Chinook RV

Has anyone replaced the Suburban 6 gal. LP water heater with the LP/Electric version? We usually stay post to post and like the idea of having the option to run off of the hookup instead of our LP. Curious on how involved a retro-fit would be.

Have you considered an $80 kit that adds a 110v heating element? Something like:

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-11673-Wate ... B0024ECCJW

It needs a switch wired up somewhere, of course.

I haven't done that, but I did buy a new/same water heater to replace my original. However if I were doing it over again, I think I'd get the version with the electric built in. My original wasn't broken, but some of the outer parts (near the burner area) were corroded, I could NOT get the relief valve off, and the outer door was kind of crusty. I wrestled with it for awhile (not realizing how relatively easy/inexpensive it would be to get a new one) and then finally just bought a new one.

Not having the electric is not a big regret for me, since I rarely plug in; but I'd still probably get it if I were re-ordering. If I plugged in a lot? For sure. I can make electricity (solar), or pump gas; but to get propane I have to go to a specific place, make sure the person who pumps it is there, cringe over how they fill it (sometimes), etc. etc. So while propane is great, it's the one fuel I prefer not to have to get more often than necessary.

(Now that I don't have the propane refrigerator, I can go a year. Ahhhhh.)

Blue~Go wrote:However if I were doing it over again, I think I'd get the version with the electric built in.

My thought as well. Not sold on the "hot rod" mod.
Any links to "how to install", primarily for the 110 connection?...

...(sigh) more electrical stuff...

The reviews at that Amazon link show that people overwhelmingly seem to love the mod.

As for wiring it in, it looks like it only takes about 4-5 amps, so personally I'd tap into the driver's side outlets, which are on a 15 amp breaker.

Unless you run a lot of other stuff on the outlets, that is.

So I decided to put my money where my mouth is, and bought one of these kits.

Strapped for spare time, so far I've only installed the heating rod (and by doing so, also fixed a tiny leak under pressure that I never knew existed from the stock plastic plug).

Now I need to drill a hole in the heater frame next to the current wire hole, and put in a grommet to run the two wires into the space just above the water tank / below the sofa. From there I'll add wire extensions (they only give 4') to the electric power switch so I can place it next to the regular Water Heater gas mode switch that's on the front of the sink cabinet.

Since it comes with a long power cord and regular plug, I might also install a 120v outlet under the sink cabinet for it and anything else that might come along.

Anyone here already installed one of the Camco kits?

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Side note: the Suburban plug opening is 3/4". Too bad it's not 1" NPT, as there are tons of 12V heater plugs available in that size. It had struck me that during the day when there's plenty of extra solar not being used, it would be great to divert that power to a 12V water heater element