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Old 08-31-2015, 05:29 PM   #1
hht
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Question Slow Heating Suburban Water Heater

I have a Suburban SW6DE water heater that I have a question, on but was unable to post it in the appropriate section, so I'll try here:
My trailer is parked in a permanent location, and exclusively on propane. My water heater used to work great, really fast hot water, like maybe 10 minutes. This past winter it was taking *forever* to heat a 6 gallon tank of water.... as long as 35-40 minutes! I took it apart and cleaned everything and flushed the tank. None of that helped at all. Does anyone have any thoughts on what the problem could be? I really don't want to buy a new heater, because this should be fixable, somehow. Thanks!
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Old 08-31-2015, 05:47 PM   #2
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Out of curiosity have you tried electric?
Btw there is no "specific" water heater forum.
35 40 minutes is not that long if water was @ room temp.

Was you in the library or files section trying to post?

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Old 08-31-2015, 05:56 PM   #3
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I am *way* off grid on solar, so propane only.
This heater used to heat water very fast, as I said.....10 minutes.
I first noticed the l-o-n-g wait time for hot water last winter. This is something new and different. I will be going south in November so hope to have either an answer or a new heater by then.
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Old 08-31-2015, 06:00 PM   #4
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I never had hot water that quick.
That being said Is your hw by pass valves all turned fully?
Are your outside shower knobs turned on slightly allowing cold to mix with hot in either case?

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Old 08-31-2015, 06:05 PM   #5
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I have never touched the bypass valves season to season, so I assume they are where they always were, but I will check.
No, outside shower knobs are always off. I am on water catchment in the desert where the trailer is, so rain water is hoarded in above ground tanks, and we never let any water be wasted ;-)
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Old 08-31-2015, 06:06 PM   #6
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Turbs, Do you have the same water heater that I do? The Suburban SW6DE 6 gallon?
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Old 09-01-2015, 11:52 AM   #7
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Perhaps you could write to

Suburban 6 Gallon Water Heater SW6DE - $329.99

and ask what the normal time frame is for your heater? I have included a link for you - you may have to copy and paste. Sorry about that. Good luck!
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Old 09-01-2015, 12:06 PM   #8
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On a side note, usually plumbing general questions for RV non model specific questions are posted in the plumbing section located here:

Plumbing and Water Systems & Fixtures - Forest River Forums

I will move this entire thread to that location in short order.

However, if you are trying to post a question in the "water heater" FAQ section, those threads are not open for posting, questioning, etc....and state such in the description. The site team takes relevant and helpful posts from the other threads in these forums, and places them in the FAQ section to better help the members.

Forest River FAQs (3 Viewing)
FAQs and links to discussions covering the most common topics for Forest River RV owners. This section is closed to new posts to preserve the information.
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Old 09-01-2015, 12:17 PM   #9
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What does the flame sound like when it's lit? Is it the same as before you started having problems?

Do the stove and oven flames look the same as before.

It could be that spiders or mud daubers have built in the burner or heat exchanger tubes.
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Old 09-01-2015, 12:21 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hht View Post
I have a Suburban SW6DE water heater that I have a question, on but was unable to post it in the appropriate section, so I'll try here:
You may have been trying to post the FAQ section, and only moderators can move threads to that. I have moved your thread to this forum (Plumbing and Water Systems & Fixtures).

Edit: Whoops, wmtire beat me to it.
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Old 09-01-2015, 12:59 PM   #11
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I'll go with what Bama Rambler said. Need to check the burner and make sure you don't have any of those little spiders that love those locations so much. Do a visual on the flame if possible and see if it's blue or lots of yellow. If not blue, that's your problem. Clean the tube and then check the orifices on the burner itself. I'm with you - my old RV had a 6 gallon Suburban and I got hot water really quick when I turned it on. Sure do miss it now that I have the new fangled demand type in the new RV!
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Old 09-01-2015, 02:26 PM   #12
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Water heater

I do t have any fix ideas, but I do have a brand new in the box 10 gallon suburban propane only heater. I also have a brand new outside door for it. I can even ship it for you very cheap. Let me know if interested.
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Old 09-01-2015, 03:10 PM   #13
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Hey all, thanks for the suggestions. Re: the flame, after I cleaned it it was mostly blue again, but a little bit of yellow, still. I cleaned the burner tube and everything I could get at. There was a lot of rusty scale and rust dust that came out. When I flushed the tank a lot of junk came out, too, so thought when I fired it up again I would have nice fast hot water again. I was very disappointed when it was still very slow :-(
I am likely going to end up with a new water heater.
medicron, I only have room for a 6 gallon water heater, but thanks anyway.
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Old 09-01-2015, 06:40 PM   #14
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Check the propane pressure regulator. Had to replace mine due to the fridge not cooling low enough and the water heater did not have a good flame.
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Old 09-02-2015, 07:43 AM   #15
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Buying a new heater may not solve your problem. I'm not sure a new heater will heat water as fast as you're wanting it to.

Before buying a new heater, I'd suggest cleaning the heater tank again. This time either buy or rig up a rinser and work on getting any buildup off the exchanger. If there's buildup on the exchanger tube, it'll insulate the heat from the water and it'll take longer to heat up.
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Old 09-02-2015, 07:45 AM   #16
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I'd investigate the propane regulator as mentioned.
Obviously something is amiss.


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Old 09-02-2015, 08:10 AM   #17
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Couple things; I have that model heater and mine does heat that quick on propane only. Second, you say you never fiddled with the bypass valves. So, unless you just use the blow out method during winterization, I suggest you re-visit the correct valve positions and when in use, feel the HW tube to make sure they didn't fail. The last thing I can think of, is abnormal amount of sediment in the tank, causing an insulation effect during the heating process.

One quick way, but you need heavy gloves, is to cycle the tank as you would normally expect it to heat and draw the hot water from the blow off valve, at the approx time you use to have hot water. It has threads, so std NPS pipe will screw into it, so you don't have splatter. That way you will know if it is a tank, or piping delivery issue. Just sayin'
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Old 09-02-2015, 08:37 AM   #18
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The Member is Catching Rainwater for use,so I doubt he is Flushing out his Tank properly! He has yet to say how the A-rod looks when he removes it. How many A-rods has been used in this heater? My money is on a Scale Buildup issue in the Tank. Youroo!!
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Old 09-13-2015, 01:05 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hht View Post
I have a Suburban SW6DE water heater that I have a question, on but was unable to post it in the appropriate section, so I'll try here:
My trailer is parked in a permanent location, and exclusively on propane. My water heater used to work great, really fast hot water, like maybe 10 minutes. This past winter it was taking *forever* to heat a 6 gallon tank of water.... as long as 35-40 minutes! I took it apart and cleaned everything and flushed the tank. None of that helped at all. Does anyone have any thoughts on what the problem could be? I really don't want to buy a new heater, because this should be fixable, somehow. Thanks!
I just returned from a trip to the Black Hills in South Dakota. While in an RV park in Custer, my hot water quickly ran out while taking a shower. I called my selling dealer M&G Trailer Ranch in Clute Texas. Oscar the Technician returned my call. After discussing all the factors Oscar determined the ice cold water coming out of the faucet was too cold for my water heater to overcome. Oscar suggested running the electric and propane system in the water heater at the same time, and take a quicker shower. Oscar's suggestion worked well. Thanks Oscar for all the help. John
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