21 replies to this topic

[Smokecreek1]

Okay guys, here is the problem:   First off-I have a 2005 Granby with a hot water heater that's seen a few wars over the years. I bought it new and it was one of the first ones with that type  of hot water heater.  I live up here in the the high desert of NE Ca/Nev and we have winter here! I have used my set up year round (that's why I bought it) and while the water system has frozen up before, I usually just park it in the sun and it thaws out and off I go with no leaks. With the hot water system  on while I'm out and about there are no problems with freezing up.  When not is use, I drain the water system and try to keep the snow of the roof. I never take the camper off my truck.

 

 So this week I got ready to hit the woods.  I filled her up with water, hit the pump switch to build up the pressure and it starts up ., but no water comes out at first into the sink,  then a slow trickle does. I turn it off and start to trouble shoot. Over the years I have had water tank leaks and other problems with the system but this is the first water pressure one-so since the pump seems to be working there must be a leak somewhere.   I look under the truck and water is leaking out on the ground and front of the pop-up starting to get wet- yep, maybe the tank again. 

 

On my model of 4-wheel camper that means a major project of deconstructing (??) things to get at the problem!  I open every thing up, tank is fine, water pump is not leaking-that means finding away to get into the cabinet to follow the water pipes and maybe find the leak (ha).   I find a place to get my arm and hand in and after a foot  or so-boom, the  hot water heater stops all further progress, and of course the leak or what ever is causing the problem is probably one of connections in and around the heater.  The only way to get at the problem now is to remove the front of the cabinet-and that is no fun, especially by my self!  I could also try and pull the heater out from the outside and that job is way above my above ability. 

 

I called four wheel and talked over the problem with them.  They thought I probably had  a crack in one of the connections too.  I then asked if they had some of schematic of that area or something to guide me,  but no! So  if I can't find some way in I may  have to pull the cabinet front after all-or pull the heater.  I'll try tomorrow to get in again W/O removing the front.  If I  can't then it is either starting to carry jerry cans of water around like allot of you do or take it  (Ugh)  to the local shop and get on their long waiting list and spend the the $. But Boy I sure like having hot water at the touch and I'm old and tired of all this work . Does anyone have any great ideas, thoughts or a handy dandy schematic's that may make this job easier that I can use? Anyway,  no matter what,  this seems to be the way things work when you like to WTW-ya just have to keep at it and not let the system win!

 

Thanks

 

Smoke

[ski3pin]

Okay guys, here is the problem:   First off-I have a 2005 Granby with a hot water heater that's seen a few wars over the years. I bought it new and it was one of the first ones with that type  of hot water heater.  I live up here in the the high desert of NE Ca/Nev and we have winter here! I have used my set up year round (that's why I bought it) and while the water system has frozen up before, I usually just park it in the sun and it thaws out and off I go with no leaks. With the hot water system  on while I'm out and about there are no problems with freezing up.  When not is use, I drain the water system and try to keep the snow of the roof. I never take the camper off my truck.

 

 So this week I got ready to hit the woods.  I filled her up with water, hit the pump switch to build up the pressure and it starts up ., but no water comes out at first into the sink,  then a slow trickle does. I turn it off and start to trouble shoot. Over the years I have had water tank leaks and other problems with the system but this is the first water pressure one-so since the pump seems to be working there must be a leak somewhere.   I look under the truck and water is leaking out on the ground and front of the pop-up starting to get wet- yep, maybe the tank again. 

 

On my model of 4-wheel camper that means a major project of deconstructing (??) things to get at the problem!  I open every thing up, tank is fine, water pump is not leaking-that means finding away to get into the cabinet to follow the water pipes and maybe find the leak (ha).   I find a place to get my arm and hand in and after a foot  or so-boom, the  hot water heater stops all further progress, and of course the leak or what ever is causing the problem is probably one of connections in and around the heater.  The only way to get at the problem now is to remove the front of the cabinet-and that is no fun, especially by my self!  I could also try and pull the heater out from the outside and that job is way above my above ability. 

