Using & Maintaining the Suburban Water Heater - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Tech > Escape Systems | Water, Waste, Charging & Propane
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 08-15-2019, 10:16 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Humboldt County, California
Trailer: 2009 Escape 19
Posts: 173
Using & Maintaining the Suburban Water Heater

Reading the manual for my new to me Suburban SW6D water heater in my 2009 Escape 19, I see that I am supposed to replace the propane gas orifice to suit the elevation I am camping at. The purpose is to maintain the efficiency of the heater and to minimize the production of carbon monoxide gas. The heater is currently factory equipped with a size 61 orifice, which I presume is the correct one for use at sea level.

I cannot find any references to this in any of the forums (I freely admit to incompetence here), so does anyone actually do this, and if so, how; and where do you find the requisite orifices?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer. Alternatively, mebbe I should just quit reading owners manuals...

George
George Johnson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-15-2019, 10:20 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
gbaglo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
Quote:
Originally Posted by George Johnson View Post
The purpose is to maintain the efficiency of the heater and to minimize the production of carbon monoxide gas. George

I've never done anything to the water heater other than replace the anode once.

Not sure why carbon monoxide would be an issue since combustion takes place outside the trailer.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
gbaglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-15-2019, 10:30 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Iowa Dave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Benton County, Iowa
Trailer: 2013 Escape 21 Classic Number 6, pulled by 2018 Toyota Highlander
Posts: 8,234
We had a 2010 19 with suburban water heater. We camped from sea level to 8,000 feet. Never changed anything and never had a problem. Never noticed that it was taking an especially long time to heat the water at higher elevations. We usually turn the heater in when we get up in the morning, let it make temp and shut it off for the day. Then do the same at night and take showers and then off before bed. YMMV.
Iowa Dave
__________________
Ain’t no trouble jacking a double Burma Shave
Dave
Iowa Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2019, 12:33 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
Not sure why carbon monoxide would be an issue since combustion takes place outside the trailer.
Yes, that's important, but the exhaust still comes out low on the side of the trailer, so it can come in an open window. It's just not good to be around anything producing carbon monoxide.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2019, 07:45 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Perry Butler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Lanesboro, MN, between Whalan and Fountain, Minnesota
Trailer: 2016 Bigfoot 25RQ - (2018 Escape 5.0 sold)
Posts: 2,153
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
Yes, that's important, but the exhaust still comes out low on the side of the trailer, so it can come in an open window. It's just not good to be around anything producing carbon monoxide.
What percentage of Escape members have died or been sick from this happening? A leak into the camper from the seat is theoretically possible, but normal operation? If that's the case then Escape should not have placed a window above the water heater.

Enjoy,

Perry
__________________
Those who know everything use pens. Intelligent people use pencils.
Perry Butler is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2019, 08:23 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Vermilye's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,363
Quote:
Originally Posted by Perryb67 View Post
What percentage of Escape members have died or been sick from this happening? A leak into the camper from the seat is theoretically possible, but normal operation? If that's the case then Escape should not have placed a window above the water heater.

Enjoy,

Perry
It doesn't take much of a leak for CO to get into the trailer. I have a wall mounted CO detector with a digital readout, and found that even with the windows closed, if the wind is blowing against the water heater side, the CO detector starts to climb, and sometimes got high enough to alarm.

I found that there was a small gap around the gas line & electrical wiring. I filled it with electrician's duct seal & the problem got much better.
__________________
Jon Vermilye My Travel Blog
Travel and Photo Web Page ... My Collection of RV Blogs 2018 F150 3.5EB, 2017 21
Vermilye is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2019, 12:33 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Perry Butler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Lanesboro, MN, between Whalan and Fountain, Minnesota
Trailer: 2016 Bigfoot 25RQ - (2018 Escape 5.0 sold)
Posts: 2,153
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vermilye View Post
It doesn't take much of a leak for CO to get into the trailer. I have a wall mounted CO detector with a digital readout, and found that even with the windows closed, if the wind is blowing against the water heater side, the CO detector starts to climb, and sometimes got high enough to alarm.

