No 110 Volts to Hot Water Heater Element

[_1Flyboy]

….. Good morning all… Suburban SW6DEL not getting 110 Volts to the heater element. Rocker switch on control panel is sending out 12 Volts when turned on. Is there a relay switch somewhere between the rocker switch and the element? Suggestions appreciated…..TIA

[_1Flyboy]

BB TX … Tried your suggestion of 1 lead to the hot & other to frame; getting 12.5 volts that way..

[BB_TX]

#1Flyboy wrote:
BB TX… I’ll give your suggestion a try in a day or so; if’s I still don’t show 110 volts do you think it would be the outside switch?

Very well could be. Those cheap switches have been reported failed a number of times.

But the best course of action is to use a meter and the schematic. You can quickly determine if you have power to that switch, and if so, if you have power out of that switch. That will determine whether the problem is the switch itself, upstream of the switch, or downstream of the switch. Then you will know which direction to proceed. And point to point testing from there.

The above is assuming you are knowledgeable of and comfortable with troubleshooting live 120 vac. If not, then you should call a mobile RV repairman. There is an element of danger there.

[enblethen]

Have you tested the 120-volt control switch? It sends power to the coil of the relay.

[_1Flyboy]

BB TX… I’ll give your suggestion a try in a day or so; if’s I still don’t show 110 volts do you think it would be the outside switch?

[enblethen]

Manual. Manual
Yes, there is relay

[BB_TX]

2nd switch is the inside 12 vdc switch that operates the relay at the water heater.

Voltmeter and understanding of the circuit (schematic available in the WH manual) will greatly help in quickly finding the problem.

If you are placing your meter leads across the two terminals on the heating element and not showing 120 vac, it could also actually be loss of neutral. Burned neutral wire in the J box has also been reported multiple times. Try putting one meter lead on the hot side of the element and the other meter lead on the metal frame of the water heater.

[Grit_dog]

Intermittent suggests a short somewhere. Probably harder to find. But easier if it’s not working.

[_1Flyboy]

Make & model are in my original post; outside lower left 2nd switch is on. Maybe 2nd switch is bad???

[Retired_JSO]

Look for an additional 120 volt switch on the water heater itself, suburban located on lower left looking in with outside panel removed. It’s hard to see because of its location behind gas valve.

[BB_TX]

Past reported problems:
- tripped breaker
- bad or tripped thermostat/hi temp cutout
- little black switch on bottom left corner of WH off or bad
- bad relay (located in junction box on WH)
- loose/bad/burned wire connection in any of those areas.

[enblethen]

Some have two switches. one outside and one inside.
Make and model of water heater would help!

[_1Flyboy]

… tested with volt meter….Circuit breaker is ok… worked for a while yesterday…

[fj12ryder]

Have you physically checked that you're not getting 120V at the heater element, or assuming so because the element doesn't heat up?