Water Heater

SW10DM

The switch in the outside compartment is the Suburban OEM ON/OFF swithc for electric element

120V AC from a circuit breaker goes to that switch (in series with any RV MFG. added switch) via Black hot wire then to the high temp t-stat (top one...resettable) then to normal temp t-stat via wire connector and then to element. Thru element and back to main panel via common white wire


The OEM on/off switch is just a snap in toggle switch and common problem due to location/exposure.

Gas side works cause it is ALL DC and separate system
Electric is ALL AC.....bad switch.

Those switches are basic ****. Take it out and bypass it. Saves you a lot of time down the road. Went thru all this last year with my 2005 Suburban water heater. After two temp sensor packs, countless new wires and two elements I finally just bought a totally new water heater. Hour later I had a brand new working water heater.

I believe if the rocker on/off switch won't move I would start there. I carry an extra but Have not yet had to use it. Hopefully it will stay that way.
switch

j-d wrote:

rk911 wrote:
...bad thermal cutoff (TC) essentially a fusible link that protects the heater from a flashback....

Above info and picture are for an Atwood water heater. OP says his is Suburban. They don't use that fusible link. Maybe should, but they don't.

OP - Can you furnish the Model of this Suburban? Should be visible from outside, lower right corner of the mounting frame.

oops...posted this to the wrong thread. sorry.

rk911 wrote:
...bad thermal cutoff (TC) essentially a fusible link that protects the heater from a flashback....

Above info and picture are for an Atwood water heater. OP says his is Suburban. They don't use that fusible link. Maybe should, but they don't.

OP - Can you furnish the Model of this Suburban? Should be visible from outside, lower right corner of the mounting frame.

we have the same water heater (WH) and had the same problem on our spring trip. long story short the problem for us was a bad thermal cutoff (TC) essentially a fusible link that protects the heater from a flashback. the water heater can operate without the TC but if the TC is bad it should be replaced. it is easily removed for testing and bypassed if needed.

check out the photo below which shows the location of the thermal cutoff. your WH should be exactly the same.

- be sure both the electric and LP switches to the WH are off

- note where the TC is connected at both ends. there should be a brown wire running from the control board to the right end of the TC. carefully remove it...it's held in place by push-on connectors. the other (left) end of the TC is connected by another push-on connector to the BRN TSTAT terminal. carefully remove the TC from that terminal.

- using a Volt-Ohm meter check for continuity like you would a fuse. if continuity is present then replace the TC as this is not your problem but if continuity is missing then just replace the TC.

- to bypass the now removed TC simply connect the brown wire from the control board to the BRN TSTAT terminal.

your water heater should now function properly. replacement TCs can be found at RV parts dealers or online. they run a couple of dollars each. I now carry a spare in my toolbox.

good luck.

Thanks JD, I've got some options for today. I will post results when I get there. Thanks everyone

I was convinced the Element in our Suburban SW6DE Water Heater. I must have mis-tested it. What it turned out to be, was the NEUTRAL wire, from the Water Heater back to the Breaker Panel ("Load Center") was open at a connection.

You can test for this at the Element. If the Element is GOOD, the Black Wire side should show HOT (120 VAC), but the White side should NOT. If (again with Good Element), Both sides of the Element Connections show HOT, that means the Neutral is OPEN, and it won't heat in Electric Mode.

Thanks Dick, ours access is quite good. I can get to most of the things quite easily so I will try the little black switch on the bottom left and start tracing wires. I'm not surprised as this unit is getting some age. Kinda like myself, starting to replace parts haha.
Thanks again.