Rockwood water heater question

Ralph Cramden wrote:

Somtimes Rockwood will install the switch in the knockout for the tank heater if they were not optioned. The switch will still illuminate, but its not connected otherwise. Every Rockwood i've ever been in newer than 2010 or so, including our 2017, has this inside switch for the electric side of the water heater in addition to the one inside the outside access panel of the water heater.

OK...
Dosen't have anything to do with OPs issue
They have been using electric for quite a while and then the electric quit working

two of the tt's we've had used suburban wh's, I added a switch inside the tt for both.
sometimes you want the heater on propane(ac off) even though 120 ac is hooked up, particularly if the ac supply is only 15 amp and you need to use other 120 volt appliances

Old-Biscuit wrote:

ACZL wrote:

Ralph Cramden wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Outside switch ON

SO it is a Suburban Water Heater....outside switch is for electric & inside switch is for propane
120V AC........Black wire
12V DC (propane)...Red wire

Suburban uses a simple wiring scheme for their 'standard' water heaters

120V AC
Individual Circuit Breaker feds AC Hot/Common to junction box on right side of tank looking at WH Tank from inside RV)
From Junction Box to ON/OFF switch (Black Wire)
From On/Off Switch AC Power goes to the set of T-stats (Left side Black Wire=----top t-stat is HI temp with manual Push to Reset)
From Set of T-stats AC Power goes to Element (Black Wire)

Neutral goes from element back to AC Power Panel (White Wire)

Rockwood uses Suburban heaters and always uses two switches, the one on the heater itself and another on the control panel inside marked water heater electric, usually a blue lighted annoying one beside the million candlepower annoying one that says water heater gas. Both the inside electric and the one on the heater need to be on.

Up until last w/e, the heater worked. Don't see how they could have smoked another element, plus the inside breaker didn't trip if they did. As for the using the 2 switches, IDK. She sent me a pic that showed 2 switches on inside control panel. 1 said water heater and the 2nd said tank heater. I was under the assumption that the 2nd switch was tank pad heater, but do not recall them getting a "cold climate" package.

When we had our Cedar Creek, I recall just turning on/off the switch at the tank. On for electric, off then flip switch on inside control panel for gas. Personally, I think they (or in this case she as she was in the RV couple days before hubby came) forgot how to do a couple things with the water heater being one of them. I would think by now (some 6 years later) that she would remember the "how to's".

Suburban OEM electric switch is in outside compartment....SOME RV MFGs do install an inside switch for electric (both would have to be ON) BUT not always and not in all models.

'Tank Heater' should be for heater pad(s) on waste tank/fresh water tank as part of a 'winter package'


Regardless....
The 120V AC circuit is easy to check.
First is check Hight Temp T-stat status (Push to Reset on rubber cover above gas valve---Left side for electric)
If tripped you have to manually reset -----reset button in middle of t-stat
If tripped no AC to element

With a voltmeter a simple test can be done at t-stat with switch ON.
Got AC Voltage there then check at element (under cover below/behind gas valve)
Got AC Voltage there...element bad


No AC Voltage at T-stat...junction box/check wiring

Somtimes Rockwood will install the switch in the knockout for the tank heater if they were not optioned. The switch will still illuminate, but its not connected otherwise. Every Rockwood i've ever been in newer than 2010 or so, including our 2017, has this inside switch for the electric side of the water heater in addition to the one inside the outside access panel of the water heater.

ACZL wrote:

Ralph Cramden wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Outside switch ON

SO it is a Suburban Water Heater....outside switch is for electric & inside switch is for propane
120V AC........Black wire
12V DC (propane)...Red wire

Suburban uses a simple wiring scheme for their 'standard' water heaters

120V AC
Individual Circuit Breaker feds AC Hot/Common to junction box on right side of tank looking at WH Tank from inside RV)
From Junction Box to ON/OFF switch (Black Wire)
From On/Off Switch AC Power goes to the set of T-stats (Left side Black Wire=----top t-stat is HI temp with manual Push to Reset)
From Set of T-stats AC Power goes to Element (Black Wire)

Neutral goes from element back to AC Power Panel (White Wire)

Rockwood uses Suburban heaters and always uses two switches, the one on the heater itself and another on the control panel inside marked water heater electric, usually a blue lighted annoying one beside the million candlepower annoying one that says water heater gas. Both the inside electric and the one on the heater need to be on.

Up until last w/e, the heater worked. Don't see how they could have smoked another element, plus the inside breaker didn't trip if they did. As for the using the 2 switches, IDK. She sent me a pic that showed 2 switches on inside control panel. 1 said water heater and the 2nd said tank heater. I was under the assumption that the 2nd switch was tank pad heater, but do not recall them getting a "cold climate" package.

