water heater on/off electric

[Twgose]

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

 

[steve dunham]

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

 

[Twgose]

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!

 

[Rhubarb]

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.

 

[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

 

[cpaharley2008]

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

Does not that cover hide the illuminated indicator you mentioned previously?

 

[steve dunham]

Does not that cover hide the illuminated indicator you mentioned previously?

I drilled a hole in the cover so that the switch was still protected but the light was visible through the hole

 

[tdf-texas]

Much better way to do this. Since I don't use the outside switch anymore, it should last a lot longer. Jim Bennett trailblazed the way to order the panels direct from KIB.

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8/electric-hot-water-heater-switch-8535.html

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8/the-kib-m1086-tank-monitor-came-in-today-11959.html

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f38/turning-off-the-2-way-hot-water-tank-11764-2.html#post226380