Need to replace my water heater.

[TnMike]

The height of my old water heater is 14". The new one has a height of 12 3/4". I'm wondering if I could just connect the left and right sides using the converter kit and connect the bottom to the existing bottom horizontal edge, and not even connecting the top horizontal edge. It might be able to be secure enough for travel, maybe? What do you think?
Thanks, TnMike

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by TnMike

The height of my old water heater is 14". The new one has a height of 12 3/4". I'm wondering if I could just connect the left and right sides using the converter kit and connect the bottom to the existing bottom horizontal edge, and not even connecting the top horizontal edge. It might be able to be secure enough for travel, maybe? What do you think?
Thanks, TnMike

It's not the overall height that you're worried about, it's the cutout height. The flange on the outer edge of the water heater will overlap the sides of the cutout.

Which water heater are you trying to replace? If it's the Atwood G6A-6E the cutout dimension I'm finding for it online is only 12-5/8", which means that you actually might have to enlarge the opening 1/8".

Be sure you're measuring the cutout opening and not the flange which overlaps it.

[Lou Guia]

Originally Posted by switz

Another suggestion is to look at the Truma Aqua Go instant on water heaters. I have them installed in both the 2015 23D and the 2014 Classic. They are much smaller than the standard 6 gallon heaters and you do not run out of hot water.

Another bonus is gaining about 50 pounds of payload as there is not 6 gallons of water being carried around in the old style heater.

Do you happen to have any pictures of this installed? I’m thinking of going the same route

[Justen]

Originally Posted by Lou Guia

Do you happen to have any pictures of this installed? I’m thinking of going the same route

I don't have a Truma, but this is my tankless installation, if it helps.

https://shinyhappytravelers.com/plum...ess-hot-water/

[switz]

Here are some images of our installation process on our 2014 Classic in the original location for the water heater. Special Corlon paint was necessary for the frame and a piece of Airstream skin was put onto the access hatch

After removing the stock Atwood 6 gallon heater, we needed to install Airstream "studs" to make the opening smaller. Then we added metal to finish the opening to size.

[Bill M.]

Did my WH last month. Ordered a Suburban that was described as a "direct replacement". Upon arrival I found the the gas line would have to be extended and reconfigured and the water lines reconfigured. And it was too long front to back to have enough clearance for the twin bed base. And it was very heavy with the steel tank. At my age I did not look forward to lifting it in and out a few times during installation. And there was a review on Amazon that said some of them did not work.

So I ordered the Dometic replacement. The tank is mounted at 90 degrees to the front instead of parallel with the front. Returned the Suburban. Love Amazon prime. They picked it up. Told them I was returning it because it was not "Wind Powered" like it said in the Amazon description. I cut out the bed frame and patched it. I extended the gas line. I connected the pex. I installed the Dometic kit for the door. I painted the door with Al paint. Overall I am happy. Since I was working in our winter getaway I had to order a copper tubing flaring kit and bending kit and pex crimper. Overall I am happy with the installation and the WH works very well.

I had a tank leak. Rotten floor and rusty outrigger below the heater. So I knew I was in for a project whatever I did with the WH.