I just can’t figure this out. Our Suburban SW10 DE water heater doesn’t heat. It was functioning normally before it failed. It works well on the LP side but not with electric. I have checked and replaced a number of things.The breaker works. The inside electric switch works. The on/off rocker switch on the heater panel works. The thermal switch has not been tripped. I replaced the heater element with a Suburban part thinking that was the culprit. A volt-ohm meter reads that there is power going to the heater element when both switches are turned on.Yet it does not heat the water. Any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated.Many thanks!Ian

Stupid question but is there water in the heater and it is not in bypass mode. Also is outside shower off

If you have 120VAC then the element should be working. Did you check voltage across both sides of the element?Rebuilt mine this fall. Bypassed the rocker switch, replaced the temp sensor pack and the element. Works great again.

There's water in the heater (LP works fine) and so it's not in bypass mode. I "think" I checked voltage across both sides of the element but here we're reaching the limits of my understanding. (Switches, open and closed, I understand.)

You need to set the volt meter to AC and put meter leads on the 2 element leads itself. you should have 120 vac there. If you do then the element is bad.

Do a google search for "suburban sw10de water heater troubleshooting"You will get several resources for service manuals.

Suburban SW10 DE water heater doesn't! | Good Sam Community

ian_c
Explorer
Dec 22, 2015
Hah!
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Dec 22, 2015
Glad it is working.........

First off, too many hands involved so nobody knows what was/wasn't done

Secondly, which one reset the Circuit Breaker :B
ian_c
Explorer
Dec 22, 2015
I would like to thank all y'all for your contributions. In the end it took three guys, twenty-six tools, and five hours on different days to take it apart, test everything, find nothing, change nothing, reassemble it twice and then discover after the second time that it now works.
And this was not the three stooges! There was only one stooge - me. The others were an engineer and a RV technician.
So, very frustrating, but we now have hot water, I have a happy wife and hence .....
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Dec 21, 2015
dons2346 wrote:
Is there a small on/off switch on the back of the heater? If so, check it out because the heat from the water heater will cause the switch to fail.

My Suburban water heater has this switch and it fell apart so I took it out of the circuit because I can't reach it anyway, it stayed on all the time, and I have a remote switch

Must be an Atwood WH pre 2004.......as they have electric On/Off switch on rear of tank

Suburban's are in outside compartment lower left corner
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Dec 21, 2015
Suburban uses a very simple direct AC power circuit for electric element.
AC power comes from Circuit Breaker to/thru ON/OFF switches (remote/local) then to/thru the electric set of T-stats (left set) then to/thru element.

If you have measured AC voltage all the way down to element then only thing left is measuring AC Voltage THRU element.
AC Power to element (NEW) and no heating......then element is bad
OR
you do not have it wired correctly. But it is just 2 wires 1 Black and 1 white and doesn't matter which terminal they go on.

SO are you sure you have AC Voltage all the way thru circuit to the element????

Suburban element is 120V AC.....1440W and draws 12A when ON
Continuity check with power off....10 Ohms

Simple straight forward on Suburban as everything is right there in outside compartment (Unlike Atwood which has electric element and On/Off switch at rear of tank)
How To Link
ljr
Nomad
Dec 21, 2015
That's happened to me twice. In both cases a new AC thermostat fixed it. Amazon sells them. Easy replacement. It's under a plastic cover secured by one nut.
dons2346
Explorer
Dec 21, 2015
Is there a small on/off switch on the back of the heater? If so, check it out because the heat from the water heater will cause the switch to fail.

My Suburban water heater has this switch and it fell apart so I took it out of the circuit because I can't reach it anyway, it stayed on all the time, and I have a remote switch
Fulltimer50
Explorer
Dec 21, 2015
As Ranger Smith is saying, if you have voltage at the heating element, then the element is bad. Turn off the power, disconnect both the element wire, and take an Ohm reading across the element. What do you get?
ian_c
Explorer
Dec 21, 2015
Ranger Smith, shouldn't your post read "if you DON'T, the element is bad."? (But I do have a reading of 120 v across the element terminals.)

I'll do the search - should have included "troubleshooting" in the first one.
schlep1967
Nomad
Dec 21, 2015
Do a google search for "suburban sw10de water heater troubleshooting"

You will get several resources for service manuals.