Hot Water Heater Switch - Montana Owners Club

rvfirefighter · 04-23-2006, 01:14 AM

My latest convenient change, I installed a switch to cut on/off my hot water from inside to keep it from being on all the time. I got a pilot switch from Home Depot, it has a light to show when the switch is on and installed it next to the level guage and switches for the gas and pump. I cut the wire going to the hot water heater, easy to get to on this unit, took all of 20 min. Cost approx. 10 bucks for all.

ols1932 · 04-23-2006, 03:18 AM

I have a circuit breaker on my power panel that allows me to turn hot water heater off electric. Our rig (2000) came that way.

Orv

rvfirefighter · 04-23-2006, 03:33 AM

I got tired of cutting it off at the breaker, I had to check to see if it was on or off, plus I did not want to take the cover off every time. This is more visable to see if it is on or off. That is the only reason I installed this, I had done it on my other unit also. I also don't have to check the switch outside on the water heater.

VanMan · 04-23-2006, 04:13 AM

rvfirefighter, I agree with you on the "convenience". Our previous TT had a lighted switch right behind the kitchen sink. I was surprised when "upgrading" to the Montana that there was no switch and that folks were using the breaker. It seems like using the breaker will eventually weaken it ??

patodonn · 04-23-2006, 05:47 AM

Nice improvement. I always wondered why it wasn't inside the rig...then again, we can only get SO lazy (LOL), and why would I want to turn it off unless I was setting up or getting ready to depart and was outside anyhow?.

Opening and then closing the outside access panel always seems to be a minor "pain". I often don't even bother, just use the CG power box CBs as my "switch" for everything, but that isn't probably the best way to do it. .

As an old airplane guy, I can tell you that we were taught to NEVER use a CB as a switch. Only time was for emergency procedures. It does wear them out and weaken them...and that isn't what they are designed to do. Having said that, if you go out to a "big" airplane that is parked overnight or for a few days, you will find all sorts of CBs pulled, and then they are reset during "preflight". They are, however, not the same "switch" type of CBs.

In my rig, I have to remove a panel below the fridge to get to the CBs, so it is no advantage anyhow, other than not having to go outside to do it.

Again, nice addition...thanks!

Glenn and Lorraine · 04-23-2006, 06:55 AM

David, Send me some photos and I'll build a page for the Show and Tell pages

Glenn and Lorraine · 04-24-2006, 07:03 AM

OK, the page is set up.

Go to MontanaOwners.Com
Than click on "MOC Member's Show and Tell"

315RLS · 04-24-2006, 07:15 AM

With ours it came right on the wall next to the water pump. Both light red when on. Never thought it as much of a convenience till reading this post.

VanMan · 04-25-2006, 06:26 AM

315RLS, The one you are talking about does NOT control the electricity to the WH, but rather tells the WH to light the propane burner. In other words "ON" = Propane heated water.

Look at rvfirefighter’s mod in the Show and Tell section from the MOC Homepage. If you are talking about the factory switch (also shown) then that one is for propane - not electric.

Sweetfire · 04-25-2006, 02:16 PM

Mine has a ON/OFF switch on the bottom left corner of the outside WH behind the access grill? Is this the same switch we're all talking about here?

rvfirefighter · 04-25-2006, 04:05 PM

Sweetfire, yes, the switch is outside for the electric, but I wanted something inside to cut it off when I was not using it just to keep my electric power to a minimum. Some parks had bad electrical, especially when everyone is using A/C. This just gives me a visual light and switch to cut it on and off without using the circuit breaker.
Easy to install, just put the switch on the main power going to the water heater.

fulltimedreamer · 04-25-2006, 04:54 PM

When I added a Washer/Dryer to our coach, I cut into the electric line that feeds the electric water heater element and added a two way switch. One way provides power to the Washer/Dryer and the other way provides power to the water heater element. This keeps me from having to many high current appliances on at one time. With the 30 Amp service we can use two high current appliances at a time. Any more and we trip a breaker. The switch is easily accessible in the cabinet beside the Washer/Dryer and is labled to clearly show which circuit is connected.

OntMont · 04-26-2006, 09:50 AM

I also added a hot water heater switch. It is not too difficult in a 3670RL. I also added an LED to come on when the heating element is actually consuming power. We like having this switch for those times when we are on 30 amp power and are using other high amperage appliances. With the switch handy, you can just flip it off for a few minutes while you use the microwave for example.

mperk · 04-26-2006, 04:40 PM

John, I too have a 3670RL, where did you locate your switch and how did you tie into the wire? A picture would be great if possible.

rvfirefighter · 04-26-2006, 11:56 PM

mperk,
The main power wire runs to the water heater under the sink. The wire comes down the wall, you take the trash bin drawer out and you can see what I am talking about. You need to get a pilot switch from Home Depot or any other place, make sure it will support at least 20 amps. I mounted mine next to the levels guage and the other switches for the gas hot water cutoff and the water pump. There are pictures on the show and tell page.
There is space between the wall and sliding door, cut off power at circuit breaker, cut a hole pull wire through hole, install switch box, strip wire, connect switch, cut power back on, that's it.
They should put one in all units, makes it easy to cut power when not in use.

NJ Hillbilly · 05-04-2006, 03:26 PM

I did a similar mod and just mounted a switch under the kitchen sink. It's accessable from the door near the steps, I just surface mounted a metal handy box. I used the same lighted switch.

John

Wrenchtraveller · 05-05-2006, 02:17 AM

Rvfirefighter,great idea and now on my list of improvements when I get home. Montanas are nice units bone stock but like any make, improvements like this make them even nicer. On this trip we have kicked our 30 amp CG breaker twice and a heater switch would have prevented that. Take care.

Steve and Brenda · 10-15-2006, 02:45 PM

This is a great idea. When I was given my predelivery tour the tech told me to shut off the breaker at the power distribution panel - very sloppy engineering. Think this is a valuable modification.

Now, If I could just get rid of that rotten battery/tank level indicator. There are so many wonderful units out there that display all the system's status with a single button push. Even Keystone's cheaper models like the Zeppelin series have all these controls and LED indicators on the range hood making it so very convenient. With all the $$ invested in Montanas one would think there'd be no skimping on indicators.

scattershot · 10-15-2006, 03:08 PM

Great idea! Thanks! We were boondocking with some friends and couldn't figure out why our lights were so dim, and why our coffeemaker wouldn't work right. Turned out the electric HW heater was on, draining the power from the generator. That mod is on my list.

bsmeaton · 10-15-2006, 04:50 PM

Thanks all for bringing back this post. I missed it based on the date of joining the MOC.

My fear is leaving the outside switch on after I drain the tanks. I occassionally start the generator to do maintenance and if the swtich was on it would burn out that heater element in a hurry.

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