Getting the right suburban 6 gallon water heater parts shouldn't feel such as a treasure hunt when you're just trying to obtain a hot shower inside your RV. In case you've spent any time living the particular van life or traveling within a journey trailer, you understand that the Suburban 6-gallon unit is essentially the industry standard. It's a workhorse, but like anything that deals with open fire, water, and electrical power simultaneously, things are going to wear out eventually.
It's usually at the most inconvenient time, too—like when you're parked deep in a national forest plus suddenly realize your "hot" shower is barely lukewarm. The good thing is that these models are pretty straightforward. You don't need an engineering level to fix most of the common problems, provided you have the correct parts upon hand.
Precisely why the anode fishing rod is your closest friend
If we're talking about suburban 6 gallon water heater parts , we all have to start with the anode pole. This is probably the single almost all important maintenance product in your entire RV. Suburban containers are made of porcelain-lined metal. Steel is excellent for strength, however it hates water and loves to rust.
The anode rod is usually a "sacrificial" piece of metal. The whole job would be to sit there and then let the water corrode it instead of the tank. In case you don't substitute it, the water will eventually eat through the porcelain lining and start snacking in your steel tank. Once the tank leaks, you're looking at replacing the entire unit, which is definitely way more expensive compared to a twenty-dollar fishing rod.
Many people use a magnesium rod because it defends better in the wider number of water types. If you're smelling a "rotten egg" scent from your hot water, you might would like to try an aluminum rod instead, but magnesium is usually the go-to. You'll need a 1-1/16 inch socket to get it out. Trust me, keep a spare a single in your tool kit. In case you pull yours out and it looks like a chewed-up piece of wire, it's longer overdue for a swap.
Maintaining the electric part running smooth
Many 6-gallon Suburban models are "DE" models, meaning they can run on both propane plus electricity. The electric powered side is extremely convenient when you're connected to shore energy since it saves your own propane. But it's also really simple to break.
The most typical victim could be the electric powered heating element. It's a screw-in design element, usually scored at 1440 watts. The number one way people kill these is by turning on the electric switch whenever the water heater tank is clear. It only will take a few mere seconds of "dry firing" to burn that element out completely.
In the event that you suspect your own is toast, a person can test this using a multimeter with regard to continuity. If it's dead, you'll want a specific component wrench—a thin-walled socket—to get behind the gas burner tube and swap this out. It's a bit of the tight squeeze, but totally doable intended for a DIYer.
While you're looking at the electric side, don't forget the particular electric thermostat. Suburban units typically have got two sets associated with thermostats tucked behind a black rubber cover labeled "RESET. " One collection is for the 12V DC (propane) side, and the particular other is regarding the 120V AC (electric) side. If your water isn't getting hot on shore power but works fine on gas, that 120V thermostat might possess tripped or unsuccessful.
Dealing along with gas ignition problems
When you're boondocking, that gas burner is your lifeline. If you change the switch inside and hear that will "click-click-click" but simply no "whoosh" of fire, you've got a good ignition problem.
The burning tube and the orifice are common spots for problems. Believe it or even not, spiders love the smell of the mercaptan in propane. They'll crawl into the burner tube plus spin a small web that obstructions the gas flow just enough to prevent ignition. A quick boost of compressed atmosphere or a tube cleaner can generally clear that up.
If the gas is flowing however it won't spark, you're looking at the electrode or even the module panel. The electrode is the little probe that will sits over the burner. It wants to be located just right—usually about an 1/8th of an inch gap—to leap a spark. If the ceramic casing for the electrode is cracked, the spark can jump to the wrong place, plus your heater won't light.
Then there's the gas valve itself. These types of are pretty powerful, but the solenoids (those two round coils on top of the valve) can fail. If they aren't opening the particular valve when these people get power, simply no gas gets through. It's one of those suburban 6 gallon water heater parts that's a bit pricier, but replacing just the solenoids will be often cheaper than replacing the entire valve assembly.
Safety first along with the T& P valve
The particular Temperature and Pressure (T& P) reduction valve is the fact that small brass lever-action device near the top of the unit. It's presently there to make certain your water heater doesn't turn into a rocket ship when the temperature control system fails as well as the water starts boiling.
It's normal for these in order to drip a tiny bit as the water expands whilst heating, when it's a steady leak, it's time for any new one. Replacing it is easy—just make sure the water is usually cold and the pressure is off before you unscrew it. You'll need some Teflon recording or pipe dope on the threads of the new one to maintain it through leaking.
Don't ever consider to plug this particular hole. I've observed people put a bolt in there simply because they were tired of the dripping. That will is a huge safety hazard. If it's leaking, just buy the part; it's one of the cheapest components of insurance you can purchase for your RV.
Tricks for finding and swapping parts
When you're hunting for suburban 6 gallon water heater parts , the most important thing a person can do will be find your design number. It's usually on the sticker within the exterior gain access to door. You'll notice codes like SW6D (Direct Spark Ignition), SW6DE (Electric plus Gas), or SW6DEL (Electric and Gas with an interior relay).
Knowing exactly which usually model you have got prevents a great deal of headaches. Such as, the thermostats for the "DE" model are very different than the types to have an older pilot-light model.
I usually recommend transporting a "save-the-weekend" package. This would include: * An extra anode rod. * A 120V heating element. * A collection of 12V plus 120V thermostats. * A roll associated with Teflon tape.
Having these hidden away inside a storage bay could possibly be the difference between a great trip and a cool, miserable one. Many of these parts are pretty universal across the 6-gallon Suburban range, which makes them simple to find from almost any MOTORHOME supply store or even online.
One final tip: when you're replacing parts, take a picture associated with the wiring before you disconnect anything at all. Suburban uses a lots of similar-looking wires, plus it's incredibly easy to forget which wire goes to which terminal on the thermostat or maybe the control switch. A quick photograph on your telephone can save a person thirty minutes of scratching your head and looking in wiring diagrams within the middle of a campground.
Maintaining your water heater isn't specifically the most exciting part of buying an RV, but it's one of those things you'll be glad a person did. Keeping an eye on your anode rod and knowing how to swap out a basic element or thermostat can keep that hot water flowing for years. It's a solid program; it just needs a little like and the correct parts every today and then.