Water System On '99 Coleman Mesa

[nctiger87]

Using our Pup for the first time this week(bought it used last month) and not sure how the water system works.  specifically the hot water heater and how to light it.  I have a manual but it is very vague.

Also, we're camping at a cg w/ water, do i need any other hose than the white/blue stripe hose that came with it?  

Thanks

[tlhdoc]

Welcome to PUT and congratulations on the new camper!

You will need a drain hose and a container to drain the grey (used water) into.  I would also recommend getting a water pressure regulator to put on the hose at the faucet.  The campground can have very high water pressure and it can blow your lines out in the camper.  
 
Have you sanitized the water system?  If not it should be done before you use it.  It isn't hard to do.  Pour 1/4 cup of regular bleach into a gallon container.  Pour the bleach water into the holding tank on the PU.  Fill the holding tank with fresh water.  Turn the water pump on (switch is on the edge of the galley in my 1999 Nevada) and allow it to pump bleach water out all of the faucets (hot and cold).  Let the bleach water sit for at least one hour.  Drain the bleach water out of the camper, fill the water tank with fresh water and pump fresh water through the water system.  Drain the rinse water.  Now your water system is safe to use.
 
To light the water heater (make sure it is full of water) turn on the stove and light it to clear some of the air out of the gas lines.  Then light your lighter (use a long reach lighter) and while keeping the lighter lit put the flame into the burn tube (follow the gas line into the tube and see where it ends, there is a fanned out area there) and hold it at the fanned out area (at the top of the burn tube) and then turn the black knob on the water heater to pilot.  Hold it down until the gas lights for a few seconds and then try letting go of the black button and removing the lighter.  If it goes out, light the lighter again and hold the flame on the flared out area while holding the black button down for about another 30 seconds.  Again let go of the button and turn off the lighter.  Keep doing this until the pilot stays lit.  After it is burning on its own, turn the knob one more notch to on.  Step back as there will be a whoosh when the gas lights.
 
I hope this helps.

[SpeakEasy]

I just love that WHOOSH!

[tknick]

Just wanted to elaborate on a couple of things Tracy said.  This is how I make sure the hot water heater is full of water.  After connecting to the water supply at the campground, turn on the hot water faucet only and let it run until all of the air is out of the line and only water is coming out of the faucet.  It may take a few seconds, maybe a minute to fill the hot water tank and purge all the air from the hot water system (FYI there will still be air trapped in the cold water lines.  remember that when you turn on the cold water.  Otherwise you will be very wet).  Air trapped in the hot water heater can be dangerous and will ruin your hot water heater.  

In order to actually get the hot water heater to stay lit, you must heat up a thermocouple.  the thermocouple allows gas to flow only when the pilot flame keeps it hot.  If the pilot light were to go out, the thermocouple would cool and shut off the flow of gas (thereby preventing a potential explosion).  Pressing the button down in the "Pilot" position bypasses that safety feature and allows gas to flow so you get the thing lit in the first place.  That is also why you have to hold the button down.  If you let go of the button and the thermocouple is not warm enough then the gas shuts off.  If you have difficulty keeping the pilot lit, make sure the thermocouple is in the pilot flame.  Sometimes they need to be bent back into place.

HTH
Travis