How many switches do you have??

[prariepoodle]

While trying to learn about the hot water heater I emailed a Teck and asked how to have the electric and the gas run at the same time. The information that I found says that you can do that. Well he replyed and this is what he said.

"Yes, you have 2 switches inside. One will turn on the Gas/Propane. Your propane will then fire/turn on and off to keep the water hot.

The other switch will turn on your electric heating element. Again, your electric heating element will automatically turn and off to keep your water hot. The switches can be used jointly or separately.

We can only find one switch, How many do you have???? My heater model # is SW10DE

[NJ Hillbilly]

As far as I know Keystone only uses an inside switch for propane. I would think that there is an upgraded switch panel or (more likely) just a standard 110v switch used like and other device. Other campers I have seen have a regular old light switch that controls the electric side of the h/w heater.

I added one myself under the kitchen sink since my heater is located there.


John

[tweir]

Check outside on the bottom of the heater itself. There is a small rocker switch with a safety pin in it when the switch is in the off position. This switch is located on the lower left hand side under the gas burner feed tube. You can't miss it. Remove the safety pin and flip the switch---you are now in electric mode. When we are leaving a site, part of the "check-out" procedure is to put the switch back in the off position & re-install the safety pin---this way, when I plug in the unit before a trip to check the systems, the water heater will not turn on in case of a low-water condition. I think, if I remember correctly, the wall switch inside is for the gas "quick recovery" feature or if you are boondocking w/o shore power, to run the H2O heater on propane.

[Bill and Ann]

Tweir, you are right. The outside is for electric and the inside is for propane. We use propane all the time when in Tx. as the electric is expensive down here.

[vickster]

Linda and Walt - Thomas J. gave good advice. With our minimal experience with Monty, we have mostly used propane to heat -- it is really quick. We, like Bill and Ann, will probably use propane to heat water for it may be more economical than electric while in Texas.

[rames14]

Prairiepoodle -

Lots of people with the answer here - electric is out in the water heater compartment outside. Don't know why the tech didn't tell you that. At our seasonal site we have to pay for the electric, so we just pop on the propane switch when we arrive for the weekend. If I was on an extended trip using campgrounds I might use the electric, but haven't even turned it on yet.

[sreigle]

Linda, the others have told you where the switches are so I won't repeat that. But I do want to note ours does not have the safety pin on the electric switch on the water heater panel itself. Just a switch. Don't know what year yours is so yours may or may not have the safety pin. Our switch kind of hides behind some things so a little head swiveling is in order. It's there though.

In summer we use the electric element and turn propane on for water heating only when we need a fast recovery. In winter we use only the propane heater element because with a couple of electric heaters and the furnace going we have enough trouble popping breakers without adding to it by using the electric water heater element. Since you may be in some cold weather you might want to keep that in mind until you get into warmer weather. When we're not using electric heaters in the coach then using the electric water heater works fine for us. Also, we find propane gets the water far hotter than the electric element. That may be unique to ours but is something to remember if you find the water not getting hot enough for you when on the electric element only.

[prariepoodle]

Through more research I also found this. Just in case anyone wants to know.

This is a 10 Gallon unit. This water heater will operate on both Gas or Electricity. It can operate on both Gas and Electricity at the same time for faster hot water recovery. For gas operation this unit features Electronic Ignition. It has a Hot Water Recovery Rate of 10.2 Gallons Per Hour using 12,000 BTUH gas imput. The recovery rate using 120 Volt AC is 6 Gallons Per Hour or 16 plus Gallons Per Hour using both Electricity and Gas. This is for the SW10DE

[BillyRay]

it may be acurate, but ours seems to recover much quicker. we usually use the lp as needed (shut it off when not in use) unless we are camping somewhere that includes electric...in that case it stays on 24/7

[Jim B]

We have a 2004 2955RL the electrical switch is out side as other have stated. However I leave the electrial switch on all the time and use the circit breaker to turn the water heater on and off. This way I don't have to open the outside water heater cover all the time. When I winterize the trailer in the fall then I shut the outside electrical swith off and install the safty pin. This prevents the switch from being turned on until the system is refilled with water.