2017 Vista LX electric water heater check

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Kevin Kelly

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Sep 6, 2014
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Hello members,

Have a question I have been trying to figure out.  Have a 2017 Vista LX with a 6 gallon Atwood motoraid water heater with LP and Electric.  When I drained the water heater this spring before coming home from AZ to Iowa, I "forgot" to turn off the electric element and found it on about 30 minutes after the tank was drained-- Oops.

I have had out the manual and looked at everything I could but cannot find location of the electric water heating element.  Looked over the tank and cannot find where the electric element is located.  I want to check the element to see if it is still good without filling it up with water.  Can anyone tell me where the electric element is?

Thank You

Kevin Kelly
Iowa and Mesa AZ
 

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Look on the backside of the heater. That's where Atwood puts them. There may be a electrical box covering it.
 
Where is the backside of the water heater?  Is that inside the coach?  Almost no way to get to it that I know of if inside.

Kevin Kelly
 
Kevin Kelly said:
Where is the backside of the water heater?  Is that inside the coach?  Almost no way to get to it that I know of if inside.

Kevin Kelly
Click to expand...

Yes you will have to gain access from inside the RV, from under the RV or a basement compartment.  You may have to remove a drawer or a panel to get to it. There has to be a way to get to it. They had to connect the piping and the electrics. Hopefully, they didn't build all the interior after all the hookups were complete. If they did, you may have to cut a access door.
 
The front or outside of the heater is where the gas burner is located. The back or inside-facing side is where the electric heat element and power are located, whether Atwood or Suburban brand heater.  The Winnie with Motoraid is definitely an Atwood.

The heater tank is simple enough to drain, so I would suggest just filling it and testing for heat. If none, it could be a tripped breaker in the breaker box or at the heater (many Atwoods have a pushbutton reset there). If not that, then the element needs to be replaced. They are standard, screw-in, 1400 watt heat elements and are available in most home or hardware stores.
In the future, make it your practice to turn off the electric power circuit breaker before draining the tank. The breaker in the load center, not just the electric switch on the wall. That way you avoid accidents with the switch.
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
The back or inside-facing side is where the electric heat element and power are located, whether Atwood or Suburban brand heater. 
Click to expand...

Gary, I thought the Suburban water heaters has the element on the front of the tank accessible from the outside.
 
Ok Thank you for all the responses. Will have to get the MH out of the shed so I can put the slide out and look in the small access hole to see what is going on.  Will let you all know.  As you can see in my picture I have now written on it, to turn off the Heater when draining, live and learn--the hard way.

Kevin Kelly
 
Kevin Kelly said:
As you can see in my picture I have now written on it, to turn off the Heater when draining,

Kevin Kelly
Click to expand...

No need of the note. If the element is indeed burnt out, you'll never forget now. Don't ask me how I know.
 
I've learned a few things with the Horizon the hard way  ::) . Some lessons don't last more than a year, I usually hit my head on a slide once every season.

It would be a good idea to make checklists for significant activities, like getting the unit out of storage and ready for a trip, returning to storage, winterizing, de-winterizing, etc., etc.
 
Greetings Winnebago people,

Got the MW out this weekend and filled up the water heater--THEN turned on the electric water heater, and have hot water.  So the element did not burn out.  Looked like a real job to replace it and I think you would have to remove the whole tank to remove the element as almost Impossible to replace it inside the unit.

Thanks for all the help.  Hope to see you all at the Winnebago Grand national Rally in Forest City this summer, 97 degrees here today and not even June yet, 40 days ago we had 4 inches of snow...

Kevin Kelly
 
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