Recommended Replacement For A Suburban SW6DEL RV Water Heater

Updated 05/13/2025 | Published 05/16/2023

Products Featured in This Question

Furrion RV Tankless Water Heater - Gas - Automatic Pilot - 60,000 BTU - 16" x 16" Door

(387)

$902.07

LaSalle Bristol XTRM Universal Non-Sag Sealant for RVs - White - 10.1 oz - Qty 1

(76)

$30.07

Alpha Systems Butyl Tape for RV Weatherproofing - 20' x 1" x 3/16"

(228)

$25.28

Question:

I am currently full-timing, and replacing the Suburban SW6DEL gas/electric water heater in my 2022 Jayco 336 FBOK 5th Wheel, due to its insufficiency. I am trying to decide beween the Furrion and Fogatti tankless heaters. Will either of these heaters easily retrofit with respect to connections, as well as fit in the existing opening on my Jayco, or is modification needed? Which would you recommened for my 5th wheel?

asked by: John

Expert Reply:

The dimensions I'm seeing for a Suburban SW6DEL show it being 12.69"h x 12.69"w x 19.19"d so the Furrion RV Tankless Water Heater # FR98SR would most likely match up perfectly or require you to trim the opening by 1/8". The water inlet/outlet locations are a bit different than both the Furrion and Fogatti units so you may have to make some minor modifications to hook up your lines.

I receive a lot of troubleshooting questions with Fogatti units so I'm very hesitant to ever recommend one and very much prefer the Furrion units. Technical issues aside, getting a response from the manufacturer when I have a question is painstakingly slow versus Furrion, where I can call and talk to someone within a few minutes. If it were my trailer I'd go with Furrion hands down.

If you're completing the installation yourself you'll also want to pick up the butyl tape # AL28FJ for the back side of the mounting flanges for the unit and door as well as some non-sag sealant for the outer edge of the door for a proper watertight seal.

expert reply by: Kevin C

Dan C.

5/4/2025

Can I replace my sw6Del with a tankless that can use propane or electric to heat the water?

Jesse M.

5/13/2025

@DanC Hell Dan, yes you can. The Furrion Tankless RV Water Heater # FR98SR is frequently used to replace older tanked units. The tankless units are smaller than tanked units so some modifications may need to be made to your cutout to properly house the unit.