Find water heater on/off switch on '04 GS G7

[RobSlar]

Finally taking maiden voyage in our 2004 Gulfstream Friendship G7 motor home. The previous owner did not know much about the operation of this unit, just enough to get by as he relied on his mechanic for most operations. Anyway, I am not sure where the on/off switch for the water is ( how to turn on lp caslocated. We found one switch that it might be, but don't what it is actually for. The owners manual does give any info other that turn the elec on and the lp gas. Tired of using cold water. Would appreciate advice if anyone might have knowledge of this unit. Thank you!

[RayChez1]

I don't have a Friendship, but maybe we can figure this out. On my scenic Cruiser there is a switch under one of the cabinets, on mine by the refrigerator that has a red or amber light on it. That is for your water heater electric. That is if you want to use electricity to heat up your water on the heater.
But you have another option if you want to use propane there should be a little switch on a panel by the kitchen sink that says heater pilot. If you want propane instead of AC power you press the button to light up the pilot on the water heater. Yours is probably like my coach.
Hope that helps.

[Luckiest Dreamer]

So who needs this guy?

The trick is to find the light switch that shares a small light that comes on when the switch is on. That should be the water heater. Just be sure the heater is full of water when you turn it on or you will burn out the element quickly! There may be another elec switch on the heater itself. On mine it is accesed from the outside panel.

[keikomika]

OK, I have found the little white box with the red light, I also found the breaker for the electric water heater. I also found on the outside panel of my hot water heater, an on/off switch that doesn't want to move. I am afraid to try too hard to push the button for fear of breaking the switch. Is this the switch I need to turn to my my heater electric or is there something else I need to do to turn my water heater to electric? Thank you...

[holmesaw]

That is the switch that will allow the water heater to heat with electric. Must be on along with the switch inside with the white box.
There may be a pin in that outside switch. If so, pull it out and then push on to allow electric.

[keikomika]

I purchased a new switch and put it in place, removed the pin and turned to switch to on...my switch inside is on w/the red light lit. Circuit breaker good to go...no hot water...Is it possible they never put a combination water heater in this 2006 gulfstream tourmaster coach? I metered the switch and I have 110 volts at the switch...Any ideas what else it might be?

[RayChez1]

I am sure it is gas and electric. Have you checked the hot water heater element to see if it is working. Sometimes they go bad. If you have power going into the element, and it is still not heating, then that is your problem.

[03heritagerider]

We have a Friendship and Ray is correct. It is gas and electric.
To run on propane, the electric switch needs to be off and vice versa for running on electric.

FOR PROPANE:
The propane water heater switch is on the wall near the cooktop. Mine is grouped with the levels test switch (battery/propane/holding tanks) and the water pump on/off switch. When you turn the propane water heater switch on, a tiny red light under the switch indicates the pilot is OUT. When the red light goes out the pilot is lit and the burners should come on. If the little red light comes back on, it is indicating the burners did not ignite.

Reminder: the electric water heater switch must be off for the propane water heater to operate.

On occasion, the carbon builds up on the tip of the pilot. It will try to light then the red pilot indicator light comes back on to signify the pilot is out. To clean it I use an emery board that I stole from my wife's fingernail kit.

FOR ELECTRIC:
On mine, the electric water heater switch is on the side of the bar/buffet cabinet. The cabinet is located at the entrance to the hallway as you enter the bath area. The switch is about waist high and is in a surface mounted electric box. The box contains the switch and a small square red indicator light. When the electric water heater switch is on, the red indicator light is lit.

Reminder: the propane water heater switch must be off for the electric water heater to operate.

As Ray said, check to make sure the element has power to it.

[keikomika]

I will try to figure out if I have power to the heating element. Not sure how to get at it, but I will try and let you know..Thanks for the info...

[keikomika]

OK, today I changed the 120VAC switch and I now have power to the heating element...Just not much hot water...lukewarm to say the best...Any chance the high low switch is bad or do you think the heating element is shot?

[03heritagerider]

My guess is that the element is bad. I don't think they (at least mine doesn't) have a hi/lo switch. The element is preset and controlled by the thermostat. Even the propane is preset. I can tell you that the water gets much hotter with the propane than the electric.

[RayChez1]

On my coach both electric or propane, the water gets pretty hot. The only difference that I have noticed is if your heater has been off, it will heat up faster with the propane burner then the heating element. But lets say you turn on the electric switch on, it will be hot within two hours.
I suspect that the heating element might be bad. You should be able to find one at a camper world or any RV repair shop.

[keikomika]

The water heater element was shot..replaced the element and everything is good...hot water galore..Thanks everybody.

[RayChez1]

Glad the problem was solved. :wink:

[03heritagerider]

The water heater element was shot..replaced the element and everything is good...hot water galore..Thanks everybody.

Great!...now celebrate with a nice hot shower! :lol:

[trblmakr]

We have a 1999 Gulfstream Tourmaster. We just recently purchased it and still working out the kinks. The seller was not very knowledgeble about the coach. We have owned rvs for over 15 years but never a diesel with slides. Our issue now is with the water heater. We have a switch that we think is the electric water heater switch but were not sure because the water never gets hot. IT only gets luke warm with the propane. My questions are - how do we know for sure it is run off electric AND gas & not just gas? And if the problem is the heating element - would we even get lukewarm water?? ANy knowledge or help would be appreciated. ALso have switches in bathroom area that will not work. i think its all int he switches.
Thanks!

