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04-03-2020, 03:57 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 21, 2018
Posts: 11
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water heater on/off electric
Hey so my AC heater for hot water wont start after winterization. I was able to fire up the gas heat and now have hot water. So why wont the AC heat work? The on off switch seems to be frozen.Thanks, Tom Gose
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04-03-2020, 04:18 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: North of Danbury, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21C
Posts: 3,033
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The electrical unit switch which is located in the lower left hand corner of the water heater and is accessible from the outside of the trailer is notorious for failing or being difficult to operate . The switch on our Casita failed and needed to be replaced. The switch on our Escape was sticking , so I cleaned and lubricated it and after exercising the switch ,it finally loosened up
The switch is not designed to connect or disconnect the water heater under load , it is a work / safety switch
I added a single pole 20 amp switch with pilot light in the interior of our trailer at an easily accessible location and leave the unit switch in the on position
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04-04-2020, 11:14 AM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 21, 2018
Posts: 11
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Great solution, thanks, my switch is now working. I assume that running on propane yesterday warmed everything up. I'll add the "single pole 20 amp switch with pilot light" later this summer!
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04-04-2020, 11:36 AM
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#4
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Omaha, Nebraska
Trailer: 2012 Escape 19
Posts: 20
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I agree with Steve. The little water heater switch is not very robust. Ours melted in the open position. I replaced the switch with an identical switch but don't use it to turn the water heater element on and off. The little switch is left closed. The breaker for the water heater is left open, closed when the Escape is connected to shore power, and opened again after shore power is disconnected. This routine should prevent accidentally energizing/melting the heating element with an empty water tank.
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04-04-2020, 11:51 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: North of Danbury, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21C
Posts: 3,033
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When I added the interior water heater switch I installed a WP receptacle cover, that way the handle of the switch is covered and cannot accidentally be flipped to the on position
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04-04-2020, 12:28 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steve dunham
When I added the interior water heater switch I installed a WP receptacle cover, that way the handle of the switch is covered and cannot accidentally be flipped to the on position
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Does not that cover hide the illuminated indicator you mentioned previously?
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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04-04-2020, 12:51 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: North of Danbury, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2018 Escape 21C
Posts: 3,033
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008
Does not that cover hide the illuminated indicator you mentioned previously?
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I drilled a hole in the cover so that the switch was still protected but the light was visible through the hole
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