Flushing with hot water

[mamestra]

We ran into an interesting problem with our 2012 Montana, somehow they managed to hook our toilet up to the hot water line. While it may help sanitize the toilet apparently according to our tech it may have contributed to an early failure of the shutoff valve, so now we have to shut off the water because the toilet continues to fill. I have contacted Keystone stating that all though our trailer is out of warrantee this is obviously a factory defect, I'll let you know what they decide.

 

[8Muddypaws]

Believe it or not you're not the first to have this problem!

Are you on the Montana Owners Board?  It's a really good source of Montana specific information.

Doesn't seem like a very hard thing to fix, but give them a chance to step up.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I know at least one person who does this intentionally. He actually modified his flusher to use hot water cause he thinks it cleans out the bacteria, but he is rather OCD anyway.  I've tried to explain to him that there is no temperature your water heater can reach that would even inconvenience a bacteria, let alone destroy it, but he is adamant.

 

[ksbowman]

If anything the warmer water is probably increasing the growth of bacteria.

 

[Clay L]

Our house in Bow, NH had special mixer valves that mixed hot water with the cold during the toilet tank filling after flushing.
Not for sanitizing but to prevent the tank walls from sweating and dripping water on the floor.
NH is a high humidity area and the water from the well was at about 65 degrees.
It worked quite well.

 

[papachaz]

If anything the warmer water is probably increasing the growth of bacteria.

according to my food safety classes back in my restaurant management days, most bacteria will double in number every 20 minutes when the temp is in the 40* to 140* range. Right around body temp for us is the peak. The department of energy recommends that you set your water heater at 120*........

so Gary you are very correct, it does the man no good at all to think he's getting it cleaner by using hot water......

 

[Danny Knight]

I had the same problem with a 2011 Montana.  I think you will find that the problem lies in Montana's usage of those cheap 3 way valves in the convenience center. I also had my dealer attempt to correct this problem and they said it was heat transfer between the cold and hot water lines as they were running together in the unit.  They put foam insulation between the lines where they could but the problem still existed after  this correction method. Since the water was much to hot for this to be the reason for the hot water in the toilet, I took it upon myself to correct the problem. What I found after pressure testing the three way valves behind the convenience panel, most were leaking through allowing the hot water to enter the cold water lines. These are cheap plastic 3 way valves. The real correction method would be to replace these valves with metal ones that will hold pressure in the direction that is needed and to allow flow in the direction indicated. I fixed my unit by replacing all the 3 way valves with a two valve system but would not be the best way because you have to access the valves behind the convenience panel to operate the valves as needed. It also took a lot of piping changes. This worked for me but not the best fix possible.

 

[mamestra]

Heard back from Keystone they told me to submit the cost for the repair and they would consider it, which is all I was expecting. Will let you know what the final result is when I hear from Keystone. I am a member of MOC but no one on that site had experienced the problem.