[RayChez1]

Sounds like you might have a bad element on the water heater. You got to remember that it takes longer for a water heater to heat up the water with the electric element then what it does with propane. I would leave the electric switch on for several hours before I would test to see if the water has gotten hot. If it still does not get hot, then it is a bad element which you can replace fairly easy. You can find them at camper world or you might even find them at a Home depot or Lowes.

Now if you want to use propane there should be a panel that says pilot. Press the button to turn it on. A small red light should come on until the pilot ignites. Once it ignites the red light will go off and the water heater should start warming up the water.

[GStream40]

You migth want to check to make sure the water heater "By-Pass" valves are in their correct position for use, if not you will only get luke warm water.

Ron

[trblmakr]

Ron - where is the by-pass valve? Heating element tests good.

[trblmakr]

We have hot water on the outside shower, but none in the coach?? Help!

[03heritagerider]

By-pass would be on the water manifold panel. Mine is in a compartment toward the rear on the passenger's side. It is where the fresh water pump and handle to switch between city water and tank water are located.

[RayChez1]

By-pass would be on the water manifold panel. Mine is in a compartment toward the rear on the passenger's side. It is where the fresh water pump and handle to switch between city water and tank water are located.


:lol: I was wondering where the bypass valve was that you guys were talking about. I have a ball valve on the manifold, but all that does is either you have direct city water or if you flip the handle it fills the water tank up. But that valve has nothing to do with the hot water heater on my coach anyways. :roll:

[RayChez1]

If you have hot water on the outside shower and none on the inside shower THEN you must have an obstruction at the off/on valve on the shower. Maybe something that had built up in the hot water heater broke lose and is blocking the shower valve from opening all the way. Take the hot water faucet off in the shower and check for an obstruction.

Have you got hot water in the kitchen sink and the lavatory in the bathroom?

[GStream40]

By-pass would be on the water manifold panel. Mine is in a compartment toward the rear on the passenger's side. It is where the fresh water pump and handle to switch between city water and tank water are located.


:lol: I was wondering where the bypass valve was that you guys were talking about. I have a ball valve on the manifold, but all that does is either you have direct city water or if you flip the handle it fills the water tank up. But that valve has nothing to do with the hot water heater on my coach anyways. :roll:

Ray, On some models of the GS motorhomes there is a water manifold that has distribution valves on it for hot and cold water valves to all the different components for the coach.
I will see if I have a picture of it and post it here. If I don't I will go to the storage lot where my MH is a take a picture of it and post it.

That way everyone will know what we are talking about.

Ron

[trblmakr]

Okay - sorry I was mistaken. We did not have HOT water to the outside shower - only luke warm - same as the inside shower & sinks. However, GOOD news I found on another post about winterizing and turning the #9 hot water heater valves on and off. That did it. It was turned the wrong way - totally backwards from what we thought. This was new to us and it took us a while to figure it out. This site has been most helpful and Im sure we will be coming back to it often. We are now dealing with set up our satellite system & tv's. Changing from Directv to Dish - may need advice on this too :)
Thank you!

[03heritagerider]

:lol: I was wondering where the bypass valve was that you guys were talking about. I have a ball valve on the manifold, :roll:

Mine is in the same compartment as the ball valve you mentioned. I'll post a photo later today.

[GStream40]

Okay here's the picture of the Water Manifold.

http://www.gsowners.com/attachments/photobucket/img_17531_78992c9810be3ea9695d941e4a7482f7.jpg (http://s92.photobucket.com/user/woodsrd/media/100_1026.jpg.html)

To By-Pass the hot water heater, turn #9 cold off and #9 hot on

To have hot water, turn #9 cold on and #9 hot off

I know that sounds backwards so that you can have hot water, but that is the way it works. I added a note to my instructions after the first time I had mine set wrong. :D
If you leave the #9 hot on, you will only get warm water.

Ron

[03heritagerider]

That's what mine looks like...and same instructions to by-pass.

[RayChez1]

Yep! I got the same manifold but I have never turned any of those valves off or on. I thought those valves were in case you had a water leak somewhere you could cut the flow of water to that particular line until it was repaired.

Here in southern California it does not get cold enough to winterize the water lines, and we use the coach year round.

[03heritagerider]

Ray,

Lucky you! Unfortunately, here in Western Pennsylvania, I have to winterize. Even more unfortunately, I do it in late September or early October. Then, at the end of December, we're usually headed somewhere warm and I have to undo it all. One year, since we were leaving on December 1st, I just made sure I had enough propane and left the furnaces on at 45°. I forgot to turn the water to the ice maker off at the manifold. Since the water line is in the vented compartment behind the fridge, it's exposed to the weather. The pump to the ice maker burst!

Saw the photo on the other thread...nice rig!

Noticed you were in Barstow. We spent a winter (2010-2011) in Ventura. Drove right through Barstow on our way to visit family in Vegas.

[RayChez1]

I bought that Scenic Cruiser new in April 03, and it has been an excellent coach. In ten years that I have had it the only problem I had that was serious was the Huei pump went out on the Caterpillar engine right after I fueled up at the Flying J. I was driving from San Diego and I stopped to fill my coach in Barstow because I always like to have it full of fuel, ready to go at any time. I drove about a block an it just stopped. Good thing the Caterpillar shop was just about a mile away and I called Coachnet, they loaded it on a flat bed and hauled it away. Good thing I had extended warranty. That pump installed wash $3400. I just paid a fifty dollar co payment. Other then that it has been trouble free.

But I do stay on top of things as far as to maintaining the coach. I lube the chassis, change the oil and filters on the engine, change fluid on transmission. Check belts all the time, but they still look good. I still enjoy working on the simple stuff. Getting up in age now at seventy, so I have slowed down some. I am working on my boat now getting ready for the warm weather.