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Old 07-10-2017, 08:54 PM   #21
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Hot water side, luke warm, then cold. Tried electric only, propane only, nothing. Now it won't light at all. Thanks for your time. 34 sats cedar creek.
Is this your first time to use it this year? Was it winterized last year?

If your crossover valve is still open from winterization, then you are allowing cold water over into the hot water line (thus lukewarm water).

Flip up the outside temperature and pressure relief lever again to see if the water inside the tank is still hot. If so, then your propane burner is not going to come on, as it doesn't need to, since the water in the tank is hot. You may have a water delivery problem, not a heating problem.

Check this thread out that we keep at the top of the plumbing section:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...st-103381.html
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Old 07-10-2017, 09:39 PM   #22
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First time yes, winterized last year yes. Hot water coming out of pop off valve, yes. So that I understand what I'm reading, ignitor won't light until it deems necessary. If hot water is in tank and coming out of pop off valve, then I possibly have a flow problem like you stated. And ignitor won't light and come on until it reaches a certain temperature, if bypass valve is still turned on, basically I'm just circulating cold water through the system. Thank you, will update in am.👍
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Old 07-11-2017, 07:21 AM   #23
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First time yes, winterized last year yes. Hot water coming out of pop off valve, yes. So that I understand what I'm reading, ignitor won't light until it deems necessary. If hot water is in tank and coming out of pop off valve, then I possibly have a flow problem like you stated. And ignitor won't light and come on until it reaches a certain temperature, if bypass valve is still turned on, basically I'm just circulating cold water through the system. Thank you, will update in am.��
As emboldened in red, you have a thermostat attached to the tank wall of your water heater. Actually you have two thermostats, one for the propane burner side and another for the electric heating element. This way you can use either heating source independently of the other.

The thermostats control the power to their respective heating source so that when the tank wall temp reaches 130 degrees the thermostat(s) will cut the power to their respective heating source. Once the tank temps falls to a certain temp below 130 degrees, caused either by using hot water or from just the temp falling from sitting in the tank and the outside temp.... then the thermostat(s) will close the circuit and then the respective heating source will once again power up until the temp reaches 130 degrees again.

Your water heater at your house works the same way.

Now, if the water in the tank is already heated (say from the electric heating element), then when you turn on the propane switch, the burner is NOT going to fire up since it doesn't need to. It's thermostat doesn't allow power, since there is no need. The water is already heated. Until the water temp falls enough inside the tank, the burner is not going to come on.

You need to check your winterization valves, especially the crossover one. This is most likely your problem and the reason you are getting cold water mixed in with the hot water.

Jennifer Terry with the Suburban company recently sent us over a quick users guide for the Suburban SWDE model water heater. You can find it here:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post1527587
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Old 07-11-2017, 08:50 AM   #24
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To go along with checking the crossover valve at the heater, check the outside shower setup. if the water is turned off at the spray head instead of the faucet valves, you can get the same effect as the winterizing cross over valve being open.
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Old 07-11-2017, 11:05 AM   #25
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Water heater

Update: drained water heater, started back over like I was opening it back up. Low and behold as previously noted, valves. Thank you guys for your time and attention. Gonna take a pic of valve setup this time around for future reference!👍👌🙏
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Old 07-25-2017, 08:46 AM   #26
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Second Electric Switch

What is the purpose of having two switches for the Electric Hot Water Tank? I keep forgetting to turn off the outside switch on the base of the tank. If my inside switch is off, but the outside is on, am I OK?
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Old 07-25-2017, 10:15 AM   #27
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What is the purpose of having two switches for the Electric Hot Water Tank? I keep forgetting to turn off the outside switch on the base of the tank. If my inside switch is off, but the outside is on, am I OK?
You have one switch for running on gas and one switch for running on electric. So forgetting to turn off the outside one can be an issue. "Most" of us have Suburban water heaters without an "L" in the model number, meaning that we only have the outside switch for electric.

People with an "L" in their model number also have an inside switch for their electric. The inside switch is 12VDC that energizes a relay at the water heater that turns on the 120VAC to the heater (provided the outside switch is also on). So if you do have the "L" in your model number, you should have two inside switches, one for gas and one for electric, plus the outside one for electric. If you don't have an "L" in your model number, you should only have one switch inside for gas and one outside switch for electric.

