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Answered in 12 minutes by:
9/8/2010
Steve F., RVIA Certification
Category: RV
Satisfied Customers: 443
Experience: Journeyman and Master RV technician, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineer. RVIA Technical Consultant
VerifiedIf the unit is electronic ignition with gas and electric, the thermostat is not adjustable. Assuming the water heater is Atwood or Suburban, the electric element and gas flame work independently from each other and you should still have the electric element producing hot water when the gas isn't, and vice-versa, although usually the wattage of the electric element is too low to heat the water as much as the flame would.
When you previously couldn't get the pilot (or heater flame) to light, had it been on previously until the water got hot?
If you are certain you still have electricity, and that the electric element is getting power, is turned on, and is working (they have a tendency to burn out, especially on units that old, and also if they have been accidentally turned on with no water in the tank), which is probably the case, since your water is warm, then you probably have a case where the element is not able to heat the water as hot as you are used to with the flame. Really, the heater elements are meant to assist the LP so it doesn't have to burn as long on gas.
Okay, so it's always been electric. If the water is warm now, it either means the electric element just recently went out, or you have just had a large inrush of cold water into the tank, which must mean you used a bunch of hot water, so lets assume the first case.
Assuming that the trailer has power, double-check all breakers in the breaker panel. Units with an electric heating element like yours often have a selector switch somewhere that looks just like a light switch that selects between the microwave oven and water heater element, since the total power capacity of 30Amps can't support both loads at the same time. See if you have a switch like that and that water heater is selected.
If not, you will have to start taking voltage measurements, if you have a meter.
Steve F., RVIA Certification
Category: RV
Satisfied Customers: 443
Experience: Journeyman and Master RV technician, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineer. RVIA Technical Consultant
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