Suburban water heater SW6DE experiencing erratic issues lighting. New trailer on our 2nd trip, but not sure if it's a new issue since I possibly just didn't notice it on our 1st trip. Click-click-click then a loud whoosh sound like a large pocket of propane lighting up, but water heater doesn't light, then click-click-click nothing or maybe lights as it should. Seems to take a few tries to light successfully.Once it finally lights it seems to work fine, but the loud whoosh and even seeing the door on the outside of the heater move from the propane flare up is very concerning. At first I thought it might be due to high winds, but the same thing happened other times with no winds.Will take it to the dealer to check it out under warranty, but hoping maybe something obvious that I'm missing.

just me ,I would not fool with it ,and I,d stop using it. you could start a fire. take it back to your dealer. but theres things that the people in the know might chime in to help you out.

Open the cover and try it. Mine did the same thing. I drilled a few holes along the lower-left of the cover. Problem solved.While it isn't right, it worked. I visited a local parts and repair shop one the issue and two guys said that it was a 'common' problem on the suburban.While on the road I had learned that it consistently worked fine with the door open, but it was a 50/50 with it closed. I had cut and bent the bottom corner to allow more fresh air in, and then replaced with a new cover and added the holes for a cleaner look after the trip.

If you shut off your propane bottles, then turn them on when you get to the campsite, the slight pressure loss can cause a pocket to make the gas valve hesitate causing irregular pressure. Once the line is fully pressurized then the valve will provide continuous operation. Most time a quick light of a stovetop burner will allow the pressure pocket or air gap to pass and then you will have full pressure to the gas valve at the water heater. Try this next time, or before going to a dealer.

boogie_4wheel wrote:Open the cover and try it. Mine did the same thing. I drilled a few holes along the lower-left of the cover. Problem solved.While it isn't right, it worked. I visited a local parts and repair shop one the issue and two guys said that it was a 'common' problem on the suburban.While on the road I had learned that it consistently worked fine with the door open, but it was a 50/50 with it closed. I had cut and bent the bottom corner to allow more fresh air in, and then replaced with a new cover and added the holes for a cleaner look after the trip.Interesting...I had opened the cover to see if any obvious issue, but hadn't tried it with the door open.

wrgrs50s wrote:If you shut off your propane bottles, then turn them on when you get to the campsite, the slight pressure loss can cause a pocket to make the gas valve hesitate causing irregular pressure. Once the line is fully pressurized then the valve will provide continuous operation. Most time a quick light of a stovetop burner will allow the pressure pocket or air gap to pass and then you will have full pressure to the gas valve at the water heater. Try this next time, or before going to a dealer.I always prime the propane lines before a trip by lighting the stove, and when I noticed this issue we'd already been using the stove, refrigerator, and water heater (hadn't noticed this issue before, but may have been happening) on propane for a couple days so I'm pretty sure there was no air in the propane lines.

Erratic water heater lighting | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

bigorange
Explorer
May 29, 2018
boogie_4wheel wrote:
Open the cover and try it. Mine did the same thing. I drilled a few holes along the lower-left of the cover. Problem solved.

While it isn't right, it worked. I visited a local parts and repair shop one the issue and two guys said that it was a 'common' problem on the suburban.

While on the road I had learned that it consistently worked fine with the door open, but it was a 50/50 with it closed. I had cut and bent the bottom corner to allow more fresh air in, and then replaced with a new cover and added the holes for a cleaner look after the trip.

Interesting...I had opened the cover to see if any obvious issue, but hadn't tried it with the door open.
wrgrs50s
Explorer
May 29, 2018
If you shut off your propane bottles, then turn them on when you get to the campsite, the slight pressure loss can cause a pocket to make the gas valve hesitate causing irregular pressure. Once the line is fully pressurized then the valve will provide continuous operation. Most time a quick light of a stovetop burner will allow the pressure pocket or air gap to pass and then you will have full pressure to the gas valve at the water heater. Try this next time, or before going to a dealer.
boogie_4wheel
Explorer
May 29, 2018
Open the cover and try it. Mine did the same thing. I drilled a few holes along the lower-left of the cover. Problem solved.

While it isn't right, it worked. I visited a local parts and repair shop one the issue and two guys said that it was a 'common' problem on the suburban.

While on the road I had learned that it consistently worked fine with the door open, but it was a 50/50 with it closed. I had cut and bent the bottom corner to allow more fresh air in, and then replaced with a new cover and added the holes for a cleaner look after the trip.
midnightsadie
Explorer II
May 29, 2018
just me ,I would not fool with it ,and I,d stop using it. you could start a fire. take it back to your dealer. but theres things that the people in the know might chime in to help you out.

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Erratic water heater lighting

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