Water Heater

[frydaddy56]

just purchased a 2007 340RLQ and didnt get a very good walk thru but i have a question about the water heater. on the outside there is a toggle switch that seems to be a 3 way switch but the labeling is all gone. Also have a switch on the wall along with the tanks fluid levels how do i know which way is for electric or gas operation nothing is marked for either and didnt get any manuals when we got the trailer. Also so far we love our Montana big sky big jump from our 1999 HitchhikerII that was falling apart. thanks for any info Rick and Jan

[dieselguy]

The switch inside on the control panel along with your tank level lights is how you turn the propane option of your water heater on and off. The switch on the outside under the water heater door is usually an on / off switch. It's how you turn the electric option on your hot water heater on and off. Don't ask me why they couldn't have put it on a wall inside ... a few years newer and Keystone eventually did.

[Art-n-Marge]

Yup, sounds like dieselguy has it right. He pretty much described how those switches on my '06 work. Does the interior switch also have a red lamp? If so, the lamp should turn out signifying the pilot for the water heater is lit (runs off the battery and propane for boondocking). If the interior indicator remains on then the water heater's pilot is not coming on. However, don't fret, the outside switch will work and means that water will be heated by 110v, if connected to shore power. In either case, MAKE SURE the water supply is turned on and the water heater is full or you may burn the filaments out!

How does one make sure the water heater is full? Turn on the water supply, wait a few minutes for the water heater to fill, then turn on each hot water tap (sink, lavatory and even the shower). Turn on each hot water knob until they stop spitting air and flow smoothly. Then turn on the water heater method you desire (propane, 110v or both). You'll need to wait another while longer for the water to get hot. Using both heat methods speeds up the heating process.

[jjackflash]

On our 2008 to make sure theirs water in the tank,I always release the switch on the drain value next to the on and off switch outside.
Jack