I am about to purchase a new 10 gal water heater for my '72 Overlander and am curious about the Suburban. Every post I've read so far has seemed to favor the Atwood, but I haven't heard from anyone who has used the Suburban.
The Suburban has a porcelin-lined steel tank which has a three year warranty and an aluminum annode. The Atwood has an aluminum tank which I'm told eventually gathers corrosion from the exposure to water and the heating process. (My original Bowen 10 gal was full of stuff.)
My wife, who reads a lot about nutrition and stuff, doesn't like the idea of aluminum, and if what she's read is true, I agree with her. I don't mind enlarging the opening a bit (about 3/4" taller) or modifying/fabricating a door, but I don't want to get into major retrofitting either.
I plan to purchase the LP/110v version of either one and might spring for the pilot ignitor also.
I've heard mostly positive about the Atwood but have heard nothing (positive or negative) about the Suburban.
I'll be listening too. I have not water heater and will need to get one. Thanks for asking.
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Tedd Ill
AIR#3788, WBCCI#4028 Membership discontinued
1967/8 Overlander International Twin w/ bunk/s.
Yes, four kids and two adults in the thing.
Happy wife, happy life.
I just installed the Atwood 10 Gallon LP/110V in my Overlander. Very simple. No major modifications necessary. I did however use the new door, as the original one would not work.
The electric is a nice feature since it saves LP when hooked to shore power, and the recovery rate is supposed to be faster with electric.
I believe (really don't want to remember) that I paid $338 with shipping from www.rvcatalog.com. I have purchased a few things from them, and they got here very quickly.
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1972 27' Overlander 72 Overlander Jack Pad--- A notebook used by Jack Nicholson in the Shining to keep track of how much work he had done on his Airstream. "All work and no polishing makes Jack's Airstream a dull trailer"
The Atwood will fit and look like the old heater The Suburban is a flush mount unit and will require additional modification to install.
I understand your wife's health concerns about the Aluminum tank, but you should not be ingesting water that has been heated in a tank anyhow. I do not think there is a way for external application (shower, hand washing) to hurt you.
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Brett G
WBCCI #5501 AIR # 49
"Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey." -- Fitzhugh Mullan
Wise men talk because they have someting to say; fools, because they have to say something. -- Plato
In politics, absurdity is not a handicap— Napoleon
I wouldn't get the auto-ignition if I were you.
I avoid anything like that with a electronics board because that part usually fails and is high $ to replace.
Well, I couldn't argue with the fact that we wouldn't be drinking the hot water and I didn't feel like making any additional modifications (I'm already replacing the entire bathroom floor-uggh).
I chose not to order the electronic ignition as I felt like lighting the pilot light wasn't that big of a deal, and I agree with the notion that sometimes with more bells and whistles, the more expensive and complicated it is to repair.
Thanks all for your helpful input. Now if I can just get the bathroom floor back together. (I feel like an NTSB investigator with it put back together to serve as a template. What a mess!)
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