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08-31-2015, 03:18 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 42
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Suburban SW6DE Water Heater No Power at Secondary Switch
I have the Suburban 6 Gallon Water Heater SW6DE installed on my Sabre 320 FQDS and am having trouble with the electric mode with my water heater. LP mode works fine.
I busted out my multi-meter and wire cutters/strippers and determined there is 120V AC at the water heater. However the secondary switch mounted on the front of the water heater has no power.
I don't have an internal wiring diagram of this heater, but I thought the thermostat and hi-cut off switches were downstream from the secondary switch. Is that the case? Any ideas what could be wrong?
Best Regards
James
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08-31-2015, 03:37 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Northeast Louisiana
Posts: 33,954
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jambr403
I have the Suburban 6 Gallon Water Heater SW6DE installed on my Sabre 320 FQDS and am having trouble with the electric mode with my water heater. LP mode works fine.
I busted out my multi-meter and wire cutters/strippers and determined there is 120V AC at the water heater. However the secondary switch mounted on the front of the water heater has no power.
I don't have an internal wiring diagram of this heater, but I thought the thermostat and hi-cut off switches were downstream from the secondary switch. Is that the case? Any ideas what could be wrong?
Best Regards
James
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Not sure exactly where you are measuring 120 AC voltage at, but if you have voltage at the element, then voltage is going thru the switch.
This FAQ may help, and has a schematic for the 120 volt side.
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ore-36197.html
The hi-limit thermostats, one for the electric, and one for the propane...are underneath the rubber covers (that you push to reset) as in the pic.
If the water is already hot inside the heater thru the propane/dsi...then you won't have power at the electric element, since the thermostat is open and not letting the circuit complete.
__________________
 2011 Flagstaff 831 RLBSS
A 72 hour hold in a psych unit is beginning to intrigue me as a potential vacation opportunity.
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08-31-2015, 03:44 PM
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#3
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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As with most sabres there's an interior electric switch and the switch on the wh.
Outside switch must be on in order to use the interior switch.
If outside switch is off then the interior one won't work either.
So as wmtire asked, where did u find power?
TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "24 nights"
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08-31-2015, 03:45 PM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 42
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There is no power at the secondary switch so the element is not getting power.
There is power at the tank but not at the secondary switch.
The secondary switch is in the lower left of your diagram covered by the propane manifold.
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08-31-2015, 03:47 PM
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#5
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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If the element isn't getting power then where did you find 120v @?
TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "24 nights"
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08-31-2015, 03:48 PM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 42
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Both switches on.
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08-31-2015, 03:49 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 42
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At the junction box into the water heater there is 120V power.
Inside that junction box there is another little black component that has the 120V positive going through, and two additional wires going into it (red/yellow I think).
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08-31-2015, 03:50 PM
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#8
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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So your getting 120v behind the wh in the junction box?
TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "24 nights"
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08-31-2015, 03:52 PM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TURBS
So your getting 120v behind the wh in the junction box?
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Yes I have power at the junction box.
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08-31-2015, 03:55 PM
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#10
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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Have you checked power at interior switch?
TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "24 nights"
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08-31-2015, 04:34 PM
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#11
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Northeast Louisiana
Posts: 33,954
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jambr403
There is no power at the secondary switch so the element is not getting power.
There is power at the tank but not at the secondary switch.
The secondary switch is in the lower left of your diagram covered by the propane manifold.
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Can I ask how you are measuring for 120 volt at the outside switch. You can't just measure 120 volts by touching both terminals on the switch. The switch just breaks the circuit . you have to measure for voltage by touching the terminal on one side of the switch and the other tester probe on a ground somewhere. Same thing when you test voltage on the other side of the switch.
If you do have an inside switch for the electric heating element in addition to the inside propane/dsi switch.....this inside switch is usually 12 volt (not 120 volt) and controls a relay that will be in the junction box. This relay then allows 120 volt power to the second switch in the front of the water heater.
Are you sure there are two inside switches for the water heater....or just one inside and one outside.
__________________
2011 Flagstaff 831 RLBSS
A 72 hour hold in a psych unit is beginning to intrigue me as a potential vacation opportunity.
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08-31-2015, 04:59 PM
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#12
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Northeast Louisiana
Posts: 33,954
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Just to add, if you do have two inside switches, the following link will take you to the frf library, where I uploaded the SW6DEL manual earlier this year. Figures 4 and 5 in the manual show the wiring schematics for the 12 volt to the relay and then the 120 volt past the relay.
Maybe that will help troubleshoot,
Forest River Forums - Downloads - Suburban SW6DEL, SW10DEL, SW12DEL, SW16DEL install
__________________
2011 Flagstaff 831 RLBSS
A 72 hour hold in a psych unit is beginning to intrigue me as a potential vacation opportunity.
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08-31-2015, 05:45 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TURBS
Have you checked power at interior switch?
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Yep, I have 12V DC coming out of the interior switch.
I think the little black box in the junction must be the power relay that the 12V interior switch controls. I'm going to try by-passing the 120V on that relay and see if that results in 120V on the secondary switch.
Thanks for helping me! I'll post back after I try my next round of experiments.
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08-31-2015, 06:02 PM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wmtire
Can I ask how you are measuring for 120 volt at the outside switch.
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I was placing the multi-meter probes between the two black wires connected to the switch  Doh! Can you suggest what to use as a ground? Would the white wire at the junction box work for that?
Thanks for the help and the link to the manual.
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08-31-2015, 06:02 PM
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#15
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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Ground to your water heater
TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "24 nights"
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08-31-2015, 07:03 PM
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#16
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TURBS
Ground to your water heater
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OK, I wasn't measuring voltage correctly.
I have 120V at the secondary switch.
I pressed both the LP and Electric reset switches on the HW tank and now I have the electric heater element working!
I killed the breaker on my hot water heater circuit without turning off the inside 12V lighted switch and it caused the left reset switch to trip. I thought the left one was for LP.
Does this sound normal? Flipping the breaker without turning off the lighted 12V inside switch causes the thermocouple reset switch to trip.
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08-31-2015, 07:04 PM
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#17
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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No you should be able to.
Same panel?
TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "24 nights"
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08-31-2015, 07:08 PM
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#18
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TURBS
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Yes, exactly the same panel.
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08-31-2015, 07:11 PM
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#19
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jambr403
Yes, exactly the same panel.
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I think red wires to hi limit switch is 12v and black wires to other for 120v
TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "24 nights"
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08-31-2015, 07:13 PM
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#20
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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12v right 120v left
TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "24 nights"
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Linear Mode