So if you don't have an "L" in your model number and you keep forgetting to turn off the outside switch, one of these days you may hook up to shore power with the water heater drained and you'll burn out the electric element in a few seconds.
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Old 07-25-2017, 10:29 AM   #28
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You have one switch for running on gas and one switch for running on electric. So forgetting to turn off the outside one can be an issue. "Most" of us have Suburban water heaters without an "L" in the model number, meaning that we only have the outside switch for electric.

People with an "L" in their model number also have an inside switch for their electric. The inside switch is 12VDC that energizes a relay at the water heater that turns on the 120VAC to the heater (provided the outside switch is also on). So if you do have the "L" in your model number, you should have two inside switches, one for gas and one for electric, plus the outside one for electric. If you don't have an "L" in your model number, you should only have one switch inside for gas and one outside switch for electric.

So if you don't have an "L" in your model number and you keep forgetting to turn off the outside switch, one of these days you may hook up to shore power with the water heater drained and you'll burn out the electric element in a few seconds.
Thank you!!! I'm not with my trailer (2018 Mini Lite 2506s)at the moment, but I can confirm that I have 3 switches - one electric on/off at the unit, and two inside - one for gas and one for electric. So I must have an "L" unit, so I guess I'm ok forgetting the switch. That said, I'll still try to be better and remember it.

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Old 07-25-2017, 10:32 AM   #29
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Thank you!!! I'm not with my trailer (2018 Mini Lite 2506s)at the moment, but I can confirm that I have 3 switches - one electric on/off at the unit, and two inside - one for gas and one for electric. So I must have an "L" unit, so I guess I'm ok forgetting the switch. That said, I'll still try to be better and remember it.

Remember: You're only OK forgetting the outside switch if you DON'T forget the inside switch!!
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Old 07-25-2017, 10:48 AM   #30
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Remember: You're only OK forgetting the outside switch if you DON'T forget the inside switch!!
Yup, inside switch is a no-brainer. Everything gets turned off there. For some reason, outside switch just seems to get lost on me. Out of site, out of mind I guess.
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Old 07-25-2017, 10:49 AM   #31
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My rig is like many if not most...outside switch for elec. element, inside switch for propane use and circuit breaker for electric element.

My routine is to only control the elec. heater element with the outside switch which is co-located with the city water inlet:

When hooking up, city water gets connected, pressure overflow valve is released to make sure the tank is full, then the outside switch is set to on.

When packing up, switch is set to off and city water is disconnected.

If I had another interior switch for the elec. element, it would remain on all the time.

If I had a desire to turn off the elec. element without going outside, I'd flip the breaker.
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Old 07-25-2017, 11:23 AM   #32
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My rig is like many if not most...outside switch for elec. element, inside switch for propane use and circuit breaker for electric element.

My routine is to only control the elec. heater element with the outside switch which is co-located with the city water inlet:

When hooking up, city water gets connected, pressure overflow valve is released to make sure the tank is full, then the outside switch is set to on.

When packing up, switch is set to off and city water is disconnected.

If I had another interior switch for the elec. element, it would remain on all the time.

If I had a desire to turn off the elec. element without going outside, I'd flip the breaker.
Well if you count the circuit breaker, then I have 3 switches for electric - outside at tank, control panel, and breaker panel. Here is a pic of my control panel.
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Old 07-25-2017, 11:52 AM   #33
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Easiest for me to shut off electrical element with the circuit breaker on a moving day. Always shut off at heater and inside breaker when winterizing. The outside switch seems counter intuitive being on when pushed in at the bottom. Always nice to use the electric side for free when included on a park's standard fee!!
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Old 07-25-2017, 12:37 PM   #34
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There's been a large debate on this forum about whether you should use the breaker as a switch. Some people (me included) don't think it's a big deal for the number of times I would turn it on/off. Others feel that any use of the breaker as a switch will weaken the breaker and make it fail sooner.

I didn't have an inside switch, but I also didn't like having to bend down to my breaker box, find the WH breaker and turn it on/off, so I added my own inside switch. See Post #13 here:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...-110742-2.html
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