Replacing Old 6 gallon Water Heater With New Tankless Water Heater In 2019 Forest River Salem

Published 05/27/2026

Question:

I’m replacing the 6 gallon water heater in my 2019 Forest River Salem and want to go tankless. Will the Dylux DY54FR fit in the same opening, or am I going to have to cut the side of the camper?

asked by: Brandon

Expert Reply:

Good morning Brandon! The Dylux RV Tankless Water Heater # DY54FR may fit, but we don’t have a database that tells us the exact water heater opening on your Salem, so the best way to confirm fit is to measure the actual opening in the sidewall and the space behind it.

The main heater body is sized to fit through a 12-5/8" wide x 12-1/2" tall cutout, so that’s the first number to compare to your current opening. If your old 6-gallon tank heater left a slightly larger hole, that’s usually workable, but you may need to add framing or blocking inside the opening so the Dylux has something solid to fasten to.

The black exterior door measures 16-1/8" wide x 16-1/8" tall, so it gives you some coverage around the outside and can hide a larger opening in many cases. You’ll also want to confirm the depth, since the overall installed size with the door is 15-5/16" deep. As long as your opening can be properly framed, the door covers the outside, and you have the depth behind the wall, this is a good candidate for replacing a lot of standard RV water heaters.

Brandon, if you can send over the cutout size, outside door size, and available depth, I’ll be happy to help you double-check it before you order.

expert reply by: Andrew N