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07-12-2014, 11:31 AM
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#41
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Donna D.
But, non-sterile water left in any container for "a while" will develop algea or other "stuff" you may not want to ingest.
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I agree. I don't think the question was about how often the water heater should be drained, but rather if leaving the heating element on would dry it out - with the water remaining in the heater whether it is being heated or not.
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07-12-2014, 12:16 PM
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#42
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Nanoose Bay, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 5.0 TA
Posts: 152
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cypherian
Umm Stargeezer
"It is a small switch on the water heater that you have to get down and look for, and yes, it is on the left. I never saw it when I first looked for it, good thing I was camping with Reace.
"This is just another reason for adding a switch inside, seeing the one on the water heater is a real pain to use. This way I can switch on from inside, with an indicator light that alerts me to it being on. Some use the breaker, but breakers are not meant to be used a lot as on/off switches, they are to protect a circuit, and to isolate it if you need to work on it. "
Note the bold statement..
Cypher
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Hi Cypher,
I've always been of the same understanding as yourself. However, ETI's clearly states the following on Pg. 40 of their manual:
"Before plugging in the RV shore cord, turn off all electrical appliances and set the main breaker to off position so as not to start under a "load", which could cause a breaker to open. Reverse this process before unplugging."
Perhaps, innocently, ETI is giving folks poor advice...
Cheers
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07-12-2014, 01:00 PM
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#43
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,373
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Perhaps they are referring to the Main Breaker on the campground pedestal. That would make sense.
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07-12-2014, 01:07 PM
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#44
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Yellow Springs, Ohio
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
Posts: 709
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I've never quite understood this, unless as Jon says, they're talking about the power bush (as Alf calls it). When I plug in, the breakers are often turned off already. If they aren't, I turn them off before plugging in so all the plugging is complete before applying power just so I'm not generating sparks in the plug/receptacle. And I do the same in reverse. I agree that breakers are normally not intended to be used as switches (I heard that often enough in my flying days). However, that's all most campgrounds give us to work with.
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07-12-2014, 04:54 PM
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#45
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Member
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 579
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stargeezer
Hi Cypher,
I've always been of the same understanding as yourself. However, ETI's clearly states the following on Pg. 40 of their manual:
"Before plugging in the RV shore cord, turn off all electrical appliances and set the main breaker to off position so as not to start under a "load", which could cause a breaker to open. Reverse this process before unplugging."
Perhaps, innocently, ETI is giving folks poor advice...
Cheers
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Perhaps or if the breaker is marked SWD as I just found out :} it can be used as a switch. Goes to show you learn something new every day.
4. SWD – 15- or 20-A circuit breakers rated 347 V or less may be marked “SWD,”
meaning that they are suitable for switching fluorescent lighting loads on a regular
basis (NEC 240.83(D)). These circuit breakers are evaluated for high endurance use,
since they will be used similar to a light switch.
http://www.schneider-electric.us/doc...kings-iaei.pdf
Breakers Defined
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) defines a circuit breaker as: “A mechanical switching device, capable of making, carrying and breaking currents under normal circuit conditions. Also capable of making and carrying for a specified time and breaking currents under specified abnormal circuit conditions, such as those of a short circuit.” The NEC defines a circuit breaker as “a device designed to open and close a circuit by non-automatic means, and to open the circuit automatically on a predetermined overcurrent without damage to itself when properly applied within it’s rating.” While the ANSI and the NEC definitions describe the same family of devices, they do have some differences; the same is true with the actual circuit breakers themselves. They are much the same in general terms; however, there are a number of significant differences between the many types of electrical circuit breakers installed in various types of facilities today.
And This:
Circuit Breakers As Switches
Both the ANSI and the NEC definitions acknowledge the potential for the legitimate use of circuit breakers as switches. Switches (devices that pass but do not consume electrical energy) are considered as being control devices; thus one may also say that a breaker is a control device, or a controller. A circuit breaker can control and protect an electrical circuit and people operating the utilization equipment. An electrical relay is an example of an operating control; it opens and closes the circuit. Circuit breakers are not designed as replacements for operating controls such as relays, contactors, or motor starters.
