Suburban Water Heater electric heating element question

BB_TX wrote:
Not unusual for a Suburban to have an inside switch for electric. The inside switch is 12 vdc that actuates a 12 vdc relay in a junction box on the water heater. The relay then passes 120 vac to the switch on the front of the water heater. On those you can leave the outside switch on and control the water heater on electric with the inside switch.

Suburban DEL Models ONLY

Keep in mind, it's not uncommon for the gas and electric indoor switches not to be next to each other. So if you have another switch that you don't know what it feeds, it might be the indoor electric.

Also, confirm that the water heater breaker is on.

ANY RV using a Suburban Water Heater and has 2 inside switches plus OEM swith outside can thank the RV MFG (or previous owner)
Suburban does NOT supply an Inside Switch for the electric......just the Outside switch on ALL models (except 'DEL')


DEL Model-----OEM Dual switch that uses 12VDC for electric and gas
Only Model that does -----OEM 120VAC Outside switch still used




NUWA (HitchHiker) used BOTH Atwood and Suburban Water Heaters....model/vintage dependent.

NUWA (HitchHiker) used BOTH Atwood and Suburban Water Heaters....model/vintage dependent.

Not unusual for a Suburban to have an inside switch for electric. The inside switch is 12 vdc that actuates a 12 vdc relay in a junction box on the water heater. The relay then passes 120 vac to the switch on the front of the water heater. On those you can leave the outside switch on and control the water heater on electric with the inside switch.

Thanks for the replies. After more research I'm fairly certain that the electric element needs to be replaced. I suspect that at some point I had the outside switch on, the RV hooked to shore power, and the tank empty. I've watched instructive videos and it's not much more difficult to change out than a anode rod would be. Total parts including a special tool runs less than $30.00.

The heating element is a Camco part number 02143. The special tool is the Camco Water Heater Element Wrench part number 09883.

Well all three of our 5th Wheels, 2010, 2012, & 2016, have had a Suburban water heater with two switches inside, one DSI for Gas and one electric, plus the little black switch in the lower left corner of the heater it's self.

If the inside switch is marked DSI,(Direct Spark Ignition) it's for propane.

cavie wrote:
the inside switch on a Suburban is for gas only. The 15 amp breaker must be on for electric. leave the gas switch OFF. Atwoods have an inside electric switch. Suburbans do not. If you wish you can run both together for faster recovery. i use mine on gas only.

A lot of water heaters have 2 switches inside.....one for gas and one for electric plus the little rocker switch on the water heater for electric.

stickdog wrote:
Our Hitch Hiker had both electric and gas indoor switches.

Was it a Suburban WH, which is what the OP has? Sounds like yours was an Atwood, which is different.

Our Hitch Hiker had both electric and gas indoor switches.