Water heater element location

Imaroadrunnr wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:

KID2TEXAS wrote:
you sure your not talking about the Anode rod that some heaters have?

Atwood water heaters, which is what OP has (one in picture), do NOT use anode rods because they have aluminum tanks.

Suburban does use anode rods because they have a glass-lined STEEL tank and the anode rod protects it from rusting out (just like your residential water heaters)

I'm trying to get the electrical side of my Suburban WH to work but after installing a new element ($10) and turning everything on (1 rocker switch by the heater) and checking that all other CB's were in the on position, I waited over night and had a tank full of cold water. There isn't any voltage across the terminals of the element so maybe the rocker switch is fubar? Are these easy to replace? Do they just pop out? The propane side works flawlessly.
Thanks,
Stan
Las Vegas, NV
2001 Cedar Creek 34ft. 5er
2005 Ram CTD 3500 Dually
6 speed Bright White

Your Suburban uses direct fed for AC power to the electric element.
Circuit breaker in AC Power Panel send voltage to the ON/OFF switch (outside compartment) from switch to set of 120V AC t-stats (under rubber cover 'Push to Reset' above gas valve------LEFT set)
From the HI temp (top) to Normal temp (bottom) and then to element (black wire)

The On/Off Switch is cheap junk and being on outside compartment they corrode/fail. Just a 120V AC toggle switch and the pop out/snap in.

HI temp t-stat will trip if water temp goes above 170*F ( if normal doesn't open at 130*F). It has to be manually reset...Push the button

Connecting wire between HI and Normal can burn into
And the rolled edges of cut out area for t-stats can chaff the insulation on wires causing shorts (Black for 120V AC....other set is 12V DC for propane Red wires)


Easiest place to check for power is at the t-stats. Just remove cover and use a meter with switch ON.
No power to then switch is probably bad provided the CB is not tripped.