Water Heater Makes Only Lukewarm Water

[EscapeBoulder]

We have a recent issue with our 2018 Surburban Gas Water Heater Model: SW6DE. It just makes very lukewarm water. Not even close to hot. I don’t see any way to adjust the water temperature. Perhaps I’m missing something. Or… It’s very dusty inside the cover after many miles on dirt roads. Perhaps a good blowing out, or even a light spray rinsing/clean with water might be at hand? Might you have a suggestion on how to get this fellow to properly heat up the water again? Thank you.

[HABBERDABBER]

Blow the heck out of the water heater area, at maybe 40-50 psi. Possibly grit and dust are insulating the temp sensor. I don't know. Not my forte, but water can muck things up a lot more than mere air.

'Tis true, there are no dials or knobs to adjust the temperature. Look high, look low, and try and see if anything is amiss or dislodged.

[Vermilye]

Also check that the bypass valves are completely closed.

[HABBERDABBER]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

Also check that the bypass valves are completely closed.

Sound suggestion from Jon. Yours may be the 1st on the forum of this issue. Maybe. 1st I've run across. The systems are not overly complex, so work your problem. But do...look high, look, low. I've learned, the HARD WAY, that's superb advice.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by EscapeBoulder

We have a recent issue with our 2018 Surburban Gas Water Heater Model: SW6DE. It just makes very lukewarm water. Not even close to hot. I don’t see any way to adjust the water temperature. Perhaps I’m missing something. Or… It’s very dusty inside the cover after many miles on dirt roads. Perhaps a good blowing out, or even a light spray rinsing/clean with water might be at hand? Might you have a suggestion on how to get this fellow to properly heat up the water again? Thank you.

is that on propane, or on shore power ? if you put it on propane, does the burner run constantly? mine heats up in under 5 minutes, and the fire shuts off until you use sufficient water.

[rubicon327]

Hard to tell but significant dirt in the burner tube / orifice could be causing issues when on propane. Clean this out really well with compressed air. You can try to light it at night and look into the heating chamber to see how the flame looks. If you have an erratic, yellow flame you have incomplete combustion and could get sooting. You want a solid, blue flame. Make sure the flue box is clean and unobstructed as well.

For those so inclined to dig deeper PDX RV has full service manuals
https://techsupport.pdxrvwholesale.c...uburban-sw6de/

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by EscapeBoulder

I don’t see any way to adjust the water temperature. Perhaps I’m missing something.

No adjustment. These water heaters have a thermostat set at a fixed 130F.

[pstyer]

I remember reading a post several years ago that may pertain to your problem. The person had an outside shower that they had closed at the shower head. Because the hot and cold valves were still open at the faucet, it allowed the hot a cold to mix, producing warm water in the rest of the trailer. I'm not an expert, but this is something that would be easy to check.

[davidmurphy02]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Hard to tell but significant dirt in the burner tube / orifice could be causing issues when on propane. Clean this out really well with compressed air. You can try to light it at night and look into the heating chamber to see how the flame looks. If you have an erratic, yellow flame you have incomplete combustion and could get sooting. You want a solid, blue flame. Make sure the flue box is clean and unobstructed as well.

This is good advice. On our recent trip the hot water heater started failing to stay lit on propane. When I opened the outside door it ran fine, so it seemed like some kind of obstruction in the air flow. I blew out the burner tube with a can of compressed air, quite a bit of black ash came flying out. Afterward it seems fine. First time in five years, so this is seeming like perhaps a good regular maintenance item to do every year or two.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by pstyer

I remember reading a post several years ago that may pertain to your problem. The person had an outside shower that they had closed at the shower head. Because the hot and cold valves were still open at the faucet, it allowed the hot a cold to mix, producing warm water in the rest of the trailer. I'm not an expert, but this is something that would be easy to check.

With the detachable shower hose that Escape uses it would be real easy to do. Disconnect the hose and leave the shower valves on. No evidence except the warm, not hot water.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsiXaMEneaY

[Centex]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

.... For those so inclined to dig deeper PDX RV has full service manuals
https://techsupport.pdxrvwholesale.c...uburban-sw6de/

Thanks for that resource; downloaded the service manuals in hope that means I'll never need 'em.

[EscapeBoulder]

Epilogue:

Thank you all for the great information.

I’m embarrassed to say, the water heater problem was… Me! Let me explain:

Just before our Thanksgiving week trip, a friend and I changed out the kitchen sink faucet. The original equipment faucet semi-failed on my previous trailer camping trip, I like the new faucet used by Escape better so we installed the replacement purchased thru Escape the day before we departed. And I hadn’t tested it.

Well, as things go, we reversed the hot and cold connections. And of course while dispersed camping, being very conservative with water usage, I never let the water run long enough to realize the hot water was on the cold side, etc. Finally doing a lot of dishes, it became obvious that the cold water was running hot!

I did check the burner flame - in the dark - and it appears fine.

Again, thank you all for your replies. The Escape community is amazing!

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by EscapeBoulder

Epilogue:

Well, as things go, we reversed the hot and cold connections.

It happens.

All's well that ends well.

Ron

[ColoradoSwany]

Originally Posted by EscapeBoulder

Epilogue:

Thank you all for the great information.

I’m embarrassed to say, the water heater problem was… Me! Let me explain:

Just before our Thanksgiving week trip, a friend and I changed out the kitchen sink faucet. The original equipment faucet semi-failed on my previous trailer camping trip, I like the new faucet used by Escape better so we installed the replacement purchased thru Escape the day before we departed. And I hadn’t tested it.

Well, as things go, we reversed the hot and cold connections. And of course while dispersed camping, being very conservative with water usage, I never let the water run long enough to realize the hot water was on the cold side, etc. Finally doing a lot of dishes, it became obvious that the cold water was running hot!

I did check the burner flame - in the dark - and it appears fine.

Again, thank you all for your replies. The Escape community is amazing!

Did you tell Ilse that it was all your friend/co-installer’s fault?😁