Water Heater Toggle Switch

[sas7001]

Trying to figure out the purpose for the on/off toggle attached to the water heater accessed from outside, and the on/off 'Water Heater' toggle on the inside control panel. Someone told me the inside controls the propane and the outside controls the electric. 2006 Lexington 283.

[PopFla]

Originally Posted by sas7001

Someone told me the inside controls the propane and the outside controls the electric. 2006 Lexington 283.

Someone was absolutely correct. Why Suburban water heaters are set up that way escapes logic. Many folks leave that switch turned on and use the circuit breaker inside the coach to activate/deactivate the electric heating element.

[TacomaJoe]

I didn't know there was a switch on the outside. I've always controlled the AC with the circuit breaker and the LP with the switch on the control panel.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by sas7001

Trying to figure out the purpose for the on/off toggle attached to the water heater accessed from outside, and the on/off 'Water Heater' toggle on the inside control panel. Someone told me the inside controls the propane and the outside controls the electric. 2006 Lexington 283.

Sounds like you have the Suburban SWDE water heater. This thread link below will fully explain the switches and operation of this:

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...tml#post327988

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by PopFla

Someone was absolutely correct. Why Suburban water heaters are set up that way escapes logic. Many folks leave that switch turned on and use the circuit breaker inside the coach to activate/deactivate the electric heating element.

Here’s MY logic for wanting it that way. I’m in my 5er 90-115 nights per year and always in sites with electricity. When I arrive at a campsite, attach my water hose from the campground water faucet to my trailer, I’m standing 4’ from my water heater and its outside switch. I turn that switch ON and leave it on until I leave - usually ~ 2weeks later. When I break camp and unhook my water hose, I turn that outside switch OFF since I’m standing next to it.

[PopFla]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

When I arrive at a campsite, attach my water hose from the campground water faucet to my trailer, I’m standing 4’ from my water heater and its outside switch. I turn that switch ON and leave it on until I leave - usually ~ 2weeks later. When I break camp and unhook my water hose, I turn that outside switch OFF since I’m standing next to it.

In my case, the water heater is on the opposite side of the coach. Like many other things with these rigs, what works well with one model may be inconvenient with a different model.

[BobHanke]

FYI: The outside switch on Suburban water heaters is a "rocker switch".

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by PopFla

In my case, the water heater is on the opposite side of the coach. Like many other things with these rigs, what works well with one model may be inconvenient with a different model.

So your “escapes logic” only applies to your opposite side configuration?

[lewisra]

I turn my electric "rocker" switch on at the begin of season and off at the end. Is there a reason switch it off every time I move? I don't drain it until end of season.

[KyDan]

Originally Posted by lewisra

I turn my electric "rocker" switch on at the begin of season and off at the end. Is there a reason switch it off every time I move? I don't drain it until end of season.

Not really. I left mine on for some time and it stuck on. This is common with that switch. Some folks change out the stuck switch and some (myself included) just use the circuit breaker to turn it off. As long as you don't drain the tank I see no reason to turn it off when moving.
My 2¢ (others may say "oh you'll wear out your circuit breaker" but I've never had a problem and circuit breakers are cheap and easy to replace but I've never had to do it!)


Happy Trails!

[K_M_H]

It's super-inconvenient for us too. Our city water connection is located on the back of the coach. Even if we're filling the water tank, which is right next to the water heater, one of us needs to go inside the coach to turn on the water pump to fill the water heater first so we don't burn up the element. Granted, we don't drain the water heater in between camping trips, but better safe than sorry. Also, if you turn on both the electric element and the gas and forget, the water gets ridiculously hot. Experience is a great teacher in that case.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by K_M_H

Also, if you turn on both the electric element and the gas and forget, the water gets ridiculously hot. Experience is a great teacher in that case.

This shouldn't happen, it sounds like you may have a faulty/loose thermostat on either the propane or electric element mode of heating (there are two thermostat assemblies on a Suburban water heater)





You may want to remove the plastic/rubber cover (which has reset printed on it) over the thermostat assemblies, then make sure both are snug against the tank wall (see the middle bolt on both assemblies?). If one is loose and is not making good contact with the tank wall (sometimes rust forms behind it too), then it may heat up higher than it should before opening the t'stat and cutting power to the heating source.

The left thermostat assembly goes to the electric heating element mode, and the right goes to the propane mode. These two separate/independent thermostat assemblies is what allows the electric heating element and propane burner modes of heating to operate totally independent of one another....and why you can have one or both turned on at the same time. BOTH thermostats are "supposed" to open up (cut off power) when they sense the tank wall get to around 130 degrees. If one mode of heating is perhaps getting as you say"ridiculously hot"...then it is failing or not making good contact with the tank wall.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by lewisra

I turn my electric "rocker" switch on at the begin of season and off at the end. Is there a reason switch it off every time I move? I don't drain it until end of season.

As we see above, we don’t all have the exact same situation. When I’m home between trips (5 to 15 days), my trailer is plugged in to a 50 amp outlet. I don’t need/want any degree of hot water - don’t need/want the water heater using electricity. At my age, I’d rather flip that outside rocker switch than to get on my knees to throw the breaker barely above floor level.

[K_M_H]

Originally Posted by wmtire

This shouldn't happen, it sounds like you may have a faulty/loose thermostat on either the propane or electric element mode of heating (there are two thermostat assemblies on a Suburban water heater)
-- Snip! --

Thanks for that. For some reason the whole "thermostat could be faulty" thing had completely slipped my mind. Probably has something to do with working from home, trying to manage a toddler and a Catahoula puppy at the same time. I'm really glad it didn't overheat while I was at the site.

[emm-dee]

In my 30 amp Forester there are only a few AC power items. AC, microwave and water heater are the big amp hogs. Assuming the fridge is on AC and the converter is doing its thing I can easily run two of the three large draw items simultaneously. Running all three at once usually results in a tripped main breaker. So, in order to not have to turn stuff on/off all the time I leave the electric heat off except when it’s shower time.

FWIW, the water electric is controlled with a inside controller (one control panel touch screen).

[MR.M]

Had the outside rocker switch but that switch is a weak point and fails a lot . So when mine failed i bypassed in and installed lighted switch inside . Now i can see when it's no or off and turn it on or off anytime with out going outside and removing water heater cover . some surburbans have have an electric switch inside along with the one outside . right next to the propane switch so every unit is different and even same models from one year to the next can be set up completely different.