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06-03-2012, 07:35 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: South Texas
Posts: 343
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Elect. Hot Water Switch installed inside RV
My unit has the electric HW switch outside in the HW panel. I want to put a switch inside with a light in the switch to tell me when it's on or off. Has anyone done this? Could I just break the hot wire to the outside switch with an inside switch? I don't want to create a fire or safety problem. Any advise is greatly appreciated. Thanks
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Sandy & Ann
2019 Alpine 3401RS
2011 Ford F350 Diesel
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06-03-2012, 08:22 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Port Townsend Washington
Posts: 121
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Good topic as I was thinking of doing the same on my hideout.
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06-04-2012, 03:06 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Northville NY in the Adirondacks
Posts: 2,128
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Wire it just like you would a residential circuit. If it was my project, I'd get myself a piece of 14-3, route it from the existing circuit to where you want the switch. That way you will have ground, common, and two wires for hot (one hot to switch & one switch to WH) all of which you'll need for a lighted switch.
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'11 Cougar 326MKS loaded with mods
'12 Ford F250 SuperCab 6.7 PowerStroke Diesel
Amateur Radio: KD2IAT (146.520) GMRS: WQPG808 (462.675 TPL 141.3)
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06-04-2012, 03:32 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Northern NH
Posts: 191
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Yes it has been done. There is a write-up on another forum but I cant remember the topic. They wired it into one side of the existing switch so that the outside switch needed to be in the on possition. That way they could shut the outside switch off when the WH was empty and use it as a safety.
I've been thinking of doing it for awile but haven't gotten to it. Atwood WH's use a neat panel inside that has both LP and EL switches on them. EBay is where I found them.
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2015 GMC Sierra 3500 Denali CC LB DRW Sonoma Red/Cocoa Dune
2010 Keystone Laredo 316RL
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06-06-2012, 07:59 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Colorado Mountains
Posts: 422
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Did that on last TT, worked great. It is a one beer job, at least mine was.
Remember to disconnect power to TT, the wire you plan to cut will be hot otherwise.
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Chuck
Wonderful Wife
Australian Shepherd
2010 Ford Expedition TV
2010 Outback 230RS Toybox, 5390# UVW, 6800# Loaded
Not yet camped in Hawaii, 2 Canada Provinces, & 2 Territories
I can't be lost because I don't care where this lovely road is going
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06-07-2012, 07:03 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: WESTERN,CT
Posts: 2,095
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hi there i would do the same thing that steve told you to do just remember to unhook from shore power so you don't get zapped
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BARNEY AND CHRISTINE
2010 MONTANA 3750FL
2005 DODGE 3500 DUALLY TD
2 RESCUE PUPS: SUSITNA AND CRYSTAL. RIP ALYESKA!
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06-09-2012, 02:50 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: California
Posts: 129
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I added a lighted switch right inside the door in series with the one mounted on the tank. That way I can see if the electric is on to the tank and not forget to turn it off (ask me).
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Central Calif.
2010 Dodge 2500HD, 5.7 hemi
2007 Cougar 244rls
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06-09-2012, 03:16 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Northern NH
Posts: 191
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eds451
I added a lighted switch right inside the door in series with the one mounted on the tank. That way I can see if the electric is on to the tank and not forget to turn it off (ask me).
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How'd you do it?
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2015 GMC Sierra 3500 Denali CC LB DRW Sonoma Red/Cocoa Dune
2010 Keystone Laredo 316RL
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06-15-2012, 07:03 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: California
Posts: 129
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With the trailer shore power disconnected, I cut one side of the ac line to the hot water heater and spliced in the lighted switch. The tank switch MUST be on at all times and use the lighted switch to control the electric. I mounted it right inside the trailer door almost eye level so I could see if it was on or not.
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Central Calif.
2010 Dodge 2500HD, 5.7 hemi
2007 Cougar 244rls
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06-15-2012, 01:45 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Georgia
Posts: 3
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We just leave the switch in the ON position and turn the water heater off at the breaker...
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06-15-2012, 02:58 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Full-timing
Posts: 447
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Yes, virtually all units already have an inside electric water heater switch... it's called a breaker panel.
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06-15-2012, 03:05 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Crossville
Posts: 305
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Hot water switch
Yes, you can put a lighted switch on the inside. I did that on my 326MKS. It took my around 2 hours to install it and I just used regular household wire and switches.
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Jay and Lori
2016 Impact 311
2015 Cougar 337 FLS (retired)
2012 Cougar 326MKS (retired)
Mor-Ryde Pin Box
2015 Super Duty F350 6.7 4x4 King Ranch
2008 Super Duty F250 6.4 Diesel 4x4 Lariat (retired)
2005 Goldwing
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06-16-2012, 10:01 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Colorado Mountains
Posts: 422
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Just remember that circuit breakers should NOT be used as switches, and using them in that fashion normally causes early failure.
I added an inside switch on two previous TT's, it was easy.
__________________
Chuck
Wonderful Wife
Australian Shepherd
2010 Ford Expedition TV
2010 Outback 230RS Toybox, 5390# UVW, 6800# Loaded
Not yet camped in Hawaii, 2 Canada Provinces, & 2 Territories
I can't be lost because I don't care where this lovely road is going
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06-16-2012, 10:43 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Full-timing
Posts: 447
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chuck&gail
Just remember that circuit breakers should NOT be used as switches, and using them in that fashion normally causes early failure.
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On a daily basis for an extended period of time, perhaps. But for typical vacation/camping duty? I can't even imagine how long people have been doing that without issues. Used in that fashion breaker wear is more of a theoretical problem than a real one.
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06-17-2012, 02:21 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Colorado Mountains
Posts: 422
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It is your choice to use a breaker as a switch, and a very few are even rated for it. Those are clearly marked SWD for switch duty. But
"While circuit breakers can be legitimately and safely used as switches, the frequency and duration of such use is very limited. Routinely circuit breakers are manually operated for service-maintenance, and repair type activities. With the preceding enhancing our understanding; we can say that circuit breakers can legitimately be used as switches, generally they are not intended for prolonged frequent or repetitive manual breaking and making type control of electrical energy utilization equipment."
http://www.mikeholt.com/mojonewsarch...s~20020419.htm
Just my two cents, and worth about that.
__________________
Chuck
Wonderful Wife
Australian Shepherd
2010 Ford Expedition TV
2010 Outback 230RS Toybox, 5390# UVW, 6800# Loaded
Not yet camped in Hawaii, 2 Canada Provinces, & 2 Territories
I can't be lost because I don't care where this lovely road is going
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06-22-2012, 11:02 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 183
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I did this to my 2002 Forest River Wildcat and I did the same modification on my 2012 Copper Canyon. Here is the writeup on the Wildcat. I have not updated my Copper Canyon pages yet.
Water Heater Switch
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