190 water heater outside on/off electric switch

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   Help. The on/off electric switch on the water outside will not turn on. I tried pressing it down pretty hard with my thumb and it goes back to off. It will not switch to the on position. Appreciate any advice. Thanks

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AUMAN Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 05 Feb 2020 Online Status: Offline Posts: 23	Topic: 190 water heater outside on/off electric switch Posted: 18 May 2020 at 12:11am
	Help. The on/off electric switch on the water outside will not turn on. I tried pressing it down pretty hard with my thumb and it goes back to off. It will not switch to the on position. Appreciate any advice. Thanks
	mwsjr

Kup-Pod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 08 Jun 2017 Location: Guelph, Ontario Online Status: Offline Posts: 153	Posted: 18 May 2020 at 6:45am
	The electric element may have been left on when the tank was emptied, in that case you will probably need to buy a new element (not a huge deal, and fairly easy to replace). You may want to try and reset the electrical temperature override breaker (see figure 15 in the manual http://www.rpod-owners.com/uploads/3887/204670_SW4-6D6DEDMDEM_REV_E_03-17-2015.pdf) Hope this helps!:-)
	2017 RP-178 2021 F150 5.0l "Lead me on a level path"

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 18 May 2020 at 7:42am
	The switch is just a switch, not a breaker so the status of the heating element shouldn't effect it. Yours is not the first switch to fail. Watch this video on how to remove and test it. The switches are just a few bucks, and you could bypass it temporarily/permanently by using a wet location wire nut to connect the two wires together. That switch is in series with the circuit breaker in the panel so you still have that one to turn the element on and off. The propane heating system for the water heater runs on 12V and is totally independent of the 120Vac system so you still have that as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aJSVH32V0s
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2587	Posted: 18 May 2020 at 8:20am
	Auman, check out the archives on that switch, but go to the advanced search to enlarge the time frame so you can look back a year or two. There are many discussions about that switch, it's location, and the problems it has caused for many. In our Pod we added an additional switch between the breaker and water heater to eliminate the risk of having it left on and to avoid using the breaker as a switch. It was more accessible and easy to use.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 18 May 2020 at 8:42am
	A breaker makes a perfectly fine switch. I leave mine off unless the ~~hot~~ water heater is in use and the trailer plugged in to shore power. If you really feel the need to have 3 switches all in series all doing the same job that's up to you.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2587	Posted: 18 May 2020 at 9:08am
	Breakers make lousy switches when you have to get down on your hands and knees to turn it off and on, when it's hard to see, and when it's easily confused by others not familiar with the system. The switch on the HOT WATER HEATER is similarly awkward to use. It's hidden back behind the gas works, is hard to see, and requires going outside to use. I put a third switch in a convenient location that was easy to reach, required no kneeling or counting breakers [the labels rarely line up], and did not require a trip out into darkness of night where hungry bears and wolverines are waiting. In fact, FR had the foresight to add the third switch in our Sonoma right where the light switch and tank panel is located. You can easily see it, it has a red light that glows when it's turned on and the probability of burning up your HOT WATER HEATER heating element is reduced to nil. But if you like to grovel around on the floor looking for the right breaker or going out in the rain to flip the HOT WATER HEATER switch and fight with getting that little spring thingy to lock the HOT WATER HEATER panel shut with cold wet fingers, I say go for it!
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 18 May 2020 at 9:42am
	In the 179 the breaker panel is right inside the door so no bending down to turn the ~~hot~~ water heater breaker on and off. I put a little red dot on the ~~hot~~ water heater breaker so its obvious which one it is. And little red stick-on dots are pretty easy and cheap to install. I never fool with the outside switch on the ~~hot~~ water heater, just leave it on, so no wandering around at night with the bears. Besides, our Appalachian bears are not a lot bigger than big dogs and generally run away when they see people, unlike your aggressive bothersome Sierra bears. But again, to each his own, I'm fine if someone wants to have 3 switches in series for their ~~hot~~ water heater element. Heck, why not 5 or 6 switches, you could have them all over the inside of the trailer so one was always within arms reach if you needed it?
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

AUMAN Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 05 Feb 2020 Online Status: Offline Posts: 23	Posted: 18 May 2020 at 11:37am
	Thanks to all! My problem is that I cannot get the switch on the outside water heater to turn on at all. Push as I may, it will not switch on for electric. Works just fine on propane. If I can ever get it on I will leave it. Not knowledgable enough to add a breaker or such. Thanks so much.
	mwsjr

AUMAN Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 05 Feb 2020 Online Status: Offline Posts: 23	Posted: 18 May 2020 at 11:46am
	Thanks offgrid. Very helpful video. Maybe I can try this and make it happen.
	mwsjr

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2587	Posted: 18 May 2020 at 12:25pm
	Sounds like you may need a replacement switch. There is a hole along the toggle piece that allows a pin or cotter key to be inserted to stop the switch from moving. Did you check to see whether there is nothing in the hole that would prevent the switch from moving?
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost