Water heater & fresh water capacity

[ESCAPE POD]

If I fill up the fresh water tank on my 19' Bambi, and then turn on the water heater, does this divert 6 gallons of fresh water to the water heater? If so, then I should be able to "top-off" the fresh water with the 6 gallons now in the water heater, no?

[azflycaster]

Originally Posted by ESCAPE POD

If I fill up the fresh water tank on my 19' Bambi, and then turn on the water heater, does this divert 6 gallons of fresh water to the water heater? If so, then I should be able to "top-off" the fresh water with the 6 gallons now in the water heater, no?

I am not sure what you mean by "turn on" the water heater, but this is how it works.

You are not attached to city water and you fill your fresh water tank. When you turn on the water pump the water comes from the water tank and fills the water heater. if your water heater was empty when you did this, you would have room for 6 more gallons of water in your tank.

[ESCAPE POD]

Thanks, Richard:
Since I only use hot water once every outing (about every 6 weeks), I was always a little baffled about when/how the water heater was filled. We used the heater last weekend, so should I assume it's still filled? My fresh water is down to about 3/8 full, and I probably won't fill it until the first week in January, when we are headed for Death Valley.
-Jerry

[craftsman]

It fills automatically as you use it so it's always full unless you drain it.

[Mike Lewis]

Jerry---just be sure the water heater is full before lighting "turning it on ". Turn your water pump on, {or hook to city water } ,open the hot water faucet when it runs clear {no air} the water heater is full---now light it {turn it on}----pieman
PS this is assuming the water heater hasn't been by passed and drained.

[Phil Gobie]

Just to clarify or re-iterate, The tank remains full unless you drain it from the drain plug. Just turning it off it does not drain the heater tank. So if you have "drained" the heater and you fill your tank and you want to fill the heater before you leave you would want to fill the heater and refill or fill from the city water supply.