Replacing Suburban with Atwood water heater

[Hukmut]

Hi there! My neighbor has a Salem 36 BHBS with a leaking hot water tank. His relative gave him a known working Atwood water heater. The problem, besides the obvious installation issues, is connecting the electrical. As I have been the "lucky" one to have been chosen to hook up this "ratsnest" of cobbled up wires, I am in desperate need of some education/information. I have cleared out the "ratsnest" of chopped up wires and am now left with the basics. Now, since the Suburban wiring color code is different from the Atwood wires, I am at a loss as to which wire goes where. AND, I confess, I am terminally electrically challenged.
By the way, I am the third person to be handed this task. They have not bathed in over a week. It has to end with me fixing it.
Please, is there anyone out there who can help me?
Thank you all for your help.

[llr]

I would think they would both have installation manuals online. comparing the 2 should answer the questions

[Hukmut]

Been there, did that. Thanks for your reply anyway.☺

[Scrapper]

Just some advice here.
1) Anytime you are replacing something you should take pics before removing anything.
2) If you cannot take pics, make a drawing of any wires, pipes, etc.
3) Label with masking tape or anything suitable with a permanent marker. This goes for pics or drawings.
4) After doing the above then you can throw any scraps of cut wires, wood or trash.

I had to do this when replacing parts with instructions written in foreign languages, saved a lot of headaches.

Here are the installation and service manuals for both brands of water heaters. Hope they help.

[Hukmut]

That is all well and good but as I was nowhere near this situation until 2 other people gave up, well, pictures are are something hung on the wall.
Thank you, scrapper, for the sound advice.

[Hukmut]

I downloaded the service manuals for both of the water heaters. Unfortunately, the information did not correspond with what I am seeing under the counter where the heater is. This is so frustrating. I am trying to help these poor folks out and it is killing me.

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by Hukmut

Hi there! My neighbor has a Salem 36 BHBS with a leaking hot water tank. His relative gave him a known working Atwood water heater. The problem, besides the obvious installation issues, is connecting the electrical. As I have been the "lucky" one to have been chosen to hook up this "ratsnest" of cobbled up wires, I am in desperate need of some education/information. I have cleared out the "ratsnest" of chopped up wires and am now left with the basics. Now, since the Suburban wiring color code is different from the Atwood wires, I am at a loss as to which wire goes where. AND, I confess, I am terminally electrically challenged.
By the way, I am the third person to be handed this task. They have not bathed in over a week. It has to end with me fixing it.
Please, is there anyone out there who can help me?
Thank you all for your help.

STOP!

I suggest for everyone's safety that you stop where you are and call in a mobile RV repair guy like it happened last week.

[Hukmut]

Hey, that works for me! And I know just the guy. Just gotta get the cash. I mean you don't do your own dentistry, or your own surgery, you call an expert. I knew that! I am just the "fixit flunky"! The handy neighbor. Now, where is my phone?
Thank you all for your efforts in this matter. I really do appreciate you!

[Canuckshaw]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

STOP!

Isn't that, often, the best advise one can give.

[jkoenig24]

Great links Scrapper!

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by Hukmut

Hi there! My neighbor has a Salem 36 BHBS with a leaking hot water tank. His relative gave him a known working Atwood water heater. The problem, besides the obvious installation issues, is connecting the electrical. As I have been the "lucky" one to have been chosen to hook up this "ratsnest" of cobbled up wires, I am in desperate need of some education/information. I have cleared out the "ratsnest" of chopped up wires and am now left with the basics. Now, since the Suburban wiring color code is different from the Atwood wires, I am at a loss as to which wire goes where. AND, I confess, I am terminally electrically challenged.
By the way, I am the third person to be handed this task. They have not bathed in over a week. It has to end with me fixing it.
Please, is there anyone out there who can help me?
Thank you all for your help.

Sounds to me as if your knowledge and experience make you the PERFECT man for the job. I have found too much knowledge is dangerous!

[Swampy]

Originally Posted by Hukmut

Hi there! My neighbor has a Salem 36 BHBS with a leaking hot water tank. His relative gave him a known working Atwood water heater. The problem, besides the obvious installation issues, is connecting the electrical. As I have been the "lucky" one to have been chosen to hook up this "ratsnest" of cobbled up wires, I am in desperate need of some education/information. I have cleared out the "ratsnest" of chopped up wires and am now left with the basics. Now, since the Suburban wiring color code is different from the Atwood wires, I am at a loss as to which wire goes where. AND, I confess, I am terminally electrically challenged.
By the way, I am the third person to be handed this task. They have not bathed in over a week. It has to end with me fixing it.
Please, is there anyone out there who can help me?
Thank you all for your help.

If you are determined to replace it yourself, I suggest you start over using a multimeter and the wiring. Verify with the meter whether you are working on the 120V or the 12V wiring system. Read the wiring diagrams from the installation manuals (forget about all the different colors of the wire insulation and go by what the meter tells you. Without before and after pictures I would suggest you use some paper masking tape & that you label what is each wire. In general, the 120V is used on the back side of the Atwood for the heating element. The 12 V must go to the control module and ignitor on the front side of the heater. I'll assume you can figure out where the propane line goes on the front side and the cold & hot water pipes attach on the rear. There are a couple of overtemperature emergency cut off fuses in the middle of the front side. Those shoud be in place and indicating closed with your multimeter. If the clear plastic cover is melted, suspect the fuses have blown open and you probably need to swab out the burner tube to rid mud daubers and spider webs. (most common cause for a backfire.) If everything tests out OK, check from the wall control switches to the heater. Do not run the heater without first filling the tank with water...you will burn out the electric element very quickly and on propane, you can cause the thermal emergency Cut out fuses to blow.Those fuse are set for 190 degF.

Good Luck on the install............. Swampy

[Jack Larson]

Glad you stopped when you did, you could have ended up like the "here hold my beer guy."