Suburban Water Heater

[mikemc53]

Just bought a new 2021 Gulf Stream Class C Conquest 6250 and, though I am not new to RVing my question comes about due to a couple of things: lack of familiarity with this model and inadequate resources.

Short story - picked up the unit yesterday with almost no walk-through and found out later, no documentation (manuals, etc.). I have had multiple RVs with gas/electric hot water tanks but this one, has me a bit unsure.

Even though I did download the manual (Suburban SW6DE) I can't quite figure out exactly what I have. My Class A has a tank that runs on propane, 12VDC or 120VAC and the control panel offers each option. When I read the manual for this one it seems to imply that it can also run on all 3 but I'm not sure how I choose my options.

I have a control panel that simply has one switch and one "power-on" light, which I am assuming is the propane driven option. Inside the tank compartment there is one more on-off switch that seems to be for 12VDC but, frankly I don't see anything for 120VAC or how one would be certain which option they have chosen. For example, if I have the electric switch (I believe 12VDC) turned on and I also turn on the switch inside (which I assume is propane) does one override the other. The manual is not clear.

Any help is appreciated and do expect more questions seeing as how I have very little in the way of documentation and the dealer actually did not do much of anything at the walk through.

Thanks in advance.

[Old-Biscuit]

Boon Docker wrote:
The switch inside the tank compartment would be the 120 VAC switch. The switch inside the trailer (power on light) is for the propane operation. Yes, you can operate on propane mode and 120 VAC mode at the same time.

There it is in a nutshell^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Electric has slowest recovery time to reheat water (1440W element)
Propane has a faster recovery time to reheat water (12ooobtu burner)
BOTH together is Fastest Recovery time


Make sure 120VAC on/off switch is OFF when WH Tank has no water in it
OFF.....or element will burn out
**Only turn on when you are sure WH Tank is filled

[dougrainer]

1. The inside switch with the LED light is for the LP operation
2. "some" Suburbans have a DUAL inside switch that one switch turns on the 120 element thru a relay at the Water Heater. But the switch will be labeled and you will have 2 ON/OFF switches
3. Suburbans with 120 elements ALWAYS have the ON/OFF 120 switch accessed from the outside below the Gas Valve. THAT switch MUST be ON for power to get to the heat Element regardless of any other controls
4. Some OEM's utilize a 120 wall switch INSIDE the RV that may or may NOT have a indicator light. You will have to talk to the OEM or your Dealership to verify what your particular model has.
5. YES, you can run both LP and 120 at the same time. Doug

[dougrainer]

wildtoad wrote:
I don’t think you WH will operate (heat water) on 12v DC, but does require it to operate.

Correct, there are NO RV 12 volt heat element Water Heaters. Doug

[wildtoad]

I don’t think you WH will operate (heat water) on 12v DC, but does require it to operate.

[BB_TX]

Just like Boon Docker says.

Mine has a Suburban SW10DE, one switch with light inside, and one switch outside on the WH. The inside switch is for WH propane operation. The switch outside on the WH is for 120 VAC operation.

And you can operate on both propane and electric simultaneously if you want faster recovery rate. Good if the weather, and therefore the incoming water, is cold.

[Boon_Docker]

The switch inside the tank compartment would be the 120 VAC switch. The switch inside the trailer (power on light) is for the propane operation. Yes, you can operate on propane mode and 120 VAC mode at the same time.

[2oldman]

Check the breaker panel for 'wh'