Dealing with a burnt-out rv water heating element is basically a rite of passage for anyone who spends enough time on the road. You're out there, enjoying the scenery, maybe you've just finished a long day of hiking or driving, and you hop in the shower expecting that nice, relaxing steam. Instead, you get a blast of water so cold it feels like you've been slapped in the face with a frozen trout. It's annoying, it's frustrating, and it's usually because that little electric coil in your tank has finally called it quits.
The good news is that you don't need to be a professional plumber or an electrical wizard to fix this. It's one of those DIY jobs that looks intimidating at first but is actually pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it. Most RVers can swap one out in about thirty minutes, provided they have the right tool and a bit of patience.
Why Do These Things Even Break?
You might be wondering why your rv water heating element decided to give up on you right now. Honestly, the most common reason is something called "dry firing." This happens when someone (and let's be real, we've all done it or known someone who has) flips the electric switch for the water heater before the tank is actually full of water.
These elements are designed to be submerged. When they're surrounded by water, the water absorbs the heat. When they're surrounded by air, they get white-hot in a matter of seconds and literally burn themselves out. You'll hear a faint pop or a sizzle, and that's the end of that. If you've ever accidentally turned on the heater while the RV was winterized or the bypass valves were still closed, you've probably toasted your element.
Aside from accidental dry firing, scale and calcium buildup are the other big killers. If you're camping in areas with hard water, minerals start to crust over the element. Eventually, that crust gets so thick that the element can't transfer heat to the water anymore, or it just gets so hot under the "blanket" of lime that it cracks.
How to Tell if It's Actually Dead
Before you go ripping things apart, you want to make sure the rv water heating element is actually the problem. If your water heater works on propane but refuses to heat up on the electric setting, that's your first big clue.
If you want to be 100% sure, you'll need a multimeter. First, make sure the power is totally off—and I mean both the 120V breaker and the 12V switch. You don't want any surprises here. Locate the element (it's usually behind a small black plastic cover on the outside of the unit) and disconnect the two wires leading to it.
Set your multimeter to the Ohms setting (resistance). Touch the probes to the two screw terminals on the element. If you get a reading somewhere between 10 and 16 Ohms, the element is probably fine, and your problem might be the thermostat or a loose wire. But if the meter shows "OL" (open loop) or zero, the element is definitely toasted and needs to go.
Getting the Right Replacement Part
Not all elements are created equal. Most RVs use either a Suburban or an Atwood (now Dometic) water heater, and they take different styles of elements.
Suburban heaters usually have a screw-in element that's relatively easy to find at any RV supply shop or even some big-box hardware stores. Most of these are rated at 1440 watts. Atwood heaters can be a bit more finicky; some of theirs are screw-in, while older models might have a bolt-on style.
The most important thing is to match the wattage and the voltage. You're almost certainly looking for a 120V element. Don't accidentally buy a residential 240V element, or your water will never get hot because it won't be getting enough "juice" to do the job.
Tools You'll Definitely Need
You can't really "wing it" when it comes to the tools for this job. You'll need a specific water heater element wrench. It's basically a long, thin-walled 1-1/2 inch socket. You might think you can get in there with a pair of massive pliers or a standard crescent wrench, but trust me, there's usually not enough clearance in that cramped little compartment. You'll just end up stripping the nut and making your life miserable. The proper wrench costs about ten bucks and will save you fifty bucks worth of frustration.
The Step-by-Step Replacement Process
- Safety First: Turn off the electric switch inside the RV and flip the breaker in your main panel. If you're plugged into shore power, it's not a bad idea to just unplug for a minute if you're nervous.
- Turn off the Water: Shut off your water pump or disconnect the city water hose.
- Drain the Tank: This is the part people forget. Open the pressure relief valve (the little lever at the top) and then pull the drain plug at the bottom. If you try to unscrew the rv water heating element while the tank is full, you're going to get a high-pressure bath that you didn't ask for.
- Remove the Old Element: Pop off that black cover, disconnect the wires (remember which one goes where, though it usually doesn't matter on these AC circuits), and use your element wrench to unscrew the old one. It might be stuck on there pretty good if it's been in place for a few years, so give it some muscle.
- Clean the Threads: Take a rag and wipe out the threads in the tank. If there's a lot of gunk, use an old toothbrush to get the grit out.
- Install the New One: Make sure the rubber gasket is seated properly on the new element. Thread it in by hand first to make sure you don't cross-thread it, then tighten it down with the wrench. You don't need to go crazy—just snug it up so it doesn't leak.
- Reconnect and Refill: Hook the wires back up and put the cover back on. Crucial step: Close the drain plug and the pressure relief valve, then turn your water back on. Open a hot water faucet inside the RV and wait until water flows steadily without any air sputtering. This ensures the tank is full.
- The Moment of Truth: Only after the tank is full should you flip the breaker and the switch back on. Give it about 20 or 30 minutes, and you should have hot water again.
A Quick Word on Maintenance
If you want to avoid doing this again next season, there are a couple of things you can do. First, if you have a Suburban heater, check your anode rod. That rod is designed to corrode so your tank (and your element) doesn't have to. If the rod is eaten away, the minerals start attacking the rv water heating element next.
Second, flush your tank out once or twice a year. You can buy a little wand that attaches to a garden hose. You stick it in the drain hole and spray it around to wash out all that white, chalky sediment that settles at the bottom. It's gross to see what comes out, but your water heater will thank you by lasting a lot longer.
Wrapping It Up
At the end of the day, a busted rv water heating element isn't the end of the world. It's a cheap part and a relatively simple fix. Once you've done it once, you'll never be intimidated by it again. Plus, there's a certain sense of satisfaction that comes from fixing your own rig and knowing you saved yourself a couple hundred dollars in mobile mechanic fees. So, go grab that wrench, swap out that burnt coil, and get back to enjoying your hot showers. You've earned it!