How do you switch water heater to LP Gas from Electric

[seasure1]

Getting ready to try Dry Camping. Still new to me 2014 Georgetown with a Suburban 10 de water heater. Works fine on electric, how do I switch over to Propane. Do it automatically sense when no 110v is available.
Tried to read the owners manual that was no help

Thanks

[cfo111]

It should say auto no ? Unplug go out side by you ref and listed for it to try to light.

[CHICKDOE]

there are many sticky notes on how to operate these water heaters. wmtire has many informative posts on this subject. but real fast, they will operate on electric only, propane only, or both simultaneously. this of course assumes that both electric and propane are available. to operate on propane only, turn the electric switch on the face of the heater off. then go inside and turn on the propane switch. make sure it lights. if it does not light a fault indicator light will come on. to reset turn the gas switch off, wait a minute or so, and then turn the gas switch back on. you may have to do this a few times to get all the air out of the propane line. others have suggested lighting a stove burner to prime the line with propane.

[Blackrock]

Originally Posted by cfo111

It should say auto no ? Unplug go out side by you ref and listed for it to try to light.

He is asking about the water heater not the refrigerator.

[TitanMike]

Usually the RV's control panel will have a switch for "gas" or "electric".

At least that's the way mine is set up. Some may only have a switch for "Gas" and then the electric element is on whenever plugged into shore power or generator. If this is the case there will be a switch on the water heater that needs to be shut off when unit is winterized (drained). Having the electric element running at the same time as gas is not an issue. Yes, propane will be consumed but water heater will recover quicker when hot water is used.

[Scrapper]

Make sure your LP tank contains gas and slowly open the valve. If you open it too quick there is a safety valve that will automatically shut off the flow of gas. Water heaters default to LP, you must turn on a separate switch to heat with electric.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by Scrapper

Make sure your LP tank contains gas and slowly open the valve. If you open it too quick there is a safety valve that will automatically shut off the flow of gas. Water heaters default to LP, you must turn on a separate switch to heat with electric.

I have never heard of this. Most water heaters I've seen have a switch for LP and a switch for electricity. They don't default to anything. If you don't turn on one switch or the other, you get no hot water.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

I have never heard of this. Most water heaters I've seen have a switch for LP and a switch for electricity. They don't default to anything. If you don't turn on one switch or the other, you get no hot water.

OP states he has a Suburban 10DE. The switch on the panel turns on the gas side of the heater. If it's like any other DE water heater he needs to go to the outside cover to turn on the electric element. That is what I meant by defaults to LP. If OP has the Suburban 10DEL it has both gas and electric switch on the panel. Even with the DEL models most times when both switches on the LP will out perform the electric element.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by Scrapper

OP states he has a Suburban 10DE. The switch on the panel turns on the gas side of the heater. If it's like any other DE water heater he needs to go to the outside cover to turn on the electric element. That is what I meant by defaults to LP. If OP has the Suburban 10DEL it has both gas and electric switch on the panel.

So it defaults to LP if you turn on the LP switch...
and it defaults to electricity if you turn on the electricity switch.

I don't think that's the common use of the term "default". JMHO

[TominVegas]

I've posed this before, but this thread discusses the Suburban water heater models:

Check out WMTIRE's post in the forum re the Suburban water heater. It depends on the model of the water heater you have. Mine came with the SWDE model:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ng-185971.html

[Reverse_snowbird]

As stated... it depends on the model.

However, keep in mind that most have an electric start which means you need a battery to start both the water heater and refrigerator even when on propane. So you may need to run your generator.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by seasure1

a Suburban 10 de water heater. Works fine on electric, how do I switch over to Propane.

Since you stated in the OP that you have the SW10DE model, by default there should be two separate switches to control the two different modes of heating for your water heater....assuming the previous owner has not made any modifications. I don't think the 2014 Georgetown models were using the electronic control panels, which is where the controls can be on some newer model RV's.

