Heartland Eddie Bauer Signature – RV Water Heater Thermostat and Heating Element Replacement

RV Water Heater Thermostat and Heating Element Replacement

“Hey Drew, I’m getting nothing but cold water out of my Heartland’s hot taps. The propane side works fine, but the electric element won’t heat. Already bought a replacement element off Amazon—should I just swap it in?” I hear this one at least twice a month, and it’s almost never the element itself. That’s the trap. Before you turn a single wrench, you have to know what actually broke—because I’ve shown up to rigs where someone’s already replaced two good components chasing a problem a fifty-cent reset button would have solved in thirty seconds. Test everything. Replace only what’s actually failed. On these Heartland units, that usually means the thermostat has tripped or drifted out of calibration while the heating element sits there working just fine. But when the thermostat genuinely does give up the ghost—or the element finally burns through after years in hard-water territory—you’re looking at a $300+ service call if you don’t handle it yourself. This walkthrough shows you how I diagnose and swap both components in the field without guessing or paying a shop.

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)

After years on the road, I’ve learned that a bad thermostat is almost always the first thing to suspect when your Suburban water heater stops doing its job — and getting the right replacement matters. The Suburban 232306 Thermostat Switch is a direct OEM-style fit for this unit, which means no adapter headaches and no guessing. Snap it in, connect the leads exactly as you removed the old one, and you’re back in hot water — literally. Just make sure the tank is fully drained and power is completely off before you touch anything.

I keep a spare heating element tucked in my parts bin because when one fails miles from nowhere, you want to be ready. The Upgraded 520900 RV Water Heater Element for Suburban SW Series is a solid aftermarket choice that’s purpose-built to match Suburban’s specs. The “upgraded” label isn’t marketing fluff — the improved corrosion resistance on the element sheath is a real-world win for anyone dealing with hard water. Use a proper element wrench, apply fresh Teflon tape to the threads, and don’t overtighten. Hand-snug plus a quarter turn is plenty.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly backup or your local supplier is out of stock on the OEM option, don’t sleep on the Lrichy 110V/120V 1400W Screw-In Electric Heating Element. At 110V and 1400 watts, it matches the Suburban’s electrical requirements and the screw-in design makes the swap straightforward. I’ve seen full-timers use universal elements like this with great results, but double-check your wattage and voltage ratings before installing — mismatches cause more headaches than the original failure ever did. When in doubt, confirm against your water heater’s data plate.

Step 1: Testing and Removing Failed Components

Start by testing your heating element to confirm whether it’s actually defective. Shut off all power to the water heater and fully drain the tank from the drain plug at the bottom. Once drained, disconnect one of the two power wires attached to the heating element’s terminal post. Switch your digital multimeter to the resistance mode (ohms setting). Touch one probe to each terminal on the heating element itself. A healthy element will display a resistance value somewhere in the 8–15 ohm band, typically landing around 10–12 ohms on most RV water heater elements. If your meter reads “OL” (meaning overload) or refuses to settle on any finite number, the element is dead and needs replacement. Any reading that falls well outside that 8–15 ohm window is also a red flag pointing to failure.

Once you’ve confirmed the heating element is shot, remove it from the tank. Find an appropriately sized wrench—usually 1-1/8″ or 1-1/16″ depending on which Heartland model you own—and grip the heating element hex head firmly. Turn the wrench counterclockwise with slow, steady pressure. You’ll probably see a trickle of water drain out as the element begins to come loose, even though you thought you’d drained the tank completely—this is totally normal. The element will spin out along with the rubber gasket underneath it. Take a moment to inspect that old gasket for any cracks, permanent deformation, or visible wear. Save it as a size reference even if you’re replacing it. While the element is out, look for mineral crusting on its surface, corrosion at the terminals, or visible damage to the heating coil itself—any of these confirms you made the right call replacing it.

Next, test the thermostat to see if it’s the culprit. Locate the two thermostat switches mounted near the top of the water heater assembly—you’ll spot one with a wider, flat conductor (that’s the 12V propane switch) and another with a thinner wire (that’s the 120V electric switch). For electric heating problems, you’re focused on the 120V unit. Pop off the rubber cap that sits over the reset button and look closely at the wire connections underneath. Any discoloration, melted insulation, charred terminals, or visibly loose wires means the thermostat took heat damage and needs to go. Carefully pull the two power wires free from the bottom terminals of the thermostat. Set your multimeter to continuity mode (or low-resistance mode if continuity isn’t available). Place one probe on each thermostat terminal. At room temperature, it should register continuity—you’ll hear a beep or see a reading very close to zero ohms. If you’re getting no continuity, or if the wiring showed burn marks, that thermostat is finished.

