Problem with electric side of water heater

It was cooler today..only 103 so I went out and changed wires. Now it's wired correctly and tested water from tap at 130 degrees.

Thanks again. If I have it apart for anything else I'll switch it.

bob213 wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:

With switch ON top black wire should be hot (bad switch if not)
Then with water temp cold (below 100*F) the bottom wire will be hot if t-stats are closed

Just a follow-up.
With switch on I had power to bottom NOT top of t'stat. Replaced t'stat and now have power to top and bottom. Did factory wire it backwards? It's worked that way for 4 years.
Do I need to switch wires?

Yes it is backwards

In the big scheme of things NOT a real issue

Wired to top first is to stop the AC at t-stats should normal t-stat fail and high temp t-stat open/trip

Old-Biscuit wrote:

With switch ON top black wire should be hot (bad switch if not)
Then with water temp cold (below 100*F) the bottom wire will be hot if t-stats are closed

Just a follow-up.
With switch on I had power to bottom NOT top of t'stat. Replaced t'stat and now have power to top and bottom. Did factory wire it backwards? It's worked that way for 4 years.
Do I need to switch wires?

Followed Old-Biscuit's directions and even though the t'stat wire was not burned thru or melted it was not good. Replaced it and I'm back to electric hot water. Thank you to everyone for your input.

I really thought ours, a Suburban SW6DE, needed a 120 Element. I wanted a lower wattage to let it run more of the time in summer with A/C on 30A, so I replaced it. Thing still did NOT work. Turned out to be a burned connection in one of those "punchdown" splice boxes they use on RV's and Trailers. Our Black (hot) side carried 120VAC from Breaker, through Indoor Switch, Outdoor Switch, and Thermal Cutoff to the Element. Just no White (Neutral). I was lucky. Jayco made the connection at the box on the heater itself, then to the Punch Box on the kitchen floor inside the Cabinet with the Heater in it. A sorry Box, but at least I could get at it to repair. All I did was Remove, Gut Contacts and Plastic out of it, making it a Junction Box. Then twisted and Wire Nutted the connection. OK since.

pianotuna wrote:
Hi Old-Biscuit,

Mine is a Dometic from 2005.

You mean Atwood......Dometic didn't acquire Atwood until 2014

Atwood started in 1909 as Vacuum Machine Company by 2 brothers
Made their 'name' in the automotive business with the “universal rubber door bumper” which put an end to door rattles in early automobiles along with door hinges & seat adjusters

Got into the RV market in 1936....then bought out Bowen Company in 1964 which was an RV water heater mfg.
Trailer jacks, surge brakes, Wedgewood ovens, Hydroflame furnaces, Fan-Tastic Vent company....one company after the other until Dometic took them over.

Hi Old-Biscuit,

Mine is a Dometic from 2005.

Old-Biscuit wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
On mine there was a relay. During the course of disassembly the relay started working again. The switch inside the RV was, on mine, 12 volt.

It took 90 minutes--and I did replace the element since that is what I thought had gone bad. They sure as heck did not make it easy to be serviced.

That sounds like an Atwood water heater.DC Relay and element on backside of tank
Suburban has a similar model...."DEL"....uses DC Relay but element is easy to access in outside compartment


OP has a "DE" model....direct 120V AC to element

bob213 wrote:
I haven't checked for power at the t'stat. I have a #232306 t'stat. That is correct for 120v..right? Gas side works fine. I have pushed reset without success. Wire shows burned spot but is intact. I will check for power tomorrow and replace if none there. One lead to black wire and ground other like I did for switch?

Yes and Yes


With switch ON top black wire should be hot (bad switch if not)
Then with water temp cold (below 100*F) the bottom wire will be hot if t-stats are closed

Due to poor design the wires are prone to chaffing and shorting out between the switch and temp pack. Very carefully pull the switch and look at the wires. I had mine burn at the switch, then a second time rub thru the insulation and short out behindmthe sheet metal. No fun rewiring the darn things.