Water heater

ATWOOD uses 12V DC as control circuit for BOTH electric and propane.
12V DC goes to both electric/gas ON/OFF switches.
Then on separate wiring DC goes to circuit board for each heat source functions....but both use same t-stat/ECO circuits

Electric uses a DC Relay (located under protective cover where electric element is on backside of water heater tank)
Relay triggers the 120V AC to element

As suggested .......DC Relay stuck closed---120V AC goes to element BUT when temp is reached t-stat opens (140*F) and will close (110*F) to allow for reheat
which would continue with stuck relay


Suburban 'DEL' models use similar control circuit....only the DEL others use separate systems



2007 Jayco Designer Models used an Atwood XT 16 Model standard equipment.
XT Model uses a mixing valve and 10 gallon tank heated to 160*F (Equivalent to 16 gal capacity)


Same wring scheme used on 2004/newer Atwood Standard electric/gas models and XT Models

With the Suburban SW6DE that we have, 120 VAC and 12 VDC operation are completely separate. Read that as "isolated."

12 VDC is run by an indoor switch conspicuously marked "Water Heater" and it lights off of its electronic control board. The Power Light comes on, along with a little "Did not Light" LED. When it lights, the little LED goes out and the Power Light stays on till you're finished making hot water.

120 VAC runs either 1. Straight to the Heater where that outdoor switch will turn it On or Off, or 2. Same as (1.) with ANOTHER indoor switch. That's what we have in our Jayco equipped with Suburban SW6DE.

Thank you all for the guidance. david

If it is a gas/electric water heater then that switch you are talking about is for propane operation. Open the outside water heater cover and look for a rocker switch. That switch is for electric operation and is more than likely in the on position.

On our Suburban WH there was only one switch inside and that was for the gas. To turn off the electric you had to remove the outside cover from the heater and turn off the black rocker switch in the lower left hand corner.

That 3610 RLTS is a great coach! Friends have one and have allowed us to use it on a few occasions.

Please describe "the switch" and provide Make/Model of the Water Heater.

We didn't have water heater "issues" so I remember nothing about it.

Yep, I think you may be right. I will look into this.. thanks

There is probably a Relay on the back side of the water heater that is 12 volt activated, but 120 volt load switched. Assuming you find this relay you can check if the 12 volt turns on and off correctly when someone activates the interior switch on and off. Assuming that is working correctly the relay may be jammed in the on position which would allow 120 V on two of the terminals regardless of the position of the interior 12 V switch.