Water heater issue

[sdagro]

Having an issue with my water heater in my '12 CC 36RE. We average about 4-) weeks between camping trips. When we get set up I always let my outside shower run(both hot and cold) to get the air out of the lines. I always have hot water. I mean hot as if the water heater is on. Both switches are "always" turned off as DW does that part. Could my switches be reversed or upside down? Kinda concerned as I don't want the water heater to burn out if it is actually being left on. However it does work while we are camping with it in the on position. Could the tank be that we'll insulated that the water remains hot that long?? Should I turn water heater to off position and let outside shower run til it get cold then see what happens. Thanks I advance for any replies/suggestions. Steve A. Dagro

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by sdagro

Having an issue with my water heater in my '12 CC 36RE. We average about 4-) weeks between camping trips. When we get set up I always let my outside shower run(both hot and cold) to get the air out of the lines. I always have hot water. I mean hot as if the water heater is on. Both switches are "always" turned off as DW does that part. Could my switches be reversed or upside down? Kinda concerned as I don't want the water heater to burn out if it is actually being left on. However it does work while we are camping with it in the on position. Could the tank be that we'll insulated that the water remains hot that long?? Should I turn water heater to off position and let outside shower run til it get cold then see what happens. Thanks I advance for any replies/suggestions. Steve A. Dagro

Yes, a switch could be reversed/bad.

First off, we need some more details as to what brand/system you have in your RV. If it is a Suburban brand, does it have an electric heating element switch located on the front of the water heater?

When in use, do you heat your water by propane, or the electric heating element...or both.

If you do have a propane/electric water heater made by Suburban, this link may help to make sure you are using the switches correctly:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ore-36197.html

[sdagro]

It is a Suburban. Gas/electric. Only time we use gas is when it is cold and need to not run out of hot water. Leave switch on outside and control heater from 2 inside switches I my lighting panel

[BarryD0706]

Originally Posted by sdagro

It is a Suburban. Gas/electric. Only time we use gas is when it is cold and need to not run out of hot water. Leave switch on outside and control heater from 2 inside switches I my lighting panel

I have never heard of a switch inside for the electric element in a Suburban. Could you post a picture of those? I really think you need to be turning it off outside (as your evidence would suggest).

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by sdagro

It is a Suburban. Gas/electric. Only time we use gas is when it is cold and need to not run out of hot water. Leave switch on outside and control heater from 2 inside switches I my lighting panel

I'd pull the interior electric switch and check for power with switch in both on and off position and see if there's power present both ways on both sides of the switch.


Turbs

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by BarryD0706

I have never heard of a switch inside for the electric element in a Suburban. Could you post a picture of those? I really think you need to be turning it off outside (as your evidence would suggest).

I have the same.

I turn electric portion on and off inside

[Triguy]

Originally Posted by sdagro

... I always have hot water. I mean hot as if the water heater is on. Both switches are "always" turned off as DW does that part.

Steve,
Can you clarify something? Your first post said the water is always hot but both switches are turned off? Do you mean inside switches are off, because your second post indicates the issue...

Originally Posted by sdagro

It is a Suburban. Gas/electric. Only time we use gas is when it is cold and need to not run out of hot water. Leave switch on outside and control heater from 2 inside switches I my lighting panel

Here you tell us that the electric switch control (outside within the water heater) is on.

Maybe you have a faulty "electric" switch inside the trailer?

[BarryD0706]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

I have the same.

Well now I have heard of it! Thanks Turbs! Do you also leave the outside switch on? (IE, the two switches are in series instead of in parallel?)

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by BarryD0706

Well now I have heard of it! Thanks Turbs! Do you also leave the outside switch on? (IE, the two switches are in series instead of in parallel?)

I never touch the switch outside, it is always in the "on" position.

Only use inside switch for on / off

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

I'd pull the interior electric switch and check for power with switch in both on and off position and see if there's power present both ways on both sides of the switch.


Turbs

X2 on Ron's advice.

A lot of people will add an inside electric heating element switch for the Suburban water heaters, since most do not come equipped that way. There are several forum threads explaining this. Many of these people basically wire the inside switch so it controls the 120 volt outlet the water heater is plugged into. They leave the outside switch turned on, and just control the outlet plug with the inside switch. There are also other ways to do it too.

I would check the inside switch for the electric heating element and make sure it is even connected to anything. It's possible they used a control panel with an inside switch but didn't even wire it for an inside switch.

This switch, could also be bad (or wired wrong)...thus never turning the electric heating element off.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by wmtire

X2 on Ron's advice.

A lot of people will add an inside electric heating element switch for the Suburban water heaters, since most do not come equipped that way. There are several forum threads explaining this. Many of these people basically wire the inside switch so it controls the 120 volt outlet the water heater is plugged into. They leave the outside switch turned on, and just control the outlet plug with the inside switch. There are also other ways to do it too.

I would check the inside switch for the electric heating element and make sure it is even connected to anything. It's possible they used a control panel with an inside switch but didn't even wire it for an inside switch.

Now that's very possible that it has a switch on a panel they put in every unit but isn't functional.