The switch INSIDE the RV, controls the propane/DSI method of heating....and the switch OUTSIDE of the RV on the face of the water heater controls the 120 volt AC electric heating element.

This link that is also in the thread that TominVegas previously provided above should help explain it all, and how to use the two different modes of heating. We have had some members who actually have been using the propane method all along, mistakingly thinking they are using the electric heating element.

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

[cavie]

Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird

As stated... it depends on the model.

However, keep in mind that most have an electric start which means you need a battery to start both the water heater and refrigerator even when on propane. So you may need to run your generator.

You don't need to run the generator unless the battery is dead. The electric start is 12 volts.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Originally Posted by seasure1

Getting ready to try Dry Camping. Still new to me 2014 Georgetown with a Suburban 10 de water heater. Works fine on electric, how do I switch over to Propane. Do it automatically sense when no 110v is available.
Tried to read the owners manual that was no help

Thanks

"SHORT ANSWER": Go to WH panel outside. Shut OFF switch inside the panel (shuts off electric) Go inside and turn ON switch for water Heater LP (turns on LP gas) enjoy Hot Water.

[Larry0071]

Originally Posted by Scrapper

Make sure your LP tank contains gas and slowly open the valve. If you open it too quick there is a safety valve that will automatically shut off the flow of gas. Water heaters default to LP, you must turn on a separate switch to heat with electric.

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

I have never heard of this. Most water heaters I've seen have a switch for LP and a switch for electricity. They don't default to anything. If you don't turn on one switch or the other, you get no hot water.

Originally Posted by Scrapper

OP states he has a Suburban 10DE. The switch on the panel turns on the gas side of the heater. If it's like any other DE water heater he needs to go to the outside cover to turn on the electric element. That is what I meant by defaults to LP. If OP has the Suburban 10DEL it has both gas and electric switch on the panel. Even with the DEL models most times when both switches on the LP will out perform the electric element.

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

So it defaults to LP if you turn on the LP switch...
and it defaults to electricity if you turn on the electricity switch.

I don't think that's the common use of the term "default". JMHO

Originally Posted by wmtire

Since you stated in the OP that you have the SW10DE model, by default there should be two separate switches to control the two different modes of heating for your water heater....assuming the previous owner has not made any modifications. I don't think the 2014 Georgetown models were using the electronic control panels, which is where the controls can be on some newer model RV's.

The switch INSIDE the RV, controls the propane/DSI method of heating....and the switch OUTSIDE of the RV on the face of the water heater controls the 120 volt AC electric heating element.

This link that is also in the thread that TominVegas previously provided above should help explain it all, and how to use the two different modes of heating. We have had some members who actually have been using the propane method all along, mistakingly thinking they are using the electric heating element.

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

I agree. There is no "default". On mine, same heater, there is a rocker switch outside, under the water heater cover, bottom left corner. That is the ON/OFF for electric heat. Make sure you have the breaker powered on inside your rig if you want to turn this on.

Or... I can go into my bathroom where the control panel is for water that has the 12V pump ON/OFF, water level meters, and LP water heater ON/OFF. If you want LP hot water, this would where that is manually turned on/off.

Make sure that your water heater is full before activating one of these options.

By saying default, what would happen if I turned on both the LP switch inside and the AC power heating element switch outside and I had the tanks open and I had shore power plugged in? What would heat the water and what would not? Would they both heat the water at the same time? Would one truly take the default position and actually deactivate the other entirely?

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by Larry0071

By saying default, what would happen if I turned on both the LP switch inside and the AC power heating element switch outside and I had the tanks open and I had shore power plugged in? What would heat the water and what would not? Would they both heat the water at the same time? Would one truly take the default position and actually deactivate the other entirely?

Each mode of heating is controlled by it's own thermostat(s). These thermostats are underneath the black rubber cover on the face of the water heater (accessed from outside the RV). By having separate thermostats, this allows each method/mode of heating to operate independent of the other.

If you will notice in the pic below, there are two thermostat assemblies bolted up to the tank wall to sense the heat of the water. The one on the left goes to the 120 volts AC electric heating element, and the one on the right goes to the 12 volt DC propane/dsi.

