Water heater - red light at control panel

It appears that the water heater has stopped working on my 3300RLB.

When I turn it on at the interior switch (inside, near steps, by water pump switch) a red light immediately comes on.

Any idea as to why this is occurring?

Thank you.

That red light is supposed to come on for the propane turn on to heat the water. The switch by the kitchen sink is the electric turn on to heat the water. If you have shore power hookup, you can use both to heat the water faster & hotter. If you don't have any hot water, you need to check to see if you filled the tank or your bypass valves are in the right position after de-winterizing. Check all that before you go to your dealer!
Good Luck....Bryan

Hi Brad,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and Family. We have a lot of great people here with lots of information.

First has your water heater been working OK by turning on the electric switch with the red light? If it has, will it work on propane now? Have you checked the switch on the water heater itself?

Some one will give you more information, but check the above and give us a little more info about it.

Jim M

In a Sundance that red lighted switch turns on the electric power to the HWH. It should turn on as soon as you flip it to the on position. You should never turn it on until the HWH has filled with water (unless the switch in the HWH compartment is off). Both switches must be on for the HWH to work in electric mode. There is also a switch on the holding tanks panel that turns on the propane HWH heater. You can use just propoane, just electric, or both.

bkonkle said:

It appears that the water heater has stopped working on my 3300RLB.

When I turn it on at the interior switch (inside, near steps, by water pump switch) a red light immediately comes on.

Any idea as to why this is occurring?

Thank you.

Click to expand...

Did you catch all that bkonkle??

There are 3 switches total that affect your Hot Water Heater(HWH). Ensure you have a FULL HWH before moving on.
1. Remove the access panel (outside) and find the toggle switch (may have a cotter pin in it to keep an empty HWH tank from being activated).
2. Toggle switch on Monitor Panel is the control for LP usage. Ooops-turn on the LP tank!
3. Switch below the kitchen sink is to turn on the HWH using Electric (either shore power or generator power).

As was mentioned if you desire faster heating of the water due to numerous showers, etc., you can use both LP & Electric at the same time. Just remind yourself to turn off the LP side when finished or risk wasting your LP. Electric side willl keep the water hot enough for normal usage.

Hope this clears it up for you.

Sounds like you are using only the LP side...light comes on but no heat? Check you LP tank, then step outside and see if the HWH is attempting to ignite. Let us know.

Thanks to all for the comments.

I realized the failure just before a RV trip so had no access nor any idea at the speed with which answers would come! Thank you all for the replies.

The red light I was referring to is not the lighted switch used to activate the electric heating element, nor the lighted switch used to activate propane heating.

I tested the HWH using electric and it does work.

The problem is associated with propane usage. The switch at the heater is on, and the lighted switch used to activate propane heating is on as well.

However, there is a third light that is being activated. As a picture is worth a thousand words, please see this picture as to what I am trying to describe: http://home.comcast.net/~bradleyrk/Panel.jpg

Note the small light to the left of the interior heater switch – it is to this light that I refer.

I pulled the panel for the heater and can clearly smell propane but am not obtaining ignition.

I do not see a spark being thrown so at this point I suspect the ignition source or an ‘unknown’ fuse somewhere (all fuses at the panel are good).

Thank you.

That light is suppose to go out when the HWT lights on propane. If it stays on there is a problem with the propane operation of the tank. Jon

I've heard that spider webs in the igniter tube can be a problem with ignition. If you hear the igniter sparking, but don't get ignition, try cleaning out the tube. There are some good procedures on this site and RV.net on how to do this cleaning.

Why do you want to heat hot water?? I have not noticed that with my "water heater". But will give a look when I get home.

Typing error...
I did clean out the tube - was surprise at the debris given the age of the unit – thanks Boca.
I then lit the heater using a long lighter (I do not recommend this) and the heater ran fine. I then removed the electrode and hooked it to a 12 volt battery – no spark.

At this point I am electrode shopping and will update when the part has been installed.

Thank to all who commented with ideas.

bkonkle said:

At this point I am electrode shopping and will update when the part has been installed.

Click to expand...

What year is your rig? You may be able to get a new one under warranty.

Took me far too long to get back with the results - sorry for that, but sometimes work get in the way.

Turned out that the control board was damaged/inoperative.
Had the dealer replace the board and was good for one trip - only to have the same problem a few months later.
Current state is that I can light the gas via lighter (no electronic ignition) but then heater shuts off.
I expect another board issue.

I am considering replacing with a tank-less water heater as the suburban simply appears problematic.

bkonkle;Pulltab here on the forum has done the tankless heater. PM him, he could tell you how he did it. JON