My rig is a 2001. I have the water heater that doesn't have the black knob that says "Pilot" and "On". I just have an on-off switch and inside a water heater gas button that says on and off with a light next to it that says "reset" that isn't on. When I turn the gas button inside to "on" then go outside I hear it going "t-t-t-t-t", trying about 3 times. I've tried lighting it where it shows in the manual to light it and nothing happens. I don't smell any gas at any time. Should I smell some when it's going "t-t-t-t-"? There is no knob that says "pilot" or anything, just that electrical on/off switch which should be left off, yes? Any tips would be appreciated. I think I had it running on gas years ago but haven't run it on gas since.Will it only light during the "t-t-t-t-" moments? I've turned it off and on 3 times now and still no reaction.If I remember right...you can change the heater setting from on and heating the water to just the pilot light with the on/off gas button in side, yes?

You have a DSI (direct spark ignition) water heater. There is no pilot!You can light some with lighter as you tried. But that is not the correct way.You need to check the adjustment on the flame sensor/ignitor.Then clean the contacts on the circuit board. Check the ground on the electric gas valve. Check the two coils on the gas valve with Ohm meter readings should be the same.Suburban owners manual

Thanks for the info. My manual is telling me to light it with a lighter...hmm...See under DSI in this PDF:http://hometips.me/Mar/Suburban_Water_Heater_Service_Manual.pdfIt says to turn on gas *and* electric supply to the water heater. Does that mean the on-off switch that is on the outside of the water heater itself? So when you turn to the off position if it doesn't ignite does that mean the switch on the outside of the water heater or the switch that says "gas" inside. The inside switch is the only one that will start the "t-t-t-t" over again. These aren't well-written instructions.

It runs on electric just fine. And my furnace is working fine so the gas flow is ok.Ahh: Note that if the water in the tank is already heated, the ignition sequence may not occur until the water cools to less than 100 degrees.I just turned it off about an hour ago. This is a good resource for troubleshooting Suburban water heaters:http://www.trekin.digital-digs.net/Share%20PDF/Water%20Heater%20Troubleshooting%20-%20Suburban%20V1.1.pdf

The light at the LP gas switch is supposed to come on during the ignition process ("As for the "on/off" light inside, the light is a "fault" light and will light just momentarily when you turn on the propane switch then go out as the propane system lights up.")....Mine never comes on.

Ok, here's some interesting information. There's a red seemingly insulated connection that comes out of the backing of the water heater's exterior and re-enters near the place there flame is supposed to ignite (is that the ignitor?) and when it's going the 't-t-t-t-t" thing and I touch that I get a shock. And it's completely plastic-coated and rubberized that seems like should tell us something. ?

Lighting pilot in a Suburban H20 Heater (older)

16 Replies

cannesdo
Explorer
Dec 19, 2016
It's the red cord on the lower right of this photo. No matter where I touch it it shocks me (but only when it's going "t-t-t-t-t". Seems like that shouldn't happen.

Actually...it wasn't doing that at first (shocking me) because I wiggled it gently while it was doing that earlier to see if that had any effect and later it started shocking me. Great, so now I probably tweaked something that didn't want to be tweaked.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=+ignitor+rv+water+heater+dsi&view=detailv2&&id=913A99B9F7299E081440A5BD056C1A1A5F47D05E&selectedIndex=0&ccid=HURQLdlu&simid=608022535500597484&thid=OIP.M1d44502dd96e9af7cf8f07aa16416e14o0&ajaxhist=0
cannesdo
Explorer
Dec 19, 2016
Ok, here's some interesting information. There's a red seemingly insulated connection that comes out of the backing of the water heater's exterior and re-enters near the place there flame is supposed to ignite (is that the ignitor?) and when it's going the 't-t-t-t-t" thing and I touch that I get a shock. And it's completely plastic-coated and rubberized that seems like should tell us something. ?
cannesdo
Explorer
Dec 19, 2016
The light at the LP gas switch is supposed to come on during the ignition process ("As for the "on/off" light inside, the light is a "fault" light and will light just momentarily when you turn on the propane switch then go out as the propane system lights up.")....Mine never comes on.
cannesdo
Explorer
Dec 19, 2016
It runs on electric just fine. And my furnace is working fine so the gas flow is ok.

Ahh: Note that if the water in the tank is already heated, the ignition sequence may not occur until the water cools to less than 100 degrees.

I just turned it off about an hour ago.

This is a good resource for troubleshooting Suburban water heaters:
http://www.trekin.digital-digs.net/Share%20PDF/Water%20Heater%20Troubleshooting%20-%20Suburban%20V1.1.pdf
cannesdo
Explorer
Dec 19, 2016
Thanks for the info. My manual is telling me to light it with a lighter...hmm...

See under DSI in this PDF:
http://hometips.me/Mar/Suburban_Water_Heater_Service_Manual.pdf

It says to turn on gas *and* electric supply to the water heater. Does that mean the on-off switch that is on the outside of the water heater itself? So when you turn to the off position if it doesn't ignite does that mean the switch on the outside of the water heater or the switch that says "gas" inside. The inside switch is the only one that will start the "t-t-t-t" over again. These aren't well-written instructions.
enblethen
Nomad
Dec 19, 2016
You have a DSI (direct spark ignition) water heater. There is no pilot!
You can light some with lighter as you tried. But that is not the correct way.
You need to check the adjustment on the flame sensor/ignitor.
Then clean the contacts on the circuit board.
Check the ground on the electric gas valve.
Check the two coils on the gas valve with Ohm meter readings should be the same.
Suburban owners manual

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Lighting pilot in a Suburban H20 Heater (older)

16 Replies

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