Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Keystone RV Forums > Keystone Tech Forums > Repairs & Maintenance
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 04-27-2010, 03:48 PM   #1
GBHRPS
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
Posts: 58
Water Heater Ooops!

Last fall's winterizing caught up to me this week. Getting ready for our first trip this season and I discover that our water heater will not work on 110 volts, but will on propane.

Research online tells me that when I drained the water heater with the trailer hooked up to the house AC, I failed to turn off the switch to the electric heater element. I didn't know there even was a switch, for it hidden down under the gas line in the lower left corner of the unit. Consequently, without water surrounding the element to cool it, the element destroyed itself.
(Wouldn't you know that the manual for the water heater was the only manual missing when we purchased our used trailer.)

Our unit is a Suburan SW6DE, basically a 6 gallon direct ignition (for the gas) and electric (110 volts) two way water heater. So I downloaded the service manual from the web, skipped to the 110 volt electrical operation section and dove in.

The test procedure for the heater element is to remove the cover over the element's wiring, and using a digital meter, check for 10 ohms across the element's connections. Mine was 1.8 ohms and definitely burned out.

Armed with the make and model number of my water heater I was off to a local trailer supply store and got a replacement for around $20, taxes and all.
This new unit registered 10.6 ohms. (Must be good!)

Back home and with a one and a half inch socket I removed the old element and installed the new one. Problem solved.

For those of you with dual propane/electric water heaters .... be sure that electrical switch under the outside door of the water heater is turned off BEFORE you drain the water tank. As for making this repair yourself, it is a fairly easy DIY if there ever was one. Good Luck!

Gene
__________________
2004 Cougar 285
2003 GMC 2500HD CCSB stock,
except for Bully Dog Power Pup Level 2
GBHRPS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2010, 05:28 PM   #2
Flyguy
Senior Member
 
Flyguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 863
Well done! That's exactly the spirit that's necessary to own and maintain an RV; if you try to pawn off every problem to a dealer you will find that the RV is unaffordable, that's not to say that every problem is a DIY type. Just my 0.02c worth.
__________________
2005 Springdale 249BH FW
2008 Toyota Tundra Crewmax 5.7L
Tow package
Timbrens
Flyguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-27-2010, 07:18 PM   #3
hankpage
Site Team
 
hankpage's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Venice
Posts: 5,346
Easy mistake to make. That switch should also have a pin through it to prevent turning on accidentally. You can also turn off the electric element at the circuit breaker panel. Any hardware store or plumbing supply will have that element and usually at a cheaper price, just be sure voltage and watts are the same as the old one.
__________________
Hank & Lynn
2007 Cougar 290RKS, E-Z Flex, 16" XPS RIBs ( SOLD .. Gonna miss her ... looking for new 5r)
2004.5 Dodge 2500 QC, LB, 5.9HO, WestTach gauges, Ride-Rite
hankpage is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2010, 01:37 PM   #4
ftwildernessguy
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 70
I am so paranoid about this that I turn off the switch on the wall, turn off the circuit breaker in the box, and turn off the switch on the heater.
ftwildernessguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2010, 02:53 PM   #5
GBHRPS
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
Posts: 58
Hankpage's comment about putting a pin through the switch caused a flashback!

While doing the heater element change I noticed a thin wire clip pin attached to one of the electrical wires under the water heater cover. Peeking at the switch for the 110 volt on/off switch for the electrical heater element just now, I discover it has a hole through it.

Duh! Obviously the wire clip goes through the switch to prevent accidentally turning the 110 power on when the tank is empty! (Why the he** didn't I see that last fall when I was draining the tank?!?!?! Dabnabbitt!!!)
__________________
2004 Cougar 285
2003 GMC 2500HD CCSB stock,
except for Bully Dog Power Pup Level 2
GBHRPS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2010, 03:50 PM   #6
hankpage
Site Team
 
hankpage's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Venice
Posts: 5,346
Quote:
Originally Posted by GBHRPS View Post
Hankpage's comment about putting a pin through the switch caused a flashback!

While doing the heater element change I noticed a thin wire clip pin attached to one of the electrical wires under the water heater cover. Peeking at the switch for the 110 volt on/off switch for the electrical heater element just now, I discover it has a hole through it.