You may also notice that each assembly has actually two thermostats to it. The bottom thermostat is the normal operating one which opens the circuit (turns off the power/circuit going thru it) when it senses the tank temperature is 130 degrees. It closes (turns on the power/circuit) when the tank temperature falls to a certain temp...thus starting the heating process again.

Each assembly also has an Emergency Cut Off (ECO) hi-limit thermostat on the top. The is in place should the normal thermostat fail and not shut off the heating circuit. This ECO will open at around 160 degrees, and is a safety feature so you don't get scalded. If for some reason this ECO thermostat trips, it will not reset itself. You have to manually push in the reset button to it, which you will see the word "RESET" on the rubber cover over the thermostat assemblies. Sometimes these ECO's do trip, and you have to reset such.

Now to answer your question about what happens if you turn both switches on. If the water temp inside the tank is low enough, then both modes of heating thermostats will close, allowing both modes to simultaneously come on and heat the water. So the electric heating element and the propane burner will both be heating the water at the same time.


Many RV'ers turn both modes on when they are going to be using a lot of hot water (ie many showers in succession) so that the water heater can recover quicker to provide hot water.

[Dodge Guy]

On my 2012 there is a 110 electric switch on the outside in the water heater compartment. On the inside on the control panel is the LP water heater switch. Now I know on some later ones there may be both switches on he control panel. All you do is turn on the one you want. I'm always on electric sites so I'm always using the electric side.

Note: if you are leaving the electric switch on that is a bad idea! If the water heater runs dry the element will burn out. Always turn the electric off when you are done With your trip. I turn mine on when I get to the site. When the time comes to head home I turn it off.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by Larry0071

By saying default, what would happen if I turned on both the LP switch inside and the AC power heating element switch outside and I had the tanks open and I had shore power plugged in? What would heat the water and what would not? Would they both heat the water at the same time? Would one truly take the default position and actually deactivate the other entirely?

One more thing I should have added to post #16 above.


IIRC, each thermostat has a different low point of a few degrees. What this is, is at what temp the thermostat actually closes to allow the heating mode to take place.


The electric heating element thermostat has a low point of a few degrees more than the propane/dsi.


Why this matters is say you have both switches/heating modes on. They will both heat the water until their thermostats sense the temp is 130 degrees and they both turn off/open. Now as the tank is just sitting there and the water is naturally cooling inside the tank, when the temp falls low enough the thermostats will close again to allow the heating to begin again. Since the electric heating elements low point is a few degrees higher, it will come on first, thus heating the water first and not needing the propane to, thus the propane/dsi thermostat stays open.


However if you deplete the hot water quickly (as in showering) then the tank temp will fall low enough, quick enough, that both modes thermostats will close and allow both to heat the water again.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by Dodge Guy

On my 2012 there is a 110 electric switch on the outside in the water heater compartment. On the inside on the control panel is the LP water heater switch. Now I know on some later ones there may be both switches on he control panel. All you do is turn on the one you want. I'm always on electric sites so I'm always using the electric side.

Note: if you are leaving the electric switch on that is a bad idea! If the water heater runs dry the element will burn out. Always turn the electric off when you are done With your trip. I turn mine on when I get to the site. When the time comes to head home I turn it off.

Have you ever seen or heard of a water heater running dry without the operator knowing/causing it? Asking for a friend.

[Larry0071]

Originally Posted by wmtire

Now to answer your question about what happens if you turn both switches on. If the water temp inside the tank is low enough, then both modes of heating thermostats will close, allowing both modes to simultaneously come on and heat the water. So the electric heating element and the propane burner will both be heating the water at the same time.


Many RV'ers turn both modes on when they are going to be using a lot of hot water (ie many showers in succession) so that the water heater can recover quicker to provide hot water.

Awesome information. Thank you! I would have never thought to enable both heating systems at once. I appreciate your clear and detailed response with great information and learning.