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Old 06-03-2012, 07:35 PM   #1
sandy43
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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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Old 06-03-2012, 08:22 PM   #2
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Good topic as I was thinking of doing the same on my hideout.
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Old 06-04-2012, 03:06 AM   #3
SteveC7010
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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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Old 06-04-2012, 03:32 AM   #4
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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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Old 06-06-2012, 07:59 PM   #5
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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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Old 06-07-2012, 07:03 AM   #6
SAABDOCTOR
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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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Old 06-09-2012, 02:50 PM   #7
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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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Old 06-09-2012, 03:16 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by eds451 View Post
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).
How'd you do it?
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Old 06-15-2012, 07:03 AM   #9
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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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Old 06-15-2012, 01:45 PM   #10
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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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Old 06-15-2012, 02:58 PM   #11
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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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Old 06-15-2012, 03:05 PM   #12
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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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Old 06-16-2012, 10:01 AM   #13
chuck&gail
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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.
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Old 06-16-2012, 10:43 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chuck&gail View Post
Just remember that circuit breakers should NOT be used as switches, and using them in that fashion normally causes early failure.
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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Old 06-17-2012, 02:21 PM   #15
chuck&gail
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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.
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Old 06-22-2012, 11:02 AM   #16
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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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