Suburban SW6DE 6-Gallon RV Water Heater (Gas + Electric)

The Suburban SW6DE is one of the dominant RV water heaters in the US market, designed specifically for travel trailers, fifth wheels, and motorhomes. It uses both LP gas and electric (120V AC) — the "DE" designation means dual energy — letting you operate on shore power when plugged into a campground hookup or on propane when boondocking. 6-gallon storage is the standard mid-size RV configuration that fits most existing cutouts in trailers manufactured 1990 through current.

Construction: porcelain-lined steel tank with a sacrificial anode rod, brass drain valve, 12V DC ignition control for the propane mode, 1500W electric element for the AC mode. Recovery rate: roughly 10 gallons per hour on gas (a 70°F rise), 6 gallons per hour on electric. Both modes can run simultaneously for fastest recovery — useful when arriving cold at a hookup site.

The replacement market is straightforward: a previous SW6DE that has rusted through (typical at year 8–12 with proper anode maintenance) drops directly into the same cutout. Most other RV water heaters of the same nominal capacity also fit but require minor trim adjustments. Always replace the anode rod when installing — the new unit ships with a fresh aluminum/zinc rod, but verify it's actually installed before connecting water.

Service: parts widely available through Camping World and RV-specific suppliers. Common failure modes are the electric element (replaceable in 20 minutes from the access panel) and the thermostat/ECO switches. The propane ignition system is more complex but rarely fails — most "propane mode not working" complaints trace to either an empty tank or a partially-closed valve at the regulator.