I found that there was a small gap around the gas line & electrical wiring. I filled it with electrician's duct seal & the problem got much better.
I was talking about an open window, not a leak into the trailer.

Enjoy,

Perry
__________________
Those who know everything use pens. Intelligent people use pencils.
Perry Butler is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2019, 01:03 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by Perryb67 View Post
What percentage of Escape members have died or been sick from this happening?
Probably zero. The fact that an incident hasn't occurred doesn't mean that an activity is perfectly safe. If you walk across the nearest major road with your eyes closed, you probably won't get hit... but I don't recommend trying, and if you do get away with it, you won't have proved anything.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Perryb67 View Post
A leak into the camper from the seat is theoretically possible, but normal operation? If that's the case then Escape should not have placed a window above the water heater.
There are degrees of risk in anything. I certainly don't fault the appliance manufacturer for recommending actions to operate the appliance optimally, minimizing risk in the operation. In this case, the risk is so small that I wouldn't worry about it (either the window placement or the burner orifice), but it exists.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2019, 08:18 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Perry Butler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Lanesboro, MN, between Whalan and Fountain, Minnesota
Trailer: 2016 Bigfoot 25RQ - (2018 Escape 5.0 sold)
Posts: 2,153
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
Probably zero. The fact that an incident hasn't occurred doesn't mean that an activity is perfectly safe. If you walk across the nearest major road with your eyes closed, you probably won't get hit... but I don't recommend trying, and if you do get away with it, you won't have proved anything.

There are degrees of risk in anything. I certainly don't fault the appliance manufacturer for recommending actions to operate the appliance optimally, minimizing risk in the operation. In this case, the risk is so small that I wouldn't worry about it (either the window placement or the burner orifice), but it exists.


Perry
__________________
Those who know everything use pens. Intelligent people use pencils.
Perry Butler is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2019, 08:20 PM   #10
Site Team
 
John in Santa Cruz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Mid Left Coast, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21
Posts: 5,122
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
I've never done anything to the water heater other than replace the anode once.

Not sure why carbon monoxide would be an issue since combustion takes place outside the trailer.
re-jetting for high elevations is as much about maintaining combustion efficiency as anything. sea level jets will be too rich at higher elevations where there's less air, and running too rich tends to promote carbon fouling.
John in Santa Cruz is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2019, 08:21 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
gbaglo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
I minimize the risk by turning the water heater on for half an hour in the morning and another half hour in the evening. If using the shower, the heater is on, but the rest of the time it is not burning propane or creating CO.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
gbaglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2019, 08:23 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
gbaglo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
Quote:
Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz View Post
re-jetting for high elevations is as much about maintaining combustion efficiency as anything.

I normally camp around 3,500 - 4,500 feet. What is high elevations?
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
gbaglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 06:52 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
rubicon327's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Burlington Twp., New Jersey
Trailer: 2010 Escape 19
Posts: 7,126
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
I normally camp around 3,500 - 4,500 feet. What is high elevations?
This is what Suburban officially says...
Attached Thumbnails
83456519-FC30-469C-ADC5-6CE7FFC62F6A.jpg  
__________________
Mods to Rubicon: https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post249508
“One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.”― W.F.
rubicon327 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 11:31 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Humboldt County, California
Trailer: 2009 Escape 19
Posts: 173
Thanks for posting this, Rubicon 327. My manual makes no mention of the original orifice being suitable up to 4500 feet, so I'm half way there. Now I just need to find out about an orifice for use at higher elevations.

George
__________________
Fog Lark
George Johnson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-18-2019, 11:51 PM   #15
Site Team
 
John in Santa Cruz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Mid Left Coast, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21
Posts: 5,122
i wouldn't change the orifice unless you are spending more time at higher elevations than not.
John in Santa Cruz is online now   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:46 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.