Hi, I have a Suburban SW6DEA hot water heater in the van. this morning i had no hot water. Can't find any fuses or cut out switches. All circuit breakers are in the on position. It is heating the water fine when using the gas. I can only think maybe the heating element is not working and if so is there a way to check if it is or isent working. The van is a 2009 so probably the original heater.
Thanks
Ross
DMaxer said
12:28 PM Jun 2, 2025
Hi Ross. I don't know if this helps but I have a Truma HWS that has had an element go to that big bathroom in the sky. When it went it caused the electrics to trip. It was not until I unplugged the electric cord from the HWS to the power point that anything else electrical could be used. That is how I found out that it was the element causing the problem.
On another occasion when it failed, a fellow traveller told me to unplug the HWS electrical cord from the power point and then wait three minutes and plug it back in. This reset the HWS and all worked well thereafter.
I think the Suburban HWS have an anode whereas the Truma I have does not. Perhaps that might need replacing.
Peter_n_Margaret said
02:05 PM Jun 2, 2025
Whether the anode needs replacing or not will have zero effect on it heating water, or not.
Cheers,
Peter
TimTim said
09:31 PM Jun 2, 2025
wombat50 wrote:
Hi, I have a Suburban SW6DEA hot water heater in the van. this morning i had no hot water. Can't find any fuses or cut out switches. All circuit breakers are in the on position. It is heating the water fine when using the gas. I can only think maybe the heating element is not working and if so is there a way to check if it is or isent working. The van is a 2009 so probably the original heater.
Thanks
Ross
Hi Ross
Try the reset button.
From page 3 of your manual.
THERMOSTAT AND MANUAL RESET For Models SW4DEA and SW6DEA The model water heaters listed above are equipped with a high temperature limit as a cut-off device. Temperature above 82°C will cause manual reset button to trip shutting down the electric element. To activate element, the water temperature must be below 37°C. Push reset button to re-activate the electric element.
Other than that did you ensure there was water in the heater before turning on the electrics as the element can become burnt out.
Good luck
Tim
-- Edited by TimTim on Monday 2nd of June 2025 09:32:47 PM
Triggy said
05:46 PM Jun 3, 2025
Ross
My SW6DEA heater failed on 240V a few years ago . The cause was the 240 volt switch went open circuit from corrosion . Refer to the manual Tim posted on Page 6 - Figure 5A - Switch 240VAC. The location is Page 8 - Figure 9 - Switch 33
(L/H very bottom corner when looking from the outside of the heater with the door open. Notethis is 240v so make sure power is off.)
wombat50 said
08:04 AM Jun 4, 2025
Thanks for all the replies. Dmaxer suggestion of checking the plug was the answer. First i had to find it lol. In 8 years of owning the van i dont think i have seen it before. It turned out the plug was half out as the wife had knocked when putting some clothes in the cupboard where it was. I had seen the reset button and pressed it but it wont work if unit is half unplugged.
Ross
DMaxer said
07:06 PM Jun 4, 2025
Glad it worked out for you. My HWS is located under a cupboard with the PowerPoint in the cupboard.
I have loaded clothes in the cupboard and done the same. They put them in the most awkward positions.
67HR said
11:14 AM Jun 8, 2025
DMaxer wrote:
Glad it worked out for you. My HWS is located under a cupboard with the PowerPoint in the cupboard. I have loaded clothes in the cupboard and done the same. They put them in the most awkward positions.
Had the same with the 240v fridge plug, got bumped by "items" I swapped it to a side entry plug.. seems to have made a difference....
Hi, I have a Suburban SW6DEA hot water heater in the van. this morning i had no hot water. Can't find any fuses or cut out switches. All circuit breakers are in the on position. It is heating the water fine when using the gas. I can only think maybe the heating element is not working and if so is there a way to check if it is or isent working. The van is a 2009 so probably the original heater.
Thanks
Ross
Hi Ross. I don't know if this helps but I have a Truma HWS that has had an element go to that big bathroom in the sky. When it went it caused the electrics to trip. It was not until I unplugged the electric cord from the HWS to the power point that anything else electrical could be used. That is how I found out that it was the element causing the problem.
On another occasion when it failed, a fellow traveller told me to unplug the HWS electrical cord from the power point and then wait three minutes and plug it back in. This reset the HWS and all worked well thereafter.
I think the Suburban HWS have an anode whereas the Truma I have does not. Perhaps that might need replacing.
Cheers,
Peter
Hi Ross
Try the reset button.
From page 3 of your manual.
THERMOSTAT AND MANUAL RESET
For Models SW4DEA and SW6DEA
The model water heaters listed above are equipped with a high temperature limit
as a cut-off device. Temperature above 82°C will cause manual reset button to trip
shutting down the electric element.
To activate element, the water temperature must be below 37°C. Push reset
button to re-activate the electric element.
Here is the full manual.
https://www.rvsupercentre.co.nz/assets/files/Suburban%20Water%20Heater%20Part%20-%20SW6PA%206DA%206DEA%204DEA%20External%20Door%20Vented%20Manual.pdf?
Other than that did you ensure there was water in the heater before turning on the electrics as the element can become burnt out.
Good luck
Tim
-- Edited by TimTim on Monday 2nd of June 2025 09:32:47 PM
Ross
My SW6DEA heater failed on 240V a few years ago . The cause was the 240 volt switch went open circuit from corrosion . Refer to the manual Tim posted on Page 6 - Figure 5A - Switch 240VAC. The location is Page 8 - Figure 9 - Switch 33
(L/H very bottom corner when looking from the outside of the heater with the door open. Note this is 240v so make sure power is off.)
Ross
Had the same with the 240v fridge plug, got bumped by "items" I swapped it to a side entry plug.. seems to have made a difference....