This is a continuation of the previous page and its modification and is mainly meant for the permanent removal and exchange of the Suburban 6 gallon hot water heater with a different hot water heater that runs on propane exclusively thereby freeing up the dedicated 110v AC circuit. The references to the images in the RED portion of this text can be found on the previous page
OK….I swapped out my Suburban 6 gallon water heater in favor of the Girard GSWH-2 tank-less hot water on demand water heater, and since it only runs on propane, naturally I had this 110v AC circuit that ran the electrical side of the Suburban, doing nothing. Now, I could have just cut the wire and disconnected it from the breaker panel, but why waste a good circuit? That’s when I decided to just put in another plug with its own circuit. I could have put in a plug box on the driver’s side so I could have outside service over there or I could put it inside somewhere. I chose the inside as there is no plug near the sink area. So I mounted it on the counter top next to the sink. It was easy to do. You might have read this on the previous page about swapping out the hot water heaters, and if this is redundant then just skip this part in RED.
Here is what I did.
The first thing that I did was to remove the Surburban 6 gallon hot water heater. Make sure all the 110v AC electrical service to your trailer is off and also that the 12v DC is off too. Likewise make sure the water heater is cool, the switch is off and that the propane is off as well. You don’t want to work with hot water, live wires or open propane gas flowing. Especially at the same time!
On the outside, open the access door to the water heater and at the front of the water heater at the bottom in the center you will see a large bolt head behind the brass colored horizontal burner tube (image 1836). For those who don’t know, this is the anode rod that is in the inside of the water heater. It is there to dissolve instead of your tank walls. By removing this you can drain the water from the heater.
On the inside under the sink you will see the back side of the water heater with the two water connections. One on the top (hot water out) and another on the bottom (cold water in). Disconnect both of these and have a cup and sponge ready to catch any left over water inside the tank. Go back outside and take the door (images 1840, 1841) off by removing the two lower screws on the front of the flange. The flange is screwed directly into the trailer outside wall on every side. Remove all of the remaining screws on the flange including 3 very long screws (image 1838) that are attached to the water heater itself thru three tabs that are bent out from the flange (image 1839). Pull on the flange and it will come straight out. You might need a putty knife to loosen the silicon seal around the flange. Next disconnect the propane gas feed line (image 1844) from the fitting in the front lower left corner (image 1842) and push it thru the grommet if you can. You will have to pull the water heater out slightly to work the gas line thru the grommet and thru the water heater front. Once it clears, you can pull the water heater out more from the trailer wall. This will expose the 110v electrical service box for the water heater (image 1845). There is one Phillips head screw on the side of the box. Remove this and slide the steel plate down. This will expose all of the 110v electrical connections. Unscrew and disconnect these three wires and unscrew the two screws on the pinch retainer for the wire itself on the back of the box and slide the three wires out (image 1843). This is the 110v feed for the water heater that I will use somewhere else. I decided on the inside near the sink area.
Go back inside and unscrew the two screws holding the switch panel (for propane service) on the front side under the lip of the sink and pull it out so you can unhook the 4 wires from the back for the switch and indicator light (image 1838). Now go and look inside under the sink for the control box for the hot water heater (image 1837). It should be mounted on the wall next to the bathroom with two screws. Remove them. Now all connections to the Suburban hot water heater have been disconnected and the hot water heater will now freely slide out. Go back outside and pull the hot water heater out being careful not to damage any wires or the control box. Set this aside somewhere safe and out of the way.
Now go over to the outside top refrigerator access panel (image 1861) and twist the black turn latches 90° either way. This unlocks the panel so you can lift out the bottom edge and slide the whole panel out. At the top you will see a baffle board which is (image 1846) screwed into the top of the compartment with the refrigerator riser ventilator fan tube attached in the middle of the baffle (image 1847) with one screw. Remove this screw and the other two screws (one on each end) that secure the baffle as well and remove the baffle. What you will see is the top of the fridge with some insulation on top of it and the underside of the kitchen counter that is next to the sink. Also in front of the ventilation tube are several wires of which some are 110v AC electrical wires. If you push the electrical wire that was the feed for the old hot water heater into the cabinet that contains the fridge you can identify this wire (image 1848) as it will buckle upward. Simply pull on this wire and pull it all the way back thru into the fridge access compartment. With the 110v power off of course, I would suggest snipping off the old ends first so they don’t catch in the process of pulling them thru.
Now all you have to do is figure out where you want your plug to go. As for the electrical receptacle box, I chose the “Diamond Speed Box”. It is the same kind used in the TM and I like it because they are so easy to use and you don’t need a stud the hammer it onto either (images 1849, 1850). That’s because they have the little wings that spread out when you tighten the screws that hold them onto the box (images 1851, 1853). Plus connecting the wires to the receptacle is a breeze because after you unsnap the back off the box (image 1856 …the white portion on the counter), you just hammer the wires into these slots (use of a screw driver helps) that pierce the insulation on the wire and makes the connection (image 1852). Then snap the white back, back on and you’re done!
But before you can do all that you have to figure out where you want your box to go (image 1855) and then drill a few holes (large enough for a sabre saw blade to go in) where the corners of the box will go and then take your sabre saw and cut out the box so you can poke your wires thru for fitting into the box (image 1857). Push the box into the hole you just cut (after hooking up the wires and snapping the back on) and line it up and screw down on the “wing” screws, which will align and tighten the little wings up against the counter underside (images 1858, 1859). Snap on the face plate (image 1860), and replace the fridge access panel and you’re done. Another plug and this one on the counter top.
ADENDUM:
Hold on...not so fast....after much wailing and pissing from The Trailmanor's Owners Forum, I was informed that I had done a stupid thing. It seems that the circuit that was for the old hot water heater was tied parallel to the refrigerator on the same 20 amp circuit breaker, and, that they were not on a GFI (ground fault interupter) breaker like all of the other plugs throughout the trailer. The threat of shock was shocking! I felt intimidated for my lack of EXPERTISE! I was humiliated to say the least (some in the forum have a way of doing this to EVERYONE, even each other too....and you know who you are!!).
So I now have corrected the problem by installing a AFCI/GFCI Dual Function outlet where the other one had been (images 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889). I had to inlarge the hole in the counter top just a bit to get a new shallow sheet rock receptical box to fit. The AGCI/GFCI receptical itself is not available in the "Speed Box" configuration (images 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853). So I put in the new box, cut and stripped the wires, screwed them down on the new receptical and placed and secured it to the new box completing it all with a metal face plate on the counter top.
I would suggest that everyone that contributed to my post on this (actually about my new hot water heater, but no one seemed to care about that!!!) should go and change out every single plug in their TM to these AFCI/GFCI outlet plugs to keep from burning down while being electocuted when plugging in their toaster.
And finally.....go get out your blender and the ice and your favorite clown oil and mix up a batch of frozen fool fuel. Be sure and do this step last......unless your one of the experts!