Hot water heater

[Home_Skillet]

My Suburban hot water heater quit working.
It is the 6 gallon version.

Since it's 10 years old, I figured I would replace it.

I am thinking of getting the gas/electric version. Only $100 more.

Would this be a wise conversion.
I am electrical savvy, so that's not an issue.

Thanks.

[Old-Biscuit]

Skid Row Joe wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Suburban water heater.......

6 gallon electric/gas will fit same opening as the old 6 gallon gas only.

Uh......no, not until he checks out the replacement unit(s) he has in mind.

OP,
Get with your water heater replacement supplier and dealer to determine what size(s) they have for replacement units for your RV.

Uh YES.......

ALL Suburban 6 gallon water heaters use same size opening in the side of RV (SW6P, SW6PE, SW6D, SW6DE, SW6DEM,

12-11/16"/H 12-11/16"/W 19-3/16"/D

Now IF OP was suggesting swapping Suburban with an Atwood....no
6 gallon...........12-1/2"/H 16"/W 18"/D

[3oaks]

Sprink-Fitter wrote:
If you already have hot water, why do you need a water heater?

In a previous post, I said there's always one!
I was wrong, there's two! :R

[3oaks]

Executive wrote:
HOT water heater.:h...why would you need to HEAT HOT water....:h:h....Dennis

There's always one! :R

[mchero]

bamcote wrote:
How about adding a Lightning Rod kit to your existing water heater.
Clicky

Excellent idea. You need to figure out why it's not lighting.
Once you correct the issue you can add the hot rod. We use AC when boondocking, electric when hooked up. Same with the AC/heat pumps, Gas furnce when boondocking, Electric heat pump when hooked up.

[Sprink-Fitter]

If you already have hot water, why do you need a water heater?

[bamcote]

How about adding a Lightning Rod kit to your existing water heater.
Clicky

[DutchmenSport]

midnightsadie wrote:
gas is faster to heat and doesn,t use much gas, we have both rarly use the electric ,its your choice.

Funny, we have both an rarely use gas!

OP. You should have no problems replacing with a gas/electric if you have the electrical ability. You'll enjoy the ability to use both or one or the other, depending under what kind of camping situation you are doing.

[Skid_Row_Joe]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Suburban water heater.......

6 gallon electric/gas will fit same opening as the old 6 gallon gas only.

Uh......no, not until he checks out the replacement unit(s) he has in mind.

OP,
Get with your water heater replacement supplier and dealer to determine what size(s) they have for replacement units for your RV.

[Skid_Row_Joe]

Home Skillet wrote:
My Suburban hot water heater quit working.
It is the 6 gallon version.

Since it's 10 years old, I figured I would replace it.

I am thinking of getting the gas/electric version. Only $100 more.

Would this be a wise conversion.
I am electrical savvy, so that's not an issue.

Thanks.

I would definitely go for the propane gas/electric replacement unit - after I had an Rx done on the reason why the water heater quit working. 10-years shouldn't be a problem simply because of age, on a well maintained gas-fired water heater.

[Old-Biscuit]

Suburban water heater.......

6 gallon electric/gas will fit same opening as the old 6 gallon gas only.

If you are looking at 10 gallon you will have to increase opening in side of your RV.

Electric......
Uses 120V AC directly from AC Dist Panel so you would need a Circuit Breaker for it. Wiring would need to go to AC Junction box on side of WH tank (Hot/Neutral) then you just connect to WH OEM wiring.



Propane......
Uses same propane line and same 12V DC wiring (IF Current WH is DSI Spark Electrode). Just need to connect existing wiring from ON/OFF switch to DC Junction box on side of WH Tank (OEM Wiring)
Otherwise you may need to run new DC wiring




What model of Suburban?
Pilot
Pilot with re-ignitor
DSI (electronic spark electrode)

Making it work properly could be cheap.....what does it do/what does it not do??

[Executive45]

HOT water heater.:h...why would you need to HEAT HOT water....:h:h....Dennis

[RJsfishin]

10 yrs old is no good reason for a change out, unless the tank is leaking.
Those tanks usually go 15 and 25 yrs no problem. I would trouble shoot and fix the problem.
If you really need hot water, you can always hot wire 12v to the gas valve, then manually lite it. But don't get too far away, because in 30 - 45 minutes you will have to disconnect it, because in the hot wire process, all the thermostats are bypassed.

[BTPO1]

old guy wrote:
it could be that the wire connectors that control the gas ignition are cored and need to just be cleaned. that is what happened to our suburban heater. tech just wiggled the wires and the gas took right off.

I agree, and before I bought a new water heater I think that I would troubleshoot the old one. It might be a simple repair. I just changed the rusted burner tube on mine last week $30 was a lot cheaper than a new water heater. JMO

[old_guy]

it could be that the wire connectors that control the gas ignition are cored and need to just be cleaned. that is what happened to our suburban heater. tech just wiggled the wires and the gas took right off.