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Old 10-15-2017, 01:29 PM   #1
Pull Toy
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Electric Hot Water

The (hidden on/off switch) inside of the outside access cover to my hot water heater "fried" in the open position. No hot water!)

Now that Radio Shack is gone, what think you to just eliminating it and using the circuit breaker in the main panel for on/off? All I need to do is jumper across the two quick connect terminals that pull out with the hidden switch, and mark the correct breaker on the panel.

Any Pro's or Con's come to mind?
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Old 10-15-2017, 01:44 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by Pull Toy View Post
The (hidden on/off switch) inside of the outside access cover to my hot water heater "fried" in the open position. No hot water!)

Now that Radio Shack is gone, what think you to just eliminating it and using the circuit breaker in the main panel for on/off? All I need to do is jumper across the two quick connect terminals that pull out with the hidden switch, and mark the correct breaker on the panel.

Any Pro's or Con's come to mind?
I'd just replace the switch.

Javi
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Old 10-15-2017, 01:46 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pull Toy View Post
The (hidden on/off switch) inside of the outside access cover to my hot water heater "fried" in the open position. No hot water!)

Now that Radio Shack is gone, what think you to just eliminating it and using the circuit breaker in the main panel for on/off? All I need to do is jumper across the two quick connect terminals that pull out with the hidden switch, and mark the correct breaker on the panel.

Any Pro's or Con's come to mind?
I am always leery of bypassing switches and fuses in any electrical item. There are too many tales of good intentions gone bad. But I will admit that I always left the switch on the heater in the on position and used the breaker to turn it on or off. We didn't use the electric very often in the 11 years that we had that Sunline. Everything is in the off position now in the Cougar.

That said, you should be able to determine what kind of switch it is and search out a suitable replacement. My favorite source is Ebay, but there are other ways to find stuff. Ebay's search engine is pretty efficient. FWIW, switches like that one use a standard mounting size, and there's only a few different standards. The current and voltage ratings should be stamped or molded into the switch body. Armed with the size and shape of the mounting and the general electric specs, finding a replacement should not difficult.

Push come to shove, you could pick up an electrically suitable switch at Home Depot along with a small surface mount electric box and remote the on/off switch to a location next to the heater. If you do, use the same type of wire that feeds the 110vac side of the water heater from the circuit breaker box. It's probably standard interior residential 14-2 solid copper, but check to be sure.
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Old 10-15-2017, 01:52 PM   #4
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https://www.amazon.com/Suburban-2322.../dp/B00C5RAU9W

$8....
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Old 10-15-2017, 02:18 PM   #5
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Although I think it would be fine to bypass the switch if done properly, Javi has the perfect answer above!! If you are a Prime member it'll be here by Wednesday...free shipping! Voila!!
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Old 10-15-2017, 03:03 PM   #6
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There was a fault in the switches. If you go on Ebay you will find the replacement one and should 'Never" have this melt down again.
It happened to mine as well!!! The element is at risk of finding its self ever on in an empty tank.
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Old 10-15-2017, 03:07 PM   #7
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I read the OP's post and immediately looked up the part number (232362) and went to Amazon.com.... Javi beat me to it, but we came up with the same price/PRIME shipping result.

I'd just order a new switch and do it right. I've had a couple of circuit breakers fail to reset in the past. I've always heard, but can not verify, that circuit breakers are not designed for the repeated off/on switching and that the springs in them will fail much sooner than a switch that is designed to function multiple times.

I wouldn't rely on the circuit breaker as a switch. Being in the middle of nowhere and to have a circuit breaker fail to reset isn't a good way to start a weekend.....
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Old 10-15-2017, 03:09 PM   #8
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I'd just replace the switch.

Javi
Exactly. Same amount of time to do but easier.
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Old 10-16-2017, 08:37 AM   #9
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I read the OP's post and immediately looked up the part number (232362) and went to Amazon.com.... Javi beat me to it, but we came up with the same price/PRIME shipping result.

I'd just order a new switch and do it right. I've had a couple of circuit breakers fail to reset in the past. I've always heard, but can not verify, that circuit breakers are not designed for the repeated off/on switching and that the springs in them will fail much sooner than a switch that is designed to function multiple times.

I wouldn't rely on the circuit breaker as a switch. Being in the middle of nowhere and to have a circuit breaker fail to reset isn't a good way to start a weekend.....
I agree ...
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