A Disappointing Surprise with the Water Heater

Since almost all of our camping is in national forest camp grounds we’ve always used gas to heat the water the few times when we wanted hot water.  On the rare occasions when we stayed in RV parks, I never bothered with hot water since they had nice hot showers with an unlimited supply.  

Last winter I started noticing some weird electrical issues popping up, such as tripping the GFI on one of our garage plugs when we plugged the trailer into a 20-amp plug. The #5 breaker (unlabeled) also would trip from time to time.  Again, since we didn’t use AC much while traveling, I didn’t pay adequate attention to these warning signs.

Finally, I decided to try to trace down what was going on.  I discovered that the #5 breaker on a 172 is for the water heater circuit.  I looked in the archives and found that there was a switch hidden behind some gas piping in the outside part of the water heater. Further checking in the archives revealed that this was how one turned on and off the electric heating element and, as furpod had noted in one of the posts, the switch at the galley is only for gas.  I looked at my switch. It was on. I realized that every time I had plugged in the trailer to AC, I was powering up the #5 circuit.  Most assuredly, my heating element was toast.

I called FR and learned that in the newer models there is a second switch inside the trailer for the water heater.  They assured me that on my model there was one under the galley counter.  I looked. It wasn’t there.  I traced the Romex from the water heater and it went straight to the breaker panel.  I went back and forth with FR and finally, one of the old timers confirmed that the only switch for the hot water heater was the one outside.  Unfortunately, there was nothing in the manual.

Now, I have installed a second switch inside the trailer next to the hot water heater with a protector so it can’t be accidentally turned on.  I replaced the heating element and now have electrically heated water along with the gas.  I leave the outside switch in the water heater compartment permanently on and can turn the heating element on and off from inside the trailer; and only when I am absolutely sure the tank is full.  

Moral of the story: Don’t depend on dealers to tell you what you need to know.   Chances are they don’t know squat.  If you own an older R-Pod you may want to check out the water heater switch situation, so you don’t make the same mistake I did.