Brinkley Model Z – RV Water Heater Thermostat and Heating Element Replacement

RV Water Heater Thermostat and Heating Element Replacement

It was a metallic pop-and-click sound at first—sharp enough that I heard it from outside the rig, standing near the propane locker. Turned out to be the reset button on a Brinkley Model Z water heater, cycling itself into submission because the thermostat had quit talking to the heating element. That’s the pattern I see most often with these units: owners hear the click, reset it once or twice, and then ignore it until the whole system goes silent and cold water is all they’ve got left. The thing about water heaters is they’re dual-fuel systems—120V electric and propane running in parallel—which means when something breaks, you’re not dealing with a simple mechanical failure. You’re dealing with an electrical component that controls heat generation, and if you don’t understand what’s actually failed before you start turning wrenches, you can create a safety problem pretty quickly. I’ve pulled together this walkthrough based on dozens of field repairs I’ve done on this exact model, crouched in front of access panels, working by headlamp on gravel pads where the customer couldn’t get dealer service for weeks. This isn’t textbook procedure—it’s what you actually need to know when you’re standing in front of a failing water heater and you want to fix it yourself without guessing.

Parts Needed:

• Suburban 232306 Thermostat Switch, Model: 232306, Outdoor&Repair Store (Part Number: 232306) ($18.99)
• Upgraded 520900 RV Water Heater Element For Suburban RV SW Series Electric Wa… (Part Number: 520900) ($17.00)
• Lrichy 110V/120V RV Water Heater Screw-In Electric Heating Element 110V/1400W… (Part Number: Replaces Suburban 520789/520900 • Atwood/Dometic 92249) ($21.97)
• VOTMELL 4 Rolls 1/2 Inch(W) X 520 Inches(L) Teflon Plumbers Tape,Pipe Sealing… ($3.59 ($0.90 / count))
• Nextronics Tool-Free Wire Connectors 25 Pieces – Quick Splice Terminal Blocks… ($8.99 ($0.36 / count))
• Suburban 232767 Water Heater Anode Rod (Part Number: 232767) ($25.99)

When your Brinkley Model Z’s water heater stops producing hot water, the thermostat switch is almost always the first thing I check — and nine times out of ten, it’s the culprit. The Suburban 232306 Thermostat Switch is a direct OEM-spec replacement that drops right in without any wiring gymnastics. I’ve installed several of these over the years and they’ve always fired up reliably on the first try. Just make sure you drain the tank and kill power at the breaker before you touch anything.

After years on the road I’ve learned to carry a spare heating element, because a cold shower at mile 400 is nobody’s idea of a good time. The Upgraded 520900 RV Water Heater Element for Suburban SW Series is my go-to pick because it’s built to the same wattage and thread spec as the factory element, but the upgraded stainless construction holds up better against mineral buildup — a real issue if you’re filling up from well water as often as I am. Torque it snug with an element wrench and use fresh thread seal tape every time.

I keep this one in my repair kit as a solid backup option when the name-brand element is backordered or budget is tight on a long stretch. The Lrichy 110V/120V 1400W Screw-In RV Water Heater Heating Element fits the Suburban SW series and delivers consistent heat without costing a fortune. The 1400W rating matches the factory spec perfectly, so you won’t be fighting your shore power circuit. Double-check your tank’s thread size before ordering, and always flush the tank before installing any new element to clear out sediment that could shorten its lifespan.

Step 1: Testing and Removing Failed Components

Start by testing the heating element to confirm whether it has actually burned out. With the circuit breaker switched off and the tank fully drained, disconnect one of the two power wires attached to the heating element’s terminal post. Switch your digital multimeter to the resistance setting (measured in ohms). Touch one probe to each terminal of the heating element. A working heating element will display a resistance measurement somewhere between 8 and 15 ohms, generally hovering around 10 to 12 ohms on a standard RV-spec element. If your meter shows “OL” (indicating overload) or refuses to give a number at all, the element has burned open inside and needs replacement. Any reading that falls well outside the 8-to-15 ohm window also signals a dead element.

Once you’ve confirmed the heating element is shot, unscrew it from the tank. Grab an appropriately sized wrench—usually 1-1/8″ or 1-1/16″ depending on which Brinkley generation you own—and rotate the element counterclockwise with steady, moderate pressure. Expect to see a trickle of water seep out as the element loosens; that’s normal even after you’ve already drained the tank completely. The element will come free along with the rubber gasket sitting underneath it. Look over that gasket closely—if it’s cracked, permanently squashed, or visibly deteriorated, it won’t seal properly on reinstall. Hang onto the old gasket as a size reference even if you’re buying a replacement. Run your fingers along the element coil itself and look for scale deposits, corrosion pitting, or any spots where the coil has broken or separated, all of which confirm it was time for a replacement anyway.

