Hello
We are staying in an RV park in Orlando, FL. We are paying the mouthy rate witch dose noe include the electric, to cut down on the electric bill I turn on the electric water heater in the morning for showers and stuff, after that I shut it back of till the neck morning.
Like most of the RV’s the switch is located on the water heater behind the heater compartment door. So I decided to wire in a inside water heater switch.
My RV is a 2005 Montana 3500RL, the water heater is located on the street side and electric breaker box is on the opposite side of the RV close to straight across from each other, I found the heater wire coming from the breaker box to the water heater going across in the area under the steps that go up to the bed room, this wire is Romex White 14/2 Gauge.
Here is my parts list, all picked up at The Home Depot.
15ft of Romex White 14/2 Gauge inside wire.
1 Combination Switch & Pilot Light.
1 Outlet Cover Plate.
1 Pack Of 20 Wire Nuts.
I then took the holding tank monitor panel off the pantry side wall and pulled the wiring out of the wall a bit, I then cut one of the larger wires off the back of the monitor panel living enough wire to reconnect it back later, I then attached a long peace of cord to the wire that I cut off to use as a pull cord to pull the new wires back up thought the wall, I then pulled the cut off wire down though the wall until the cord came out though the hole into the area under the steps, then I attached two peaces of 7 ½ ft of romex 14/2 gauge wires to the cord and then pulled all the wires back up though the wall and out though the hole for the monitor panel.
I then cut a hole though the wall paneling below the monitor panel to mount the new switch in, then I took the pull cord off all the wires and reconnected the wire I cut off the back of the monitor panel, then I was able to reach and pull the two new wires down and out though the hole I cut for the new switch, then I reinstalled the monitor panel back into the wall.
Now to wiring in the new switch, I used the wiring diagram that came with the new switch, the hot water heater wire that is located under the steps I cut it in two, the new wire going to the input of the new switch, the other end of it I connected it to the end of the cut wire coming from the breaker box, the other new wire coming from the output of the new switch I connected it to the cut wire going to the water heater.
Then I installed the new switch and cover plate into the new hole in the wall and then tried it out, it works & looks as if it were done at the factory.
I hope this is clear enough to under stand what I did so as to help others do this mod also that is thinking about it.
Here is a link to some photos that may help under stand what I did.
Some how I got the photos backwards, The last photo is starting frist.
http://s806.photobucket.com/albums/y...ater%20Switch/
Thank You.
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