[joel]

In my bus the valve shut offs are located directly on top
of the water heater itself. I turned mine off because the hot water gets too hot
using the engine coolant loop. Hope this helps.

Fred

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1999 XLV X-6872,  liberty #440

[Dick]

If like mine, there are 1 shutoff valve at left side rear of engine and 1 near webasto. These are for the hoses that run forward down the right side to feed the water heater and I don’t know what else further forward. I have these 2 valves full open. In addition, I have an inlet and outlet valve over the water heater. I have these valves open only about 1/4 to 1/2 turn each so that water in heater doesn’t get too hot and trip the water heater overheat limit switch.

[Tim]

Throttling back the valves with the intent to limit HW temp appears to me to be totally dependent on two things. First you have to insure the flow is slow enough to insure the heat loss in the lines to and at the heater is just right to regulate the water temp in the heater. Then you have to consider how and when you use water from the heater. My point is that if the water temp is in fact limited using the valves you are very lucky.

It blows my mind that converters that use the Raritan HW tanks do not add a second thermostat that controls a solenoid valve so regardless of if the water is heated with the electric element or engine coolant that it will be limited to the same temp. It was bad enough with water heated by the 180 degree coolant from the 8V92, but the 205 degree coolant from later model engines brings the HW temps up to a very dangerous level.

[Mike]

valves on top of the water heaters, also valves in engine compartment if they do not start to get heat….open valves above water heater as indicated on tags

[David]

I agree John, when you use my hw when on the road you better be ready. Way to hot.

[Bill]

Unless the coolant flow through the HW tank is equal to or less than the heat loss through the tank insulation and the coolant lines to the tank the only thing that is accomplished by restricting cooling flow is it takes longer for the tank to reach dangerous temps.

The electric heating element thermostat is set somewhere in the range of 125 degrees F and at that temp water flow is easily regulated to a safe temp, and even if full hot was selected on the shower or faucets the temp is not so high serious injuries will result. The thermostat and solenoid valve I have fitted to the last two coaches limit the temp of coolant heated water to the same 125 degrees and apart from the safety aspect, there is a second benefit.

As water heats it expands. When it reaches the 200 plus degrees a Series 60 engine can produce it likely has expanded so much and so fast that it is constantly opening the pressure temperature safety valve. That valve was not intended to be exercised on a regular basis so by limiting tank temps the life of the valve is also prolonged. If the accumulator tank bladder pressure is not maintained the excessive tank temps will also open that valve almost every time the coach is run, and if someone does not use the correct temperature pressure valve (which is 75 PSI) but instead uses one readily available at the big box stores (which is 175 PSI) then the next thing that will happen is the tank ends will start to expand. On X series coaches the bay height is only slightly greater than the tank height so the next problem is the tank expands until it is wedged between the bay floor and ceiling and tank removal gets very expensive and involves a sawzall.

I think anyone with a Raritan HW tank should seriously consider regulating the tank internal temp for the reasons stated above, If it is not something an owner wants to tackle, then service providers such as Tradewinds or ETLC can easily add the feature.