it stinks in here? why

[thekennys]

set-up on 30 amp pedistal
running ac, ice maker,hot water heater, refer, washing machine, electronics, and then the vacuum and pop goes the breaker. so reset breaker then turn turn off ice maker and washer and back to vacuuming and pop goes the hot breaker. inside the trailer i notice bad electrical smell all over and think light smoke. Checking around it looks like the smell is from hot water heater element.
sound right? what is element replacement like?
mikey
the village idiot still with extinguisher in hand

[Art-n-Marge]

For now, to go your water heater, remove the cover and there should be an on/off switch. Turn it to off and then the water is heated with propane only and if this was truly the cause, you should be okay.

When you get more time it's relatively easy to replace the electric heating element. With the power for the water heater off (switch inside the rig) and the tank emptied, the element is removed from outside the rig. You'll see the wires going to it. The element is behind that. It's best to remove it and head to the RV or hardware store to match the replacement. Or locate the make and model and head to the store to but the replacement, then remove the old one and insert the new one to minimize downtime.

I'm describing what I have. Hopefully, you have the same hot water heater so it will make sense. You might have a convenience center where things like water heaters are turned off, for example.

[thekennys]

ok opened hp hatch and took cover off
no/off switch history melted, popped it out and i think some wires are compermised as well
how do i get to them
why did this happen? voltage drop?
mikey

[Exnavydiver]

Mike, I can almost guarantee the switch has failed because it is not sealed and any water or moisture from the over pressure valve has gotten into the switch and it corroded. Because it corroded it started to fail causing high resistance which caused the wires to overheat. The switches are usually available at CW and most hdwr stores. They are cheap but very easy to replace. If the wires are damaged you may have to get someone else that feels comfortable getting farther inside the unit. I have had two switches fail in the last 5 yrs so I always carry a spare or two..

[racerjoe]

running all of what you are running, on 30 amps, not good. h/w heater, a.c.,and vacuum will pop the breaker. you are putting extra load on all the items, the electronics will fail with low voltage,high resistance. run your tank on gas if you have your air on and running vacuum. you need to be careful on 30 amps. these units with all the toys need the 50 amp service to run all of that

[Rondo]

Mike-- When you are running all that on 30 amp I'd be shutting off the water heater anyway and turn on the propane part of the WH. This gives you some relief on the amperage used and you can use your icemaker and A/C then.

[thekennys]

well all the input is valid! and i know my bad on what all running on 30 amp, got busy getting ready to move tomorrow.
we lucked out no fire..... and hot water heater still runs on prop.
the switch got replaced last year, and it is definately gone again,but i'll have to check the wires as well as check the element.
what does it take to get to get access to the wires?
mikey

[Ozz]

Let me see if I can find a slide-show Mikey.
The screwdriver pops the switch out, there is not much wire slack on mine, so you may have to access it from inside to repair the wires.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

[thekennys]

well
power management awareness is on, and we moved ho NM higher up so only fireplace heat in ma, then open windows and vents.
3 days later, still lingering smell even after removing crispy and melted switch.
propane working well till I get things fixed. heater off at breaker
Q do I need on/off switch at heater?
mikey

[Irlpguy]

Mike I think the switch at the HW heater is an additional safety feature, I think it is there so that when you winterize or drain the HW tank you can turn the heater off there which disables the switch on your main panel.

You could bypass the switch and rely only on the one at the main panel, but then you defeat it's purpose. 99% of the time I use mine on propane, it heats quicker and likely does not cost any more in the long run.

[Art-n-Marge]

Irlpguy, it depends on the Water Heater. Do you know what make and model you have?

I have a 10 gallon Suburban model that uses both electrical and propane to heat the water. The outside switch is for electrical heating and only works if connected to 110v as an additional means to heat the water. It is not a safety switch. The inside switch turns on the water heater for propane, hence has an extra indicator that is unlit when the propane is working. If the propane supply is off or empty and the inside switch is on and the outside switch is on, I get hot water via the electric element only. I never have left outside switch on, if the inside switch is off so I don't know if the electrical is on with the outside switch, but I don't want to risk burning out the element when I empty the tank for storage. For me Both switches are off or both switches are on. Those are the only ways I do things just to limit risk.

The only safety device I have for the water heater is the pressure relief valve if there's too much heat and pressure, but that's it. Otherwise there are no safety devices for when it's not working correctly.

[Irlpguy]

Hey Art, I have a 12 gal Suburban and my main panel has two switches one for propane and one for electric, they both illuminate when on, so I can actually have both on at the same time.
If Mike's system is the same as yours then of course he could not bypass it. Seems stupid to me to have to go outside to turn your WH over to electric. I never turn off the outside switch, the fact the switch is being turned off and on to supply 120v to the element might explain why it burns out more readily for some, where I have had no problem.

My inside main panel switch is wired in series with the outside switch, if outside is off the inside one has no effect. Because I am lazy but careful I just leave it on.

I am not sure but if there is no relay involved in that circuit, then you are switching a fair amount of current off and on, each time you do that it will arc, eventually the contacts will suffer, hence the problems.

Sorry Mike if I misled you in any way on my earlier post.

Just confirmed my HW heater does have a relay according to the schematic.

[racerjoe]

our tank has only the switch at the tank. certain models had both. But I do know that both electric and propane will run at the same time. there is no cut out to eliminate one from another. I did finally bypass the outer switch for a standard house switch with a pilot light to know when it is on. that way I can do it from inside. After two switches failing from little use I put in one that should never fail,plus it is out of the weather

[thekennys]

oh boy lots to think and look for
I have a surbaban 10 gal with on the 110V side a breaker and the switch on the outside, on the 12V side a lighted switch by the stares and I suppose a fuse. what I know
I suppose both can be on at the same time and that each system is controlled by it's own temperature limit sensor/switch
my plan rev 3 is to get dealer warrenty repairs first then i'll add a 110V lighted switch in the unit by the stair
mikey

[Ozz]

Shoot, I gave a link to just one picture, here is the whole deal..

https://picasaweb.google.com/Jimsue13/WaterHeaterRepairForANoPowerProblem?authuser=0&aut hkey=Gv1sRgCKLo05SagvDTOw&feat=directlink

[thekennys]

made appointment at myers rv on oct 1st for warranty repair
thanks for the input and glad we were not burning up
mikey