Duh! Obviously the wire clip goes through the switch to prevent accidentally turning the 110 power on when the tank is empty! (Why the he** didn't I see that last fall when I was draining the tank?!?!?! Dabnabbitt!!!)
They are called "Senior Moments" and sooner or later they catch up to all of us. I'm speaking from experience ....... lots of it. I used to laugh at check lists .... now I live by them.
__________________
Hank & Lynn
2007 Cougar 290RKS, E-Z Flex, 16" XPS RIBs ( SOLD .. Gonna miss her ... looking for new 5r)
2004.5 Dodge 2500 QC, LB, 5.9HO, WestTach gauges, Ride-Rite
hankpage is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2010, 10:50 AM   #7
pirates55
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 28
What is that switch on the water heater is stuck in the off position?? Can the on off switch be replaced. I tried to flip the one on my camper the other day and I couldn't get it to go to the on position.

Anyone had this problem before. It seems to heat water when I have the gas but haven't tried it with electricity yet.
pirates55 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2010, 11:01 AM   #8
Ruffus
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Fulltiming
Posts: 423
Talking Stuck switch

Did you try taking the locking pin out first then try switching it, just checking and being a smart allic!!!!
Jim
__________________
Jim, Sharon & Riley
2018 Keystone Alpine 3500Rl
2016 Ford F-350 Dually
Curt Q24 hitch for in bed puck system
Fulltimng.
Ruffus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2010, 12:42 AM   #9
cpaulsen
Senior Member
 
cpaulsen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Oregon Coast
Posts: 259
Thats exactly why I just installed a lighted switch inside the trailer.
cpaulsen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2010, 02:53 AM   #10
pirates55
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 28
I looked and didn't see the locking pin. if its there its invisible.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruffus View Post
Did you try taking the locking pin out first then try switching it, just checking and being a smart allic!!!!
Jim
pirates55 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-09-2010, 08:38 AM   #11
Festus2
Site Team
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Fraser Valley BC Canada
Posts: 7,015
What you are looking for is a small cotter pin: about 3/4 -1 in long. It is not secured to anything so it may have fallen out or otherwise gone missing. If you look carefully at the rocker switch, there will be small hole which accepts this pin. All you need to do is replace the lost pin with one that will go through the hole.
__________________
2008 Cougar 5th Wheel 27RKS
2005 2500 GMC Duramax
Festus2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2011, 12:59 PM   #12
wyattphoto
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Colorado
Posts: 3
I had a similar issue with my heater element (same cause!), however the burned out element caused a secondary problem - tripping GFCI outlets when plugged into friend's homes as "shore power". The issue was a partially-shorted electric water heater element drawing too much leakage current to ground. Replacing the element solved the problem. More details on my web site http://www.wyattphoto.com/Trailer_GF...ping_Wyatt.pdf.
wyattphoto is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2011, 04:39 PM   #13
skidroc1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: waynesboro, pa
Posts: 1
I believe I have the same problem only mine donesn't work on gas or electric. Haven't checked the element but do you think it shoulds like the same issuse?
skidroc1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-23-2011, 06:07 AM   #14
hankaye
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Arrey,
Posts: 2,368
skidroc1, Howdy;

Quote:
Originally Posted by skidroc1 View Post
I believe I have the same problem only mine donesn't work on gas or electric. Haven't checked the element but do you think it shoulds like the same issuse?
Just looked thru my manual from Surburban, pg 6 at the bottom of the page ...
talks about the Manual RESET.
It should be located right below the Pressure Relief Valve (upper lefthand side).
That is for Models; SW6D, SW6DE, SW6DM & SW6DEM.
If you have a 10 Gal. it MAY be the same. I would, however, check the Surburban website.

Good Luck hope you find the cure soon.

hankaye
__________________
Striving for a less complicated life since 1949 ...

Home: 2008 Cougar 278 RKS
T.V.: 2004 F-250 4X4, Level III BulletProofed , Detroit Tru-Track Differential (915A550)
Dog: 2006 Border Collie (Rascal) aka Maximum fur dispersal unit. (08/04/2006 - 12/16/2017) RIP.
hankaye is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates in any way. Keystone RV® is a registered trademark of the Keystone RV Company.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 06:57 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.