Need some insight

[Fern]

So I was rinsing out our suburban water here in out 18 Sundance. I had the camper plugged into 110 to charge the batteries back up after our trip. While doing other repair I noticed there was a heating element inside that was glowing.
I had no idea our gas water heater had a heating element much less why it kicked on.
Can someone give me some info as to why it may have clicked on and if removing the anode rod is only way to drain it completely?


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[danemayer]

Hi Fern,

It sounds like your Suburban is a gas/electric model that can run off either propane w 12V DC, or 120V AC and the 120V AC side is turned ON. On Suburban water heaters, there will be 2 switches for 120V AC operation. One is inside the coach and the other is a small black rocker switch in the lower left hand corner of the water heater, outside. Our owner-written Water Heater Usage Guide explains this and more.

You probably have low point drains, so it may be possible to mostly drain the water heater by opening the pressure/temperature relief valve on the water heater, a faucet inside, and opening both low point drains. But you'll still need to remove and inspect the anode rod at least annually and replace it when necessary.

 

[boatto5er]

If you could see the heating element glowing and didn’t immediately turn it off, there’s a chance you burned it out. I would fill the tank, turn off the propane switch, and run it for awhile on electric to see if the element still works.


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[CoveredWagon]

I believe our 2018 Bighorn with a Suburban water heater can be drained only by removing the anode rod. You can't completely flush it unless you have one of the tank heater flush things. I was or mayenot how much crude I flushed out after removing the anode rod.

 

[Fern]

Thanks everyone for the info. I saw the rocker switch on the heater itself but don’t have a switch inside.
Wondering if when I was flushing it I may have accidentally bumped it with the wand when I was flushing it.
Yes I do have the low point drains and open those up but apparently it slipped my mind that I had to relieve the pressure by opening up faucet


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[Gary521]

I am almost positive that you have a switch inside someplace. Some are not identified very well.

 

[boatto5er]

Pretty sure you have an inside switch. It’s normally a switch that lights up or has a small red light on it.


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[danemayer]

Yes I do have the low point drains and open those up but apparently it slipped my mind that I had to relieve the pressure by opening up faucet

It may not be enough to open a faucet. That'll let water out the low point drains. But if the water heater hot outlet has a check valve (some do, some don't), a check valve won't allow the water heater tank to drain unless you open the pressure relief valve.