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Old 12-13-2021, 02:12 PM   #1
Oldflyboy
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Default Water heater operations

Installed in the camper is a Suburban SW6DE water heater.

I have a switch on the master control panel that ways water heater and when turned on beside that is a red light that comes on for a little while. I think that is for the operations of the gas side of the heater. I can hear the sparking to light the gas.
On the outside on the front of the heater, is a small switch that just says on/off.
Am I correct to assume that all I need to do if connected to shore power is turn this switch on the outside on and the heater would heat electrically?
Would I have to turn the inside switch on at all?
The owners manual and the one dowloaded is not clear.
I guess the ga would probably heat it up faster then the electric would just keep it hot unless there is high demand then the gas would kick on.
Am I correct in my assumptions?
I yield to those in the know........
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Old 12-19-2021, 09:37 AM   #2
THenne1713
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The outside switch is a safety to turn OFF when winterized TO PREVENT DAMAGE WHEN EMPTY/ BYPASSED; keeps GAS off.
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Old 05-13-2022, 11:54 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by THenne1713 View Post
The outside switch is a safety to turn OFF when winterized TO PREVENT DAMAGE WHEN EMPTY/ BYPASSED; keeps GAS off.
I realize this is a very old thread, but this answer is completely incorrect.
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Old 05-14-2022, 08:53 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by NavyLCDR View Post
I realize this is a very old thread, but this answer is completely incorrect.
Well, PLEASE correct me? This switch controls 12vdc to the WH. With No 12vdc, WH will NOT work on Gas. (Ref: pg.18 of SW6d SERVICE MANUAL)
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Old 05-14-2022, 10:15 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by THenne1713 View Post
Well, PLEASE correct me? This switch controls 12vdc to the WH. With No 12vdc, WH will NOT work on Gas. (Ref: pg.18 of SW6d SERVICE MANUAL)
Page 8 (figure 12):

https://www.rvupgradestore.com/v/vsp...stallation.pdf

The inside switch with the red light is for gas. The outside switch on the water heater is for the electric element only and has no affect on gas operation.

capture3.jpg

Page 18 of the SW6D service manual makes no mention of the outside switch at all. It only shows the inside switch:

capture3a.jpg
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Old 05-14-2022, 11:28 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldflyboy View Post
On the outside on the front of the heater, is a small switch that just says on/off.
Am I correct to assume that all I need to do if connected to shore power is turn this switch on the outside on and the heater would heat electrically?
Would I have to turn the inside switch on at all?
Correct. If you have only one switch on the inside with the red light, it controls the gas side of the water heater only.

The oustide switch on the water heater itself is for the electric element only.

Those two switches are completely independent of one another. You can run gas only, electric only, or both gas and electric at the same time.

Some RVs will have a second switch inside for electric as a convenience. In that case the outside switch on the water heater is the master switch for the electric element - it must be on. The inside switch is the remote switch and you can then control the electric side with the remote switch.

Finally, the electric element for the water heater should also have its own breaker in the power panel and you can also use that to turn the electric on/off - as long as the outside switch is on.
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