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02-27-2008, 02:09 AM
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#1
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Established Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Dalton
Posts: 35
M.O.C. #5739
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Water heater switch
I need help on how to have an electric switch installed inside our rl3500. The switch now is outside behind the panel. I did see a thred on this awhile back but cannot find it now. Thanks for any help on this.
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02-27-2008, 02:15 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Bakersfield
Posts: 5,316
M.O.C. #15
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I believe Ozz was the one who mounted a switch inside. Go to one of his posts and look at his list of modifications.
HamRad
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02-27-2008, 02:16 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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I believe the great wizard of "ozz" will have the answer.. We thought about doing that but decided it was to much work, any work is to much work,,We just use the breaker in the power panel.
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02-27-2008, 02:53 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Benson
Posts: 3,121
M.O.C. #1658
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We are fortunate in that our water heater is located under the sink. The 110 wire from the breaker runs into a junction box on the top of the heater. I disconnected it, ran it over to a wall switch with a light that I mounted below the sink and ran a new wire to the junction box.
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02-27-2008, 03:31 AM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Haldimand County
Posts: 2,413
M.O.C. #122
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Same as 8.1al, except that I added a pilot light to show when the heater element is actually "on". This helps with power management when you are on a 30 amp site and don't want to run too many things at once. Adding a switch is not all that difficult, it is getting access to the wiring that may be a problem, depending on how each model is wired and plumbed.
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02-27-2008, 04:11 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Casa Grande
Posts: 5,369
M.O.C. #6333
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John, I do what richfaa does, just throw the breaker switch off when on gas heat and back on when I want elec. Saves money and one less gadget to go wrong......
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02-27-2008, 04:40 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location:
Posts: 992
M.O.C. #7128
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John-2-in-the-woods---John and Charlie pretty well answered the question. Go to the breaker for the heater-- series in a light switch and if you want, a light switch with a pilot light, mount the light switch in side the trailer in a place that is easy to run the wires from the breaker to the switch. You should be good to go.
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02-27-2008, 04:40 AM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: _
Posts: 5,238
M.O.C. #6337
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Al actually did this improvement this year, and did the switch that shows it is on, red light, etc.
I love it, he put over by the hot water heater in our 3295, and I can see the glow telling me the heater is on, a gentle reminder for this ole leaky brained gal that she might want to turn it off if not needed.
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02-27-2008, 04:51 AM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
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A switched circuit via a timer, with a pilot light made from a truck license plate light and an old Christmas tree light assembly.
Pretty simple to do, with a few tools.
See my slide show in my sig. below.
Indicator light
(If you have any questions, PM me and I will gladly help you out on it.)
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02-27-2008, 04:27 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Oak Harbor
Posts: 1,529
M.O.C. #2471
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John,
Here is an excerpt from that thread a while back. I searched for it to but it was posted back in NOV 2006 so it might not be available on the website any longer. This should give you some information on how to do the mod. All the info might not be applicable to your specific rig. I did th mod about 3 months ago and am really liking the convenience of having the switch inside. Hope the info helps.
"If You go in to the basement under the bedroom slide, you can take the paneling off the rear side of the basement wall (4 screws) and that should expose your hot water tank. I would cut the 120v AC wire going to the HW tank and put a junction box in. After putting the junction box in, join the white wires back together and the Copper ground wires back together (inside the junction box). Then run a new 12/2 loomix wire from the junction box to where ever you want the switch. In the junction box hook the black 12/2 wire to one of the back wires you already have in the box, and the white 12/2 wire to the other black wire going to the HW tank. also attach the 12/2 ground wire to the ground wires in the junction box. Now the other end of the 12/2 wire can be hooked up to your switch. Black to one side, white to the other. Oh ya hook the ground wire to the ground on the switch. Also I would buy a 20 amp switch, 15 amp might be a little light. If in doubt get a electrician. Hope this is a little clearer than mud. Good luck."
If you need more info e-mail me and I can send you the entire thread.
Jack
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02-29-2008, 10:52 AM
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#11
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Established Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Dalton
Posts: 35
M.O.C. #5739
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Thank ya all for the ideas and help. John
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02-29-2008, 03:01 PM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
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Like some of the others I just leave the electric switch on all the time. We normally leave the breaker on, too. The only time I turn the breaker off is when I either drain the water heater or when for some reason we don't want to run the electric element. The breaker becomes the switch but we don't very often turn it off.
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03-01-2008, 11:06 AM
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#13
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Pagosa Springs
Posts: 3,711
M.O.C. #3120
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by sreigle
Like some of the others I just leave the electric switch on all the time. We normally leave the breaker on, too. The only time I turn the breaker off is when I either drain the water heater or when for some reason we don't want to run the electric element. The breaker becomes the switch but we don't very often turn it off.
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Steve, you'll want to turn that switch to off when you and Vicki go boondocking....electricity is hard to come by.
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03-02-2008, 07:28 AM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by simonsrf
Steve, you'll want to turn that switch to off when you and Vicki go boondocking....electricity is hard to come by.
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Yep, Quartzsite was one time it was turned off. While we both enjoyed the experience at Quartzsite, especially the people, I'm not hearing a lot of enthusiasm for additional boondocking other than maybe in a similar environment.
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