Step 2: Installing New Components and Testing

Begin the heating element swap by prepping the tank opening. Use a clean rag to wipe out the threaded port where the old element came from, scrubbing away any leftover gasket material, mineral scale, or corrosion. A little mild cleaner helps if deposits are stubborn. Take your new heating element and slide its rubber gasket onto the threaded end, seating it right up against the element’s flange. Thread the new element into the tank opening by hand first, turning clockwise as far as your fingers can manage. Once you can’t turn it by hand anymore, pick up your wrench and tighten an additional quarter-turn to half-turn—no more than that. Over-tightening can crush the gasket or crack the porcelain tank lining inside. When you’re done, the element should feel solid and secure with the gasket making complete contact all the way around.

Wire up the fresh heating element according to its specs. Locate the two terminal posts sticking out from the new element. The hot wire (usually black or red in your RV’s system) connects to one post; the ground wire (white or green) connects to the other. Most elements don’t care which wire goes where—they’re not polarized—but match whatever arrangement the old element had. Use wire nuts or outdoor-rated crimp connectors, tighten them down completely, and wrap each finished connection with electrical tape to keep moisture out. Make absolutely sure there’s no bare copper showing and that nothing can accidentally touch the metal water heater housing and create a short.

If you’re also replacing the thermostat, remove the old one by unclipping its wires and backing out the two mounting screws that hold it to the bracket. Position the new thermostat in the exact same spot and orientation so it sits flush and can sense temperature properly. Drive the mounting screws back in securely. Reconnect the wires to the new thermostat’s terminals exactly as they were—snap a quick photo of the old unit before you disconnect it if you’re not 100% certain of the wire routing. The hot supply wire goes to one terminal; the wire running to your heating element goes to the other. Cinch all connections tight and tape them for moisture protection. Screw the rubber reset button cap back on.

Fill the tank and verify everything before powering it up. Tighten the drain plug at the bottom of the heater and crank on your RV’s fresh water supply. Open a hot water faucet inside and let water run through it until you see steady flow with no air bubbles—that’s your sign the tank is completely full and all trapped air is purged. Shut the faucet off and inspect the fresh element and all wire connections for leaks. If you’re dry, flip the circuit breaker back on to restore power to the water heater. Set your multimeter to AC volts and test for approximately 120 volts right at the element terminals (anywhere from 110–125V is normal). Switch on the water heater from your interior control panel. Now wait: a 6-gallon tank typically takes 30–45 minutes to fully heat; a 10-gallon takes 45–60 minutes. Once that time has passed, test hot water at a faucet to confirm everything’s working as it should. Keep an eye (and ear and nose) on the first heating cycle to make sure no odd sounds, strange smells, or fresh leaks show up.

The Suburban 232306 Thermostat That Actually Holds Temperature in a Heartland Eddie Bauer

Waking up to no hot water when you’re parked in the middle of nowhere at 2 AM is a special kind of panic—and it usually means your Suburban thermostat quit without any warning signs. This switch tells the heating element when to fire, and once it sticks or its calibration drifts, you’re stuck playing guessing games trying to figure out if the element is bad, the wiring’s broken, or the stat itself has given up.

What works

• Drops right into the exact same mounting bracket on Suburban tanks with zero hunting for adapters or custom brackets.
• Temperature stays consistent after installation; the constant on-off cycling stops, and your water actually reaches the setpoint you dial in.
• Affordable enough that keeping a spare onboard feels like smart insurance rather than hoarding; at $18.99, you’re protected against being stranded without hot water hundreds of miles from any service shop.

What doesn’t

• Typical shipping is 2–3 days from most vendors, which puts you either boondocking with zero hot water or forking over cash to have a technician sit around waiting for parts to arrive.
• Getting it installed means draining your tank and accessing the thermostat mount—it’s not a quick job if you’ve never tackled it, and if you crank down on the mounting nut too hard you’ll fracture the tank fitting.

I replaced one and second-guessed whether the stat was actually dead until I bench-tested it with a multimeter and watched the contacts refuse to close below 140°F. Grab the Suburban 232306 here—and keep one in your parts locker.

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