So I just noticed this, sitting here having my morning coffee, but when my water heater is fired up, I observed a slow drip of water, not hot, emerging from the bottom of the panel the covers the water heater. Is this normal?
It's probably the plastic drain plug weeping. Our water heater (a new Atwood) does the same thing occasionally, maybe a couple of drips every 5 minutes or so, then nothing for a week or more. It all runs outside the trailer, if there is even enough for it to accumulate enough to run anywhere.
The drain plug is a common place for a leak but it could also be the pressure relief valve. If you look inside the door you might see a drop of water at either of these locations. The drain is the plastic plug at the bottom and the relief valve should be toward the top on the right side. Be careful with both of these items. The water is under pressure in the tank and it is hot.
So I just noticed this, sitting here having my morning coffee, but when my water heater is fired up, I observed a slow drip of water, not hot, emerging from the bottom of the panel the covers the water heater. Is this normal?
.
Look very closely at the drain plug and the safety valve once you open the door to the water heater. It is not uncommon for the safety (T & P) valve to weep. You can 'flick' the handle to emit a small burst of water (HOT!!!) to re-seat the gasket in the valve.
If these are NOT the culprits, you have remove your bed platform to check the 2 water fittings at the back of the water heater. These should be 'hand tight' but might have loosened from traveling and might be weeping. Usually, just a 1/4 turn will do the trick, but it is a real PIA to access the rear of the heater.
Mine weeps constantly from the pressure relief valve when hot. It drips into the burner assembly which puts the flame out. The heater is constantly relighting during the heating process.
__________________ Chris - Evergreen, CO
2008 27'FB Int'l Signature CCD - Thank You Airstream of Arkansas! 2008 Dodge Ram 2500 6.7 CTD Mega Cab 1977 VW Westfalia Camper, hardtop 'Weekender'::Pictures
"Keeping an open mind is important, but not so open that your brain falls out."
Just switched our plastic plug for brass. Our heater is under a year old and I could never get that plastic plug to stop weeping. It took alot of teflon tape, but no more weeping!!!
I also flushed my hot water tank, wow did alot of gunk come out...I would never have guessed that this much stuff could come out in less than a year. This will be a twice a year flush out from now on.
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