“A good day on the road is a good day. A bad day on the road is a good story.”
Many people romanticize the traveling lifestyle. Most of the time we 100% agree. There is nothing we would rather be doing. However, there have been a few “hiccups” in which life on the road has been difficult, frustrating and anger provoking. In every case, our worst experiences on the road have resulted from interactions with people and businesses who identify themselves as being “experts” in the RV world.
No matter how poor the interaction was, or however hideous the quality of their service, we will not identify real names of people or businesses. Every situation was resolved to a success for us. Sometimes the resolution came easily; sometimes the resolution had to be accomplished “the hard way”. But a success none the less.
The purpose of our blog is to let you know real world things happen on the road. While most days are a wonderful, exciting adventure not every day on the road is sunshine and unicorns.
Speaking of a “good story”, let us tell you our story about fixing our hot water heater.
A Little Background
“Winnie”, our motorhome is a 2011 Winnebago. It has served us well and has consistently performed above expectations. In spite of Dave and I personalizing Winnie as a “living breathing” equal partner in our journey to explore the country, Winnie is mechanical. Sorry, Winnie!
No matter how well Winnie was made or how much routine maintenance is performed, mechanical things break and/or wear out. This is what happened to our water heater. After 12 years of countless hot showers, loads of laundry and dishes, our hot water heater started to leak. Not a lot, but any small leak will eventually lead to a larger leak.
The Odyssey Begins
Dave pulled the water heater out. He inspected it and did some trouble shooting. He tightened “this”, and replaced “that”. All seemed to stop the leaking. For a while. Just before we were starting a 5,000 mile trip, the water heater started leaking again. Not as much as before, but still a leak. Then it stopped again.
Dave started researching new water heaters, but unfortunately the company, Atwood, had been sold and Atwood was no longer making an exact replacement. Then the search to find a replacement began.
In December, Dave finally found an online company that had “an exact replacement”. For confidentiality, this business will be called “Online Company”. The representative from Online Company said he had been working with Winnebago to find this exact replacement. The new model was in stock. They could send it to us immediately, and $1,049 ($981 for the water heater and $68 in shipping) later, we were the proud owner of a new water heater.
Yes, we had a new water heater, but sadly not an exact replacement. Unless we wanted to have body work done on Winnie in which we would cover the existing exhaust spaces, cut in new exhaust vents in an entirely different location and then repaint a whole panel.
Dave called Online Company and the representative was aware of the problem. Three other people had the same problem! Online Company said we would need to send the water heater back to them….. at our expense…. and that they would be working with Winnebago to identify a new water heater that would fit the existing opening. Online Company would issue a refund for $981 once we returned the wrong water heater (at our expense) and they had figured out a replacement.
We were not born yesterday.
Dave was clear we would not be paying for shipping back because it was not an exact replacement as promised. And our refund should not be based on any ongoing discussions with Winnebago. Dave and the Online Company had “discussions” for three weeks, until the Online Company finally agreed to send a prepaid shipping label.
Not having much faith in the process with the Online Company, once we shipped the water heater back, we opened a dispute with our credit card company. At least we wouldn’t have to pay interest on the $1,049 while the dispute was in process.
Troubleshooting
Ultimately it was determined there were no exact replacements, so Dave did what he does best, troubleshoot the problem.
He took the water heater out and began looking for leaks. He started with the most logical places for leaks, the fittings and pressure relief valve. He tightened some and replaced others. He put the water heater back in. It was still leaking in a hidden area.
He took the water heater back out. He then developed an elaborate system of gauges, fittings and pipes for putting 10 lbs. of air pressure in the tank to see if the tank was leaking. He found a small pinpoint size leak. We needed hot water, so he put the hot water heater back in the RV.
Then Dave went to work to buy a new tank. Due to supply chain problems and Atwood being out of business, there were no tanks to be found. Anywhere.
Our tank had to be fixed. Dave checked around and found a welder who could patch the aluminum tank. He will be called “Welder”. Dave took the water heater back out of the RV and we drove 20 miles to the Welder so he could patch the tank. Once back to the RV, Dave pressure tested the tank and found a leak around the new welded patch.
Once Dave was able to get back in contact with the Welder, we drove the 20 miles back to his shop. He said he was sorry, that he had the feeling he should have made the patch bigger, but felt what he had done would be “okay”. He put on a larger patch. We drove 20 miles back to the RV. Dave pressure tested the tank again and found no leaks this time, reassembled the hot water heater and put it back in the RV. NO LEAKS!!!!!!!!!!!! Problem solved. For now.
The Refund
Eight weeks after notifying the Online Company the hot water heater they sent us wouldn’t fit, we received our refund.
Take-away Points
While this whole process was aggravating, it is okay that not every day on the road is sunshine and unicorns. And not every unpleasant thing that happens is the end of the world.
While being resilient is probably our greatest asset on the road, being able to pivot on the fly can salvage a string of “bad days”.
And something that was reinforced to me; my husband is the smartest man I know.
Your partners in travel,
Kathryn, Dave and Lucky
RVing Nomads
It’s a lifestyle
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