new cover and you will have to rivet it to the original stainless steal cover.

Finally. (I know, I'm getting boring now ) If you use the original cover, be sure to add some gasket material to it at the bottom. Just notice where it is on the new cover and copy it to your old cover. This keeps wind gusts from blowing out your pilot.

[aztlanco]

Buttercup;
Here's a sugestion:
If your water heater came with a white exterior door (or cover),you can paint the door with a silver RUSTOLEUM, just do a light sanding first. If your Airstream has a polished exterior, you might want to have the door chrome plated to match the polished body better.
Good luck,
Ernie
'58 Traveler, 18ft.

[Buttercup]

Safari Tim,

Thanks for the suggestions. I will do as you suggest. I do have the old door and it is actually clean and ready to go in.

Did you say something about rivets to hold in the screen? I know nothing of rivets and in fact am scared to death of them. You could say that I have a rivet phobia and can’t come within 100 feet of them without having a panic attack! That and aluminum, especially shiny aluminum – I break out in a rash.


No, I am going to use the old door and put in the new screen because the old one is trashed. Then O am going to use the new door for target practice – fun, fun.

[Safari Tim]

Originally Posted by Buttercup

Safari Tim,
Did you say something about rivets to hold in the screen? I know nothing of rivets and in fact am scared to death of them.
.

Well, you don't have to use rivets. Actually I didn't. You can just use very small bolts and nuts.

The thing is, the vent screen from the new heater snaps onto the new cover.

The original screen was part of the heater and stayed on the heater when the door was opened. So you have to attach the new screen somehow and it does not snap in. So use bolts/nuts or rivets or whatever you like.

Good luck! You'll do fine.

[Buttercup]

I was only joking about the rivet fear thing. But I was going to reuse as much as I could to keep my old door.

Originally Posted by Safari Tim

Well, you don't have to use rivets. Actually I didn't. You can just use very small bolts and nuts.

The thing is, the vent screen from the new heater snaps onto the new cover.

The original screen was part of the heater and stayed on the heater when the door was opened. So you have to attach the new screen somehow and it does not snap in. So use bolts/nuts or rivets or whatever you like.

Good luck! You'll do fine.

[Safari Tim]

Oops. Sorry I missed the

I know I never used a rivet before owning my trailer. So there was a learning curve for me! I remember when I redid my front wrap windows, I did not know to keep working the rivet gun until pin snapped off.

So I had about 50 rivets on each window with the entire rivet pin sticking out. It looked like the hellraiser dude.

Originally Posted by Buttercup

I was only joking about the rivet fear thing. But I was going to reuse as much as I could to keep my old door.

[Buttercup]

That's too cool. I bet it looked good with the spikes. Did it at least hold together???

[Safari Tim]

Oh, yeah. I went back over them and finished with the rivet tool and sucked all up.

Never told a soul. So lets keep it to ourselves if you don't mind

Originally Posted by Buttercup

That's too cool. I bet it looked good with the spikes. Did it at least hold together???

[Buttercup]

I finished the installation of the water heater – except for plumbing it up. I was able to use the old door no problems and the old screen from the discarded heater. It needs to be cleaned up but will look good once it is done.
CLICK HERE to look at the finished results.

tk

[crazylev]

Hey Dremel-Man

A whole world of great info on your site, and real nice photos. You have to have a sense of humor when working on these suckers....

Keep up the good work.

Jonathan

[brunoffrance]

Hi buttercup;
Great work and you site is great too !!!
Just a question; on the picture i can see a curve adapter on the gaz inlet of your thermostat; was it in the new water heater package or did you ordered it separately?
I've changed only the complete burning system and not the tank but no adapter between gaz tube and the inlet of the thermostat inclused; apparently it's difficult to find the good diameter adapter tube / thermostat.

thank you

Bruno.

[Buttercup]

Bruno,

That fitting was the one that came with the new heater. I have seen fittings like this in Home Depot here in the states. But the one that came with the heater was a 30 degree fitting and the hardware stores don’t always have that. They have the 45 degree fittings.

For this it would almost be easier to use a 90 degree fitting and bend the tube to meet it than a 45 degree.

The 30 degree is an easy angle and I did not have to bend the tube much to get it to fit.

Tim