Suburban Water Heaters

**sourdough** · 08-13-2021, 05:26 PM

As a little diversion from some of our more "normal" topics, what about those Suburban water heaters!!

Until this trailer, for some reason, I always had Atwood water heaters and just never had a problem except a weld in one developing a tiny leak. Then I got this one......

I love the 12 gal. tank, I hate the anode rod, cleaning it etc. Pulled and replaced the rod a few months after I got it to make sure I knew what I had. At the time the RV had been sitting with little use so the replacement of no consequence. To today (did I say I really don't like a Suburban)?

Went to do stuff to get ready to head to central TX for some fun and German food. I had not touched the trailer until it had come back to me from the dealership. Decided to replace the anode rod before I left again so started pulling it out. Not a good idea; lots of pressure so had DW go inside and open a faucet. The spewing slowed down so waited a minute then THOUGHT there wasn't enough pressure to worry about. Still I figured I'd just pull out one more thread to let a little more pressure go.....what a bad idea.

That "one more thread" was all that was holding that thing in, and wow, no water line hooked up (and had not been since May) that thing blew that rod out like Old Faithful! Unfortunately, being the stubborn, know it all I am, I was standing directly in front of that plug as I removed it with a socket. That thing blew out spewing water about 12' from the side of the trailer. Unfortunately I was standing directly in front of it...... You know, I don't mind water, or a bath, but, I was plastered with white crap from that anode rod totally covering my shirt, face, the sides of the trailer and of course the inside of the water heater enclosure. Looked like Frosty and felt like grit city.

All done now, guess I'll take a shower next week (been reading how the Hollywood elites don't think you should shower). Did I say I'm not impressed with Suburban?

Don't like advertising my "oops" moments but heck, beats the heck out of "weight police" and poo pyramid discussions on a Friday night seems like.

Javi · 08-13-2021, 05:39 PM

Open the pressure relief valve before unscrewing the anode rod... ��

Just saying ��

**chuckster57** · 08-13-2021, 05:39 PM

Thanks for the laugh. BTDT and once with warm water. Too late. Ow, but I won’t even start on an anode until I turn on BOTH hot and cold faucet AND pop the pop off valve.

**sourdough** · 08-13-2021, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Javi

Open the pressure relief valve before unscrewing the anode rod... ��

Just saying ��

Javi, that would be SO simple. I worked very hard when working that ratchet that I didn't budge that relief valve....it would sort of be like cheating....right? I just need to readjust my "estimation" of the pressure left in there - and probably wear a white shirt. Thinking all these eye surgeries are messing with my "guestimation" on that pressure.... But think of this, on the 30th I see the doc and hopefully have new glasses about a week after that. Sort of worried about what I'll find then that I can't see at the moment....

**flybouy** · 08-13-2021, 06:39 PM

Yup, just when you THINK the pressure is relieved......Many moons ago I had a Dodge conversion van. It had an ice box and a sink with a 5 gal water jug in a cabinet. Anyway I was talking some college courses and it was final exam time. Headed out on the 98 Deg day to campus and about 3 miles away from home the 318 V8 overheated. I had a "Stant Lever Lock" radiator cap. So I proceed to flip the lever and when the steam stopped I ASSUMED all was well.

So standing in front of the van I took a rag and struggled to twist the radiator cap. The radiator cap was stuck and it stopped venting but had a tremendous amount of pressure behind it. Well the cap blew off and that curved hood funneled that sticky boiling antifreeze up my arms and on my chest from my face to my belt. I tore off my shirt, grabbed that jug of water and poured it over my head and chest. I stopped about 3 gallon in and poured the rest in the radiator. I knew the VFD would take to long to get to me so I started speeding home.

Called the DW on the cell phone (one of those early ATT& T bag phones) and told her to fill the bathtub with cold water I'd be be there in a min. Ran in and jumped in the cold water face first. After a few min I had her drive me to the hospital which was about 10 miles away. Never new human flesh could hold so much heat. They spent about 2 hours in the ER wrapping me with towels filled with ice. Bag after bag of 10 lb bags of ice had melted on to the floor.

A quart of Silver sulfadiazine cream and a bunch of gauze later I went home looking like a mummy. Long story but that experienced taught me to never again assume something but to take the time to verify first. That lesson saved me a bunch of heartache over the years and possibly saved my life.

**chuckster57** · 08-13-2021, 06:43 PM

So tell the rest… how did finals go?

**flybouy** · 08-13-2021, 06:51 PM

I was taking 2 summer courses, chemistry and a mech engineering class. Both professors granted me a week extension to take finals and I aced both. Graduated with a 4.1 average. The honours english class brought up the otherwise 4.0 grade but that's another horror story all of it's own. I never should have let that professor talk me into that honors class. I never worked so hard for such useless information in my life, before or since.

**chuckster57** · 08-13-2021, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flybouy

I was taking 2 summer courses, chemistry and a mech engineering class. Both professors granted me a week extension to take finals and I aced both. Graduated with a 4.1 average. The honours english class brought up the otherwise 4.0 grade but that's another horror story all of it's own. I never should have let that professor talk me into that honors class. I never worked so hard for such useless information in my life, before or since.

Good to hear. I started at San Jose State University in Criminal justice in 1975. My instructor in my second class gave extra credit to any girl that could use makeup to cover his shiner for his date that evening. Kind of made me wonder if I made the right career choice. I ended up in corrections because color blind wasn’t a disqualification at the time. Inmates wore blue, staff wore green I COULD tell those colors.