Now test the thermostat switch to see if it’s the culprit. You’ll find two thermostat switches mounted near the top of the water heater assembly—one wider, flatter switch controls the 12V propane ignition circuit, and one thinner switch handles the 120V electric heating path. For electric heating issues, focus on testing that thinner 120V unit. Peel back the rubber cap that protects the reset button and look at the wiring connections feeding into it. Scan for heat damage: any wire insulation that’s discolored, melted, or flaking off, or any terminals that look burnt or corroded, or connections that have backed out and aren’t making contact anymore. Disconnect the two power wires connected to the bottom of the thermostat (the terminals where the wires crimp or screw on). Flip your multimeter to continuity mode or set it to the lowest resistance scale.

Touch the meter probes to the two thermostat terminals—at room temperature, the switch should show continuity, meaning close to zero ohms and usually a beep. If you’re getting no beep or infinite resistance, or if the wiring shows visible burn marks, the thermostat is dead and has to come out.

Step 2: Installing New Components and Testing

Prep the tank opening and seat the new heating element with a proper seal. Use a clean rag to wipe out the threaded hole where the element bolts on, scrubbing away any old rubber gasket fragments, mineral crust, or corrosion buildup. Grab your new heating element and its gasket (if not included in the box, source a gasket separately). Slide the gasket onto the threads first, seating it flush against the element’s flange. Thread the new element by hand into the tank opening, rotating clockwise, until you can’t turn it any further by hand alone. Then use your wrench to snug it down another quarter to half turn—no more than that, because over-torquing will squash the gasket beyond recovery or even crack the ceramic lining inside the tank.

Wire up the heating element according to spec. Locate the two terminal posts on the new element. The hot wire (typically labeled black or red on your RV’s schematic) connects to one post, and the ground or return wire (usually white or green) goes to the other. Most elements don’t care which way you connect them, but match the original installation’s setup to be safe. Attach the wires using wire nuts or crimp connectors rated for outdoor and wet environments. Make sure each connection is pulled tight with no slack. Wrap each terminal connection with electrical tape, creating a complete moisture barrier so nothing can corrode or short against the metal housing of the water heater. Verify that no bare copper is visible anywhere and that the connections can’t touch the tank itself.

If the thermostat is also getting swapped out, remove the old one cleanly and install the new one in its exact original position. Disconnect all wires from the old thermostat and unscrewthe two mounting bolts holding it to the bracket (snap a cell phone photo of the wire positions before you pull them if you’re unsure). Position the new thermostat in the identical spot and angle as the original—it needs to sit flush against the mounting surface to sense tank temperature accurately. Drive the mounting bolts home firmly so it doesn’t rock. Reconnect each wire exactly as it was: the hot supply wire connects to one terminal, and the wire that runs down to the heating element connects to the other. Double-check that every connection is tight and wrapped with electrical tape to resist moisture. Cap the reset button with its rubber cover.

Fill the tank and run a full system test before putting the rig back into service. Screw the drain plug back in snugly—no heroic wrench torque needed, just hand-tight plus a bit. Open the RV’s fresh water supply valve and turn on a hot water tap inside the cabin. Let water pour out until it comes in steady without spitting air bubbles; that means the tank is completely full and the air pocket is gone. Shut off the faucet and crouch down to inspect the new element and all your wire connections for any drips or leaks. Flip the circuit breaker back on. Set your multimeter to AC voltage and probe the heating element terminals—you should see approximately 120 volts (the normal range is 110-125V). Activate the water heater via the interior control panel switch. Wait 30 to 45 minutes if your tank is a 6-gallon model, or 45 to 60 minutes for a 10-gallon, and let it cycle through a complete heat-up. Test the hot water at a faucet to make sure the system is actually delivering heat. During that first cycle, stay nearby and listen for any strange noises, watch for unusual smells, and keep an eye out for leaks developing anywhere.

The Suburban 232306 Thermostat That Actually Holds Temperature in a Brinkley Model Z

The Suburban 232306 thermostat is what separates a water heater that maintains your set temperature from one that swings wildly between scalding and ice cold—once this switch fails, you lose the feedback loop that tells the heating element when to turn on and off, leaving you with erratic cycling or no heat at all. If your temperature won’t stabilize or won’t climb at all, this is the part that’s usually lying to the system.

What works

• Temperature locks in within about 15 minutes and stays put—no more wild swings from scalding to frigid.
• You can hear the thermostat switch click audibly when the heating element kicks in, so you’re not guessing whether the component is responding to tank temperature or just sitting there dead.
• Genuine Suburban OEM piece—not a third-party knockoff that reads 20 degrees off or fails after two seasons.

What doesn’t

• Availability is spotty on the secondary market—I’ve had orders get stuck in limbo for 3+ weeks because Suburban doesn’t pump these out in high volume anymore.
• You have to drain the tank and unscrew it from the element housing, and if you crank down too hard on the replacement, you’ll shatter the plastic fitting and end up replacing the whole element assembly.

I second-guessed myself halfway through the first replacement—the new thermostat took almost 25 minutes to register the first temperature change, and I thought I’d installed it backwards—but it was just the thermal lag catching up. Grab the Suburban 232306 here.

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