When we had our Cedar Creek, I recall just turning on/off the switch at the tank. On for electric, off then flip switch on inside control panel for gas. Personally, I think they (or in this case she as she was in the RV couple days before hubby came) forgot how to do a couple things with the water heater being one of them. I would think by now (some 6 years later) that she would remember the "how to's".

Suburban OEM electric switch is in outside compartment....SOME RV MFGs do install an inside switch for electric (both would have to be ON) BUT not always and not in all models.

'Tank Heater' should be for heater pad(s) on waste tank/fresh water tank as part of a 'winter package'


Regardless....
The 120V AC circuit is easy to check.
First is check Hight Temp T-stat status (Push to Reset on rubber cover above gas valve---Left side for electric)
If tripped you have to manually reset -----reset button in middle of t-stat
If tripped no AC to element

With a voltmeter a simple test can be done at t-stat with switch ON.
Got AC Voltage there then check at element (under cover below/behind gas valve)
Got AC Voltage there...element bad


No AC Voltage at T-stat...junction box/check wiring

ACZL wrote:
I would think by now (some 6 years later) that she would remember the "how to's".

Not necessarily true. We've had our 5ver for 6 years now and my wife still didn't know how to turn on the hot water heater even though there's a red switch on the control panel right next to the door that says Water Heater/Electric.

Ralph Cramden wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Outside switch ON

SO it is a Suburban Water Heater....outside switch is for electric & inside switch is for propane
120V AC........Black wire
12V DC (propane)...Red wire

Suburban uses a simple wiring scheme for their 'standard' water heaters

120V AC
Individual Circuit Breaker feds AC Hot/Common to junction box on right side of tank looking at WH Tank from inside RV)
From Junction Box to ON/OFF switch (Black Wire)
From On/Off Switch AC Power goes to the set of T-stats (Left side Black Wire=----top t-stat is HI temp with manual Push to Reset)
From Set of T-stats AC Power goes to Element (Black Wire)

Neutral goes from element back to AC Power Panel (White Wire)

Rockwood uses Suburban heaters and always uses two switches, the one on the heater itself and another on the control panel inside marked water heater electric, usually a blue lighted annoying one beside the million candlepower annoying one that says water heater gas. Both the inside electric and the one on the heater need to be on.

Up until last w/e, the heater worked. Don't see how they could have smoked another element, plus the inside breaker didn't trip if they did. As for the using the 2 switches, IDK. She sent me a pic that showed 2 switches on inside control panel. 1 said water heater and the 2nd said tank heater. I was under the assumption that the 2nd switch was tank pad heater, but do not recall them getting a "cold climate" package.

When we had our Cedar Creek, I recall just turning on/off the switch at the tank. On for electric, off then flip switch on inside control panel for gas. Personally, I think they (or in this case she as she was in the RV couple days before hubby came) forgot how to do a couple things with the water heater being one of them. I would think by now (some 6 years later) that she would remember the "how to's".

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Outside switch ON

SO it is a Suburban Water Heater....outside switch is for electric & inside switch is for propane
120V AC........Black wire
12V DC (propane)...Red wire

Suburban uses a simple wiring scheme for their 'standard' water heaters

120V AC
Individual Circuit Breaker feds AC Hot/Common to junction box on right side of tank looking at WH Tank from inside RV)
From Junction Box to ON/OFF switch (Black Wire)
From On/Off Switch AC Power goes to the set of T-stats (Left side Black Wire=----top t-stat is HI temp with manual Push to Reset)
From Set of T-stats AC Power goes to Element (Black Wire)

Neutral goes from element back to AC Power Panel (White Wire)

Rockwood uses Suburban heaters and always uses two switches, the one on the heater itself and another on the control panel inside marked water heater electric, usually a blue lighted annoying one beside the million candlepower annoying one that says water heater gas. Both the inside electric and the one on the heater need to be on.

Sounds like she smoked the element again. They are available at any home center and hardware store. Get a socket while there and it is an easy job to replace.

Outside switch ON

SO it is a Suburban Water Heater....outside switch is for electric & inside switch is for propane
120V AC........Black wire
12V DC (propane)...Red wire

Suburban uses a simple wiring scheme for their 'standard' water heaters

120V AC
Individual Circuit Breaker feds AC Hot/Common to junction box on right side of tank looking at WH Tank from inside RV)
From Junction Box to ON/OFF switch (Black Wire)
From On/Off Switch AC Power goes to the set of T-stats (Left side Black Wire=----top t-stat is HI temp with manual Push to Reset)
From Set of T-stats AC Power goes to Element (Black Wire)

Neutral goes from element back to AC Power Panel (White Wire)

Brand and model?
Suburbans have two pairs of hi temp limit switches. But without a volt meter and the knowledge of how to use it she is probably SOL until she can find someone thst does know how.