Water heater question

Thanks Gjac and Old-Biscuit -Much appreciated !

And to Lynmor; I hope some day when you ask a serious question you get a sarcastic useless answer.

Jack L

YES.....
Electric element is a 'submersion' element. Needs water to absorb heat generated otherwise element burns out.

Propane can be used regardless as it is a separate heating system

If PROPANE is turned on w/o water......the normal t-stat AND High temp t-stats will both open due to tank getting heated. (No melting will happen)
As long as water is NOT turned on allowing water to flow into HOT tank it will be OK.......just let it cool down.
Hot Suburban WH Tank (glass-lined) and COLD water ------ shattered lining

Electric and propane can be used at same time for faster heat recovery

Suburban uses different sets of -t-stats for electric and for propane so even if one set t-stats is bad the other heating source can be used.
Atwood (since 2004 models) uses ONE set for electric/propane so if t-stat is issue NO heating source can be used

Lynnmor wrote:
If you burn out a light bulb, you can just use a candle.

Or maybe you can screw out the old one and screw in a new one?

But I don't think he has a light bulb inside of the water heater and the water would extinguish a candle. :B

Yes I burned out mine, pieces were left in the bottom of the tank that had to be removed so I just use propane now.

NanciL wrote:
The water heater is a Suburban.
It is both electric and gas.
If I were to turn it on electric with no water I would burn out the element.
If that happens can the unit be used with gas ?

Jack L

yes, you'll burn out the electric heating element if you turn it on with no water in the WH.
yes, you can run it on propane if you burn out the element.

you could melt the gas heating tube