There is, as you may have intuitively anticipated, an exception. Some circuit breakers are manufactured for use in a specific type of application. When a circuit breaker is designed to also be routinely used as an on-off switch to control 120 or 277volt florescent luminaires they are marked SWD, for switch duty. This does not mean that a switch duty breaker can be used to manually control a traffic signal light where it will be cycled on and off 1,000 or more times per day. The point is the listing for switch duty (SWD) does not mean a circuit breaker can be used as a high frequency cycling operating control, such as a relay that has a life span rated in tens, if not hundreds of thousands of duty cycles.
While circuit breakers can be legitimately and safely used as switches, the frequency and duration of such use is 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 repetitive manual breaking and making type control of electrical energy utilization equipment.
Electrical Circuit Breakers
Cypher
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07-12-2014, 05:52 PM
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#46
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Kamloops, British Columbia
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19
Posts: 90
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Thanks everyone for the great input!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Whiting
We are working on our build sheet for our new Escape 19 and are wondering about the value of the 2-way hot water heater. Does the saving on propane (when you have electrical hook ups) make up the $200 price difference? Are there other reasons other than savings on propane as to why a 2 - way is a good idea? I suspect we will be boon docking about half the time.
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I really value the various perspectives shared within the forum. I had no idea noise was a potential issue as well as increased complexity. If we went with the propane only water heater, would it make sense to have a lighted on/off switch in the trailer as a mod?
dave whiting
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07-12-2014, 06:45 PM
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#47
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Tucson, AZ, Arizona
Trailer: gone, 19 and 21 & 17B with 5.0 now. gone
Posts: 790
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water heater
Sandra, It's called Riverpark on Rogue river highway. The river edge spots are gone for the summer within the first hour or so on JAN. !ST. We have been stopping here for a week just before Bandon for the last several years.
Jack
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07-12-2014, 07:13 PM
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#48
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Asheville, North Carolina
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19
Posts: 895
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Whiting
I really value the various perspectives shared within the forum. I had no idea noise was a potential issue as well as increased complexity. If we went with the propane only water heater, would it make sense to have a lighted on/off switch in the trailer as a mod?
dave whiting
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I've never heard any noise from our water heater. (propane only) The timer would make more sense to me than a light. I normally turn the wh on when we start a meal and off when the disdes are done. (I also say wh on or wh off so my wife and I are both aware of the switch.
__________________
Kevin
Thanks to the interstate highway system, it is now possible to travel across the country from coast to coast without seeing anything - Charles Kuralt
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07-12-2014, 07:51 PM
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#49
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Antelope, California
Trailer: 2009 17B "Suite Escape" pulled by a 2020 Toyota Sienna
Posts: 1,565
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Dave, I have the dual fuel and I think the light inside is for propane only. I don't have anything inside (as I have not added anything) that tells me that my water heater is on. I just have to remember.
Azjack, thanks, I will keep that in mind.
__________________
Peace and Sunshine
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07-12-2014, 08:27 PM
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#50
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: N/A, Indiana
Trailer: Escape
Posts: 976
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We requested a led indicator that shows the LP hot water heater was on. Escape installed a switch with a on indicator.
__________________
"Never argue with an idiot. They only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience." George Carlin
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07-12-2014, 08:37 PM
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#51
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Oswego, New York
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21C, 2018 Ford F150
Posts: 5,373
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If Escape will add the light, go for it; if not, here is a link describing the process. While the one in the link is designed to switch both AC & propane, it is still useful. A fairly easy modification that reminds you to turn it off, otherwise it will come on in the middle of a quiet night and bug you or a close by neighbor!
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07-12-2014, 11:37 PM
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#52
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Kamloops, British Columbia
Trailer: 2015 Escape 19
Posts: 90
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Thanks Bob
That looks like the solution to me. I will go with the propane only and request a switch inside with an indicator light.
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07-13-2014, 09:57 AM
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#53
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5TA
Posts: 405
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[QUOTE
It is a small switch on the water heater that you have to get down and look for, and yes, it is on the left. I never saw it when I first looked for it, good thing I was camping with Reace.
[/QUOTE]
Found it! Thank you!
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