Initial shakedown trip

[Maineiacs]

Well, we're off on our first trip with the new-to-us camper. 650 miles from Maine to Maryland - no major issues. Adjusted bedroom mirror sliding door which had jumped its track, moved striker plate for bathroom door up 1/8 inch so door would latch properly, applied silicone to plastic strips attached to shower doors (factory missed this). Still haven't had the opportunity to add water and sanitize system! Next leg of the trip (300 miles further South) should get us above freezing and we can take that step. Overall, I'm impressed with camper quality. Having intermittent issues with rear camera not working but I'm sure we'll work it out.

[Ken / Claudia]

A tip on the holding tanks. For the 1st use if you fill them before dumping them it might get left over stuff like plastic shaving, wood etc. out of them. I had mine in the driveway. Used fresh water, checked for leaks than dumped water and all types of construction material came out. Some of it may have jammed the valves if only dumping a small amount the 1st time. While water was draining I also opened and closed the valves several times making sure they worked before any black water or gray water was used.

[Maineiacs]

Thanks Ken, good point.

[Maineiacs]

Resolved "problem" with water inlet, which wasn't really a problem. Just ice. Found out why camera wasn't working. I use the AUTO setting on headlights and camera requires lights on to work. So camera would work at night or when wipers were on. Mystery solved thanks to CW here in Fayetteville. Need to get some longer bedsheets and then figure out why water heater isn't working on the electric setting.

[ctbruce]

What brand is your water heater? If a Suburban, it has a second switch outside on the WH.

[Maineiacs]

Originally Posted by ctbruce

What brand is your water heater? If a Suburban, it has a second switch outside on the WH. Attachment 24909

Yup, it's a suburban. I think I have the switch on but I need to double check. It was getting dark when we hooked up. We have an idiot light on our interior control panel between the propane and electric switches. Light comes on for propane and water heater works. This was after several hours of no light, no hot water with interior electric switch in the on position. The outside switch is suspect #1.

[ctbruce]

The switch is upside down, it is opposite of what you'd think.

[Maineiacs]

Originally Posted by ctbruce

The switch is upside down, it is opposite of what you'd think.

Verified the switch is in the right position and that circuit breaker is on. Tried high temp reset with no result. Dead-end until I can get my meter to see if it's the anode or the limiter (the high temp thing that could also be thought of as a fuse I guess).


Found a great video on you-tube about how to test and how to fix.

[chuckster57]

You tube videos can be a great resource. If you find the element is bad, you can get one at the local big box hardware store. Your not limited to the RV parts department. You may want to pick up the socket “kit” to change it too.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by Maineiacs

Verified the switch is in the right position and that circuit breaker is on. Tried high temp reset with no result. Dead-end until I can get my meter to see if it's the anode or the limiter (the high temp thing that could also be thought of as a fuse I guess).


Found a great video on you-tube about how to test and how to fix.

Just to clarify, may be either the element or the rocker switch itself. These burn up if the switch is left ON when there is no water in the tank. I had to replace both on my camper when the electric part failed.

https://www.amazon.com/Suburban-5209...9641617&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Suburban-SB23...641657&sr=8-12

Double check these parts are the same as what is used in your camper's water heater. There is a tag under the door with your specific model which may be different than mine.

[Maineiacs]

George, appreciate the links.

[Maineiacs]

Now down in Charleston, SC. Beautiful place! Trying to figure out how to get faucet screen filter off kitchen gooseneck. Must have a little grit in it. Minor stuff all considered.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Maineiacs

Now down in Charleston, SC. Beautiful place! Trying to figure out how to get faucet screen filter off kitchen gooseneck. Must have a little grit in it. Minor stuff all considered.

If your talking about the aerator turn it counterclockwise from the vantage of looking up at it from inside the sink, or clockwise if looking down into sink. Sometimes it helps if you use a towel to grip it or a rubber "jar opener" gripper.

[revrusty]

Did you get the electric hot water problem fixed? Had the same problem and tried all these and other suggestions. Turned out there was a regular 110 plug wired into the electrical part of the water heater that had to be plugged in. Ours was accessed from inside the camper under the cabinet. So you have to have the breaker on, the outside switch on the tank on, the electric option on your panel on, and have it plugged in, to get hot water. This plug is not mentioned in any literature I could find and technician at CW was just shaking his head when I told him about it.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by revrusty

Did you get the electric hot water problem fixed? Had the same problem and tried all these and other suggestions. Turned out there was a regular 110 plug wired into the electrical part of the water heater that had to be plugged in. Ours was accessed from inside the camper under the cabinet. So you have to have the breaker on, the outside switch on the tank on, the electric option on your panel on, and have it plugged in, to get hot water. This plug is not mentioned in any literature I could find and technician at CW was just shaking his head when I told him about it.

If the tech was shaking his head, it makes me wonder. Is he the one that did the PDI? If so he needs some additional training. There are Suburban water heaters and Atwood (Dometic) water heaters and there are distinct differences in the two. For the AC side, one has a cord and the other is hard wired. One has the heating element in the front and the other in the rear.

[Maineiacs]

Originally Posted by revrusty

Did you get the electric hot water problem fixed? it.

Raining right now, check it between showers. Never even thought to look behind the switch. I'll let you know. Thanks for the tip.

[revrusty]

I had a thread on this a while back when I couldn't get the hot water to work on electricity. . I found it by comments made in reply to that thread. Someone said they had found a wire disconnected on their heater in that area so I looked. The tech wasn't involved in solving that problem, I just mentioned it to him when we had a sail switch failure that he repaired. So I don't know that he wouldn't have known. I think his head shaking and I believe he said, "I'm not surprised." was relative to my comments that there was no information available to me that mentioned this plug so that I would have known to check for it. Sorry for not making that clearer.

[chuckster57]

No problem.

[Maineiacs]

Revrusty, turns out this is a Suburban heater. No plug behind the switch. Must be hard wired. Thanks for the suggestion though.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by Maineiacs

Revrusty, turns out this is a Suburban heater. No plug behind the switch. Must be hard wired. Thanks for the suggestion though.

If you have a switch on the lower left corner on the outside, then you should have a cord that plugs in. You will have to access the back side of the water heater, like getting to the bypass valves.

The Atwood’s are hard wired, because there isn’t a switch on the water heater and the switch you turn on is a 12V relay behind the tank.