[Flyguy]

The electric switch with the safety pin on the outside cover of the water heater is for turning on the electric element to heat the water, it takes longer to heat water on electric but it will, if it doesn't then I would check the heating element to see if it is bad. Don't ever forget to turn this switch off when you’re done with it. If the water heater is ever drained and this element is left on, then when water is filled again it will burn out the element (maybe this has already happened).