**flybouy** · 08-13-2021, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

Good to hear. I started at San Jose State University in Criminal justice in 1975. My instructor in my second class gave extra credit to any girl that could use makeup to cover his shiner for his date that evening. Kind of made me wonder if I made the right career choice. I ended up in corrections because color blind wasn’t a disqualification at the time. Inmates wore blue, staff wore green I COULD tell those colors.

LOL, that English class was a joke. I could tell what Nora represented in the 3 act play A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen but never saw the need for that information.

I think would have been better off taking a pottery class.

Oh well, maybe before I die I'll get on Jeopardy and that question will come up under the "Totally Useless Crap They Forced You to Remember in College" category for a thousand bucks. Now why is it I can remember that but remember why I walked

into the kitchen?

jsb5717 · 08-14-2021, 06:12 AM

Sorry, Danny. One, for the experience and hard life lesson. Two, for laughing while I envisioned the event unfold.

I'm sure we've all been dowsed at one time or another from one of the water features while connecting or disconnecting. I've never been blasted by the water heater since, you know, that's what the pressure relief valve is for...

I have experienced wet feet, though, by underestimating the flow.

**sourdough** · 08-14-2021, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsb5717

Sorry, Danny. One, for the experience and hard life lesson. Two, for laughing while I envisioned the event unfold.

I'm sure we've all been dowsed at one time or another from one of the water features while connecting or disconnecting. I've never been blasted by the water heater since, you know, that's what the pressure relief valve is for...

I have experienced wet feet, though, by underestimating the flow.

Yeah, there's all kinds of excitement to be had when dealing with the various water "features" one can encounter in an RV. I know about a relief valve but seldom operate one unless I think there is a problem with it. Used to pull them but seemed like I always developed a leak so generally just let the pressure bleed off. In this case I should have known those two tiny little spouting streams were indicative of a bit more pressure than what I thought but heck, it was 95 outside so the "bath" wasn't a big deal. Plus, like I mentioned, with the other more serious, contentious conversations going on in the forum thought it was a good time to laugh at myself.

Bill-2020 · 08-14-2021, 10:00 AM

Danny, I can relate as so many others have also. My WH is the Atwood brand, so no rod to change out. But I failed to relieve the pressure once after the trailer had sat for weeks with no use. I decided I was going to flush out the tank one day. The pressure blew the plastic plug and ratchet back so hard they went flying by me, except I was standing right in front of that stream of water. My WH is much lower than yours, so I was soaked from the belt down - you'd had though I'd wet myself. I cursed my self out, walked back to the house for dry britches and shoes and socks.

After returning to the WH and starting to flush it out with the wand, I realized the plastic plug was no where to be found. So it was back to the spare parts bin and I replaced it with a new one. I have yet to see that white plug in the backyard anywhere and that was many, many months ago and weekly spins around the yard on the mower since. I even went so far as to look in the neighbors pool over the wood fence... nope, not there either.

BigBobIa · 08-14-2021, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourdough

.it would sort of be like cheating....right? I just need to readjust my "estimation" of the pressure left in there - and probably wear a white shirt.

And brown/black shorts!

**sourdough** · 08-14-2021, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigBobIa

And brown/black shorts!

Yeah, now that would have really looked sharp!

KarenK · 08-19-2021, 08:08 AM

I like the suburban much less than the atwood that was in my last trailer too. Had to put in anew one last year should have went back to atwood. The glass liner had broken, saw it when flushing it out the previous fall. Beautiful tiny royal blue colored glass shards mixed with chunks of insulation. Hate the anode in them.

KarenK · 08-19-2021, 08:14 AM

Marshall....OMG, burns are so painful!

Mikelff · 08-19-2021, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourdough

As a little diversion from some of our more "normal" topics, what about those Suburban water heaters!!

Until this trailer, for some reason, I always had Atwood water heaters and just never had a problem except a weld in one developing a tiny leak. Then I got this one......

I love the 12 gal. tank, I hate the anode rod, cleaning it etc. Pulled and replaced the rod a few months after I got it to make sure I knew what I had. At the time the RV had been sitting with little use so the replacement of no consequence. To today (did I say I really don't like a Suburban)?

Went to do stuff to get ready to head to central TX for some fun and German food. I had not touched the trailer until it had come back to me from the dealership. Decided to replace the anode rod before I left again so started pulling it out. Not a good idea; lots of pressure so had DW go inside and open a faucet. The spewing slowed down so waited a minute then THOUGHT there wasn't enough pressure to worry about. Still I figured I'd just pull out one more thread to let a little more pressure go.....what a bad idea.

That "one more thread" was all that was holding that thing in, and wow, no water line hooked up (and had not been since May) that thing blew that rod out like Old Faithful! Unfortunately, being the stubborn, know it all I am, I was standing directly in front of that plug as I removed it with a socket. That thing blew out spewing water about 12' from the side of the trailer. Unfortunately I was standing directly in front of it...... You know, I don't mind water, or a bath, but, I was plastered with white crap from that anode rod totally covering my shirt, face, the sides of the trailer and of course the inside of the water heater enclosure. Looked like Frosty and felt like grit city.

All done now, guess I'll take a shower next week (been reading how the Hollywood elites don't think you should shower). Did I say I'm not impressed with Suburban?

Don't like advertising my "oops" moments but heck, beats the heck out of "weight police" and poo pyramid discussions on a Friday night seems like.

Ahree with Javi, release the pressure valve first and leave it open for a minute or two until you remove the anode rod. I have an Atwood and will replace with the same if ever I have to replace it.

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