Hot water heater issue

I was running the AC, fridge, most of the lights in the camper, a dorm fridge out front, and then turned on the water heater. I did try unplugging the dorm fridge and see if that did it but it still flipped it. I figure AC, fridge, water heater would all be running at the same time fairly often.

The old element that I pulled out was about a 10" long 1400w element and the closest thing that Home Depot had to it was a 6" long 1500w element. I swapped it out tonight and turned on the AC and then water heater and in about 10 minutes I had warm water with no breaker issues.

I also tested out my DSI propane portion of the water heater and it warmed it up quickly. My next question is with the propane do I just turn it on when I need it a few minutes in advance and how long will a full propane tank last running the water heater.

I never use more than one of these at a time: electric hot water, microwave, A/C.

Tripping the main breaker would indicate it is an overload with the entire system, not just a problem with the water heater element. Try turning off the air conditioner and refrigerator. Then turn on the water heater (after you have reinstalled the element and filled with water). If the main breaker does not trip, there is nothing wrong- that breaker is doing its job- you are consuming more than 30 amps.

Try powering it up now, without the element hooked up. If it doesn't blow the breaker, that will let you know it is the electric element.
Brian

The heating element could be shorted out inside the threaded end. You'd never see it since it's sealed.

Is it possible you are running other electronics inside the camper that is pulling a lot of electric draw? Are you running the air conditioner and microwave the same time you are flipping on the water heater?

Considering your Main is blowing, and not the dedicated one for the water heater tells me, there's too much electric draw. Simply, everything combined is near 30 amps. When you flip on the water heater, you've just exceeded that 30 amp breaker and it pops!

Turn EVERYTHING off inside the camper. Then turn the electric on the water heater. See if if pops then. If it does not pop, then turn on one electric device at a time and you'll soon learn the campers electric limitations. Not everything can be on at the same time.