 

I called four wheel and talked over the problem with them.  They thought I probably had  a crack in one of the connections too.  I then asked if they had some of schematic of that area or something to guide me,  but no! So  if I can't find some way in I may  have to pull the cabinet front after all-or pull the heater.  I'll try tomorrow to get in again W/O removing the front.  If I  can't then it is either starting to carry jerry cans of water around like allot of you do or take it  (Ugh)  to the local shop and get on their long waiting list and spend the the $. But Boy I sure like having hot water at the touch and I'm old and tired of all this work . Does anyone have any great ideas, thoughts or a handy dandy schematic's that may make this job easier that I can use? Anyway,  no matter what,  this seems to be the way things work when you like to WTW-ya just have to keep at it and not let the system win!

 

Thanks

 

Smoke

 

Hey Smoke, I believe craig333 has a FWC Hawk about your vintage with a water heater. Perhaps he's been in there and knows the neighborhood?

[m5040]

Last resort, can you run a smaller line through inside of the old one to bridge the concealed area?

[AWG_Pics]

Hey Smoke. I have a 2019 Hawk and have had a couple of water leaks. Both times the same place: the black 4 connector manifold is not able to take much of a freeze. This spring, before our Death Valley trip, I spent several days chasing parts (finally got a couple new manifolds from 4Wheel in sacramento, they shipped them quickly). Here is the deal: you will have a devil of a time problem solving if you don't pull the front of the cabinet. I am actually getting pretty quick with it. Just unscrew it, give it a small pull, then rotate it up and to the right, so as to not bugger the thermostat wires. Do your trouble shooting and repairs -- BUT -- before putting the cabinet face back, test it all. Last time I found I had to clean the pump and adjust the hex screw to get it to work right. After everything is definitely working, then slap the cabinet back in place (after you reconnect any loose wires), put the silverware drawer slide fitting back (PITA) and you are good to go.

 

Before the first good freeze this fall, I will drain all the fresh water, pull the cabinet facing off, yank out the manifold, and just leave the system dry until things warm up in the spring.

Edited by AWG_Pics, 20 May 2022 - 10:09 PM.

[Wandering Sagebrush]

<snip>

Before the first good freeze this fall, I will drain all the fresh water, pull the cabinet facing off, yank out the manifold, and just leave the system dry until things warm up in the spring.

Words of wisdom, words to be followed.

[camelracer]

Smoke,

I've had the cabinet face off my '06 Granby several times and it's not too hard to do. Unhook and mark the wiring and remove the cabinet face screws. The wood that FWC uses is super light and the panel doesn't weight much.

 

While the cabinet face is off I would recommend you find someone with woodworking skills and have a door put in in front of the water heater. There is some storage area there and it gives you instant access to the plumbing.

 

[ski3pin]

So Smoke, what was the outcome? Did you get it fixed? Did you and Timber go camping? Smoke, we want to know!

[craig333]

I've yet to have a leak so I have not been in there. Sorry. Not sure when FWC started using the manifolds but not on our old campers. I like the idea of adding a door. I think I'll go out and check the anode today. Been a couple of years.

[Smokecreek1]

Still here trying to finish up using camelracers idea-making the finial door cuts on Wednesday. Such a simple thing to make a hard job easier-thanks  CR and all of you  for all the help.   I had to take that cabinet face off when I first got my pop-up, water system problem (a stop  valve in back words) had to do it using my phone, email, with a friend and Stan from 4 wheel-long distance.  I've looked at that cabinet face for years thinking, boy hope I  never have to work around that hot water heater and here 15 or so years later time  again. Like has been said on this site many times, have a problem, ask here and someone will have an idea, should have figured would be came racer, I've been using his idea from a long time back to carry my handy man and shovels on the back of the pop-up! Yep thank you WTW !

 

Smoke

[Gumbus]

I have a 2020 Hawk front dinette and after a particularly cold winter I checked the water system and indeed found  the plastic water manifold (5 port) had a leak when I pressurized the system. Understand that I did the prescribed method of draining all the water prior to storage.  I called FWC and the Parts Dept and they said these manifolds are a know failure point and are vulnerable to leaks after freezing. The manifold seems to split at the molding seam.  I am trying to figure out a different way of building a better manifold maybe out of PEX or something similar. 

AWG_Pics is correct, the only way to deal with this is to take the front panel off for best access. 

 

I would appreciate ideas for any alternatives to the cheap plastic manifold that comes installed. Don't want to go through this again.