Need help with water heater

[Kristine Dack]

We need help! We just moved our 93 Innsbruck travel trailer to a piece of property. Mind you, this camper has not been moved or used in about 11 years. We are using battery power for lights, but are trying to figure out how to use propane to power the hot water heater. Any insights?? Not sure how to activate it....or even use the propane for the refrigerator or hot water heat. Any other Innsbruck owners out there with some insight??

Many Thanks, Kris in Michigan

[Ralph Javins]

Good morning, Kristine Dack; 

How is the hot water tank coming?  

Rich has already mentioned the need for having water in the tank before you turn it on.  Just like the heating elements inside the hot water tank at home, applying electricity to a dry hot water tank in the RV will produce the same effect on the heating elements inside the hot water tank in your RV.  They will melt. 

One suggestion I can offer is TRAILERS AND FIFTH WHEELS MADE EASY, by Bill Bryant and available from Valtera.  That one is the green booklet.  The red booklet is MOTOR HOMES MADE EASY.  And, yes, this is the same Valterra Company that makes and sells the drain hoses, adapters, valves, and other things for draining the holding tanks in our RVs.  Often your local RV accessory supplier will have it, or they can get it, or you can look at   www.valtera.com   in the RV Equipment section. 

I like that small booklet.  It is not large enough to be overpowering, so people will actually find the time to read it.  It does cover just about everything you would like to know about your RV, including using the appliances and the various systems we find in an RV.  While they might seem a lot like our homes, there are many things in an RV that are not the same as a fixed house on a lot in the neighborhood. 

I like the Valtera booklets.  I have been buying them in the cellophane or plastic wrapped bundle of 10 at a time, and I pass them out to new RV owners that I meet.  I remember what it was like for me when I first bought the motor home, and these booklets will give a new RV owner a real head start in getting to know and safely use their RV. 

Enjoy; 

Ralph 

Latte Land, Washington 

[Kristine Dack]

Thanks Rich!  The wording is not readable on the water heater...it has worn off.  I will check out the How to column on the page and see if we can figure it out. Thanks so much for the response:-)

[Rich Thomas]

A word of caution, make sure the water heater is full of water. Never light an empty or partially filled heater. You should have an external access cover on the outside of the camper for the water heater. remove the cover and you should find the water heater. On the gas valve you should find directions on how to light your particular water heater. Hope this helps. Also you can do a search on the site under the How too column to the right of the page. RV Water heaters are pretty generic even from home heaters. If you have ever lit a home heater or even a gas oven you will see the resemblance.