1995 Monaco Dynasty & 2002 Suburban SW10DE water heater

[Hunny Badger]

[ATTACH][/ATTACH]1.Trying to determine if it is better to replace or repair our water heater.

a. Coach: 1995 Monaco Dynasty, 40 ft.
b. Water Heater: Suburban SW10DE
Date of Installation 2002 @ New Orleans RV Show

2. Bought our 1995 Monaco Dynasty in September 2017.

a. Propane ignition stopped working soon after we bought coach, so we've been using the electrical connection. FYI, the propane was close to empty, so we filled up the propane and the pilot light still would not come on.

3. Water heater functioned as designed on electric connection until 2/2019

a. Removed exterior coach cover to inspect water heater.
b. Visual inspection:
i. Gasket and cover to thermostat melted together.
ii. Burned wires to thermostat, see photos.
c. Replaced thermostat, unit did not power on.
i. Confirmed that the power was on at both the unit as well as at the interior switch.
ii. Reset button pressed on the thermostat.
iii. Unit not powering up.

IV. Replaced the heating element, unit did not power on.

I have carefully cleaned the unit and cannot see anything obvious that is preventing it from coming back on.

Our next step is to replace our propane regulator.
We tried to use our propane burners a couple of months ago, but they wouldn’t ignite, and we cannot get our generator (which runs on LPG & Diesel) to run. I have learned from reading other RV posts that if you don’t have enough fuel in the diesel tank that as a safety measure the diesel line won’t power the generator and if the propane regulator has failed then the LPG line wouldn’t engage the generator.

We are full time Rvers and would really like to have hot water again.
I hope that this is a simple fix and that I am simply overlooking something (anything), but if it’s at the end of its useful life that is another matter entirely.

This is our first motorhome. We decided to go with this specific unit to see if we can prefer a motorhome vs. a towable trailer. We plan to replace our coach at the end of the year with another (used) Monaco.

Thanks for any input you may have.

[Dsallach]

If you have no propane to your stove burners, hot water heater and lpg generator, your propane issue is not in the hot water heater. I am not familiar with any generator that runs on propane and/or diesel in one unit. What model generator do you have?
I cannot tell from your post whether you have some propane flow at the stove burners and just not enough to make a standard flame. If you have a bad regulator you will still have a little flow. If you have no propane flow there may be a safety shut down stopping the flow. Either excessive free flow safety or something like a propane detector shutting a safety valve.
As for the water heater, you need to be sure you have propane flowing to the unit. from the pictures you posted you have or had an obvious electrical short that caused wires to melt. You need to correct this electrical Issue first. Once the electrical and propane flow issues are corrected you can better evaluate the water heater. If the water heater is not leaking it can be repaired. Wether it is economically feasible is another question.
Hope this helps

[Old-Biscuit]

Main LP Regulator should maintain 11"WC (0.4 psi)with ALL propane appliances in service

Opening Propane Service Valve to quickly can trip the Excess Flow Device...when tripped it drastically limits the flow of propane.
Close Service Valve---wait 30 seconds then SLOWLY Open it.
Check flow by lighting off stove top burners
IF still an issue...Regulator probably needs replaced




Suburban SW10DE
10 gallon combo (gas/electric) with electronic ignition (no pilot)

120V AC is a complete separate system from Propane System which uses 12VDC


Electric Circuit
120V AC comes from Circuit Breaker
*From CB to junction AC Junction Box (right side looking from rear of water heater. Wire nuts used...common failure)
*From AC Junction Box to On/Off Switch (OEM in outside compartment---common failure)
(RV MFG may have a switch inside RV---both have to be ON)
(From switch to set of t-stats (Top/HI Temp---manual reset/trips at 170*F then to Bottom/Normal Temp---Opens at 130*F/Closes at 100*F)
Common failure is wires rubbing against sharp edge on cut-out
*From t-stats to Element then back to Main AC Panel via Neutral

Black Wires ...120V AC (Hot)
White Wire...120V AC (Neutral

Continuity test on element-----
*Disconnect Black with (Power OFF)
*Test for continuity between Black & White Wire Terminals
NO Continuity---bad element
*Test for continuity between White Wire Terminal & Element Flange
Got Continuity....element shorted out


Gas circuit
12V DC comes from FUSED source
*12V DC to On/Off Switch for 'Gas" inside RV
*From switch to DC Junction Box (left side looking at rear of water heater) Wire nuts used---common failure
*From Junction Box to set of t-stats (same as AC side)
*From set of t-stats to circuit board (Backside of water heater)
*From circuit bd to GAS Valve and Spark Electrode (Gas valve Solenoids get 12V DC for 6-8 seconds WHILE Spark Electrode if firing. Both solenoids have to work for gas valve to open. Resistance should be 40-50 ohms.
Inside solenoid common failure

Follow the 120V AC Circuit...find where it isn't
Follow the 12V DC Circuit....find where it isn't
Fix those and electric/propane will function

Here are the OEM Wiring Diagrams

[Hunny Badger]

Wow, thanks for all the great information!

[Radacravitz]

Originally Posted by Hunny Badger

Wow, thanks for all the great information!

@Hunny Badger, how did you resolve this situation?