Water Heater Switches

Dodgman

Member
Hi,our new San Antonio has three different water heater switches,one is the rocker switch in the water heater compartment,the other two are in the central comand center.One is a big switch like you would find in a house,which lites up when turned on,it also has a rocker type on the monitor panel that just says heater,the owner book doesn't give a clue about that one,anyone know anything about that one. Thx.
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
dodgman, the one outside in the heater box itself needs to be on for 110 volt operation. It can be left on permanently weather you're operating on LP or 110.
The large residential switch inside the rig is the main control for 110 operation. The small rocker on the monitor panel is for LP operation. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE WATER IN THE HEATER BEFORE OPERATING ON 110V. You can operate the water heater on both LP and 110V at the same time for faster recovery but I've never needed to do it that way.
 

patrick1945

Well-known member
Very helpful Ray-never used gas until today and I could not find any of this in the paperwork..thank you.

dodgman, the one outside in the heater box itself needs to be on for 110 volt operation. It can be left on permanently weather you're operating on LP or 110.
The large residential switch inside the rig is the main control for 110 operation. The small rocker on the monitor panel is for LP operation. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE WATER IN THE HEATER BEFORE OPERATING ON 110V. You can operate the water heater on both LP and 110V at the same time for faster recovery but I've never needed to do it that way.
 

Burtonair01

Member
Ray,
I'm a new Heartland Cyclone model 3814 owner(2011). I am just trying to figure everything out on my own since I bought the 5er from a private seller that only used it 3 times in the 2 years he owned it. So my question is, I was looking in the hot water heater compartment and seen that little on/off switch in there and was wondering what it was since my last trailer never had that switch. So it's for 110 operation only? And you say it is ok to always leave it on? I ask because I will be switching from desert camping to RV park camping all summer long. Also there is a light switch in the bathrrom that is red in color and I'm wondering if that is a water heater switch as well, not sure because it is red and when I turn it on I don't see anything happening. It is located right on the front of where the bathroom sink is cabinet is. Thanks for any info I really appreciate it!
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
You are correct on both accounts. The switch on the water heater is for AC and it can be left on all the time.
It the red switch you are talking about looks like a residential light switch, other than being red, it is for the water heater.
A word of caution. If you turned it on without water in the water heater you may have fried the heater element.

Peace
Dave
 

Burtonair01

Member
You are correct on both accounts. The switch on the water heater is for AC and it can be left on all the time.
It the red switch you are talking about looks like a residential light switch, other than being red, it is for the water heater.
A word of caution. If you turned it on without water in the water heater you may have fried the heater element.

Peace
Dave



Thanks for the info Dave and yes the red switch I am talking about is just like you stated a residential light switch. But why is it there when I have the main one on the control board? Is there a seperate water heater for that switch or do I need to turn both of them on for the water heater to work or can I just turn that one on or just turn the main on on, I'm seriously confused.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
If you just leave the little black switch located on the water heater turned on all the time, you will then use only the red switch to turn on or off your water heater.
You also have a switch for LP opperation. This is independent of any other switch.
Hope this helps.

Peace
Dave
 

Burtonair01

Member
So let me see if I understand this correctly. I'm going to turn the switch on by the water heater and leave it on all the time, then to turn the water heater on for 110 I'm going to use the red residential switch in the bathroom, if I'm running on propane then I will use the switch in the main control board and keep the red switch in the bathroom off, correct? Sorry about all the questions, I really do appreciate your help.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
You got it now.
By main control panel do you mean the panel with the tank monitors?

Peace
Dave
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
You can actually run the water heater on electric and propane at the same time for faster tank recovery. Won't hurt anything. When we return to the rig after being away for several days, I'll do that to get the water back up to temps and then shut off the propane to it. Or if we want to shower one after the other (too small for "friendly" showers :eek:).
 

PeternLiane

Well-known member
Learned something new tonight again. We only had a gas water heater in the SOB. The new NT has the gas/electric water heater. I always heard that if I had a dual power water heater to make sure there was water in the tank. If you turn on the electric element without any water in the tank the element would go out. I always said I wish that I had that problem. Now I do. I never heard that there could be two switches for the electric to work. Always happy to learn new things. Thank you for the good information.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
So let me see if I understand this correctly. I'm going to turn the switch on by the water heater and leave it on all the time, then to turn the water heater on for 110 I'm going to use the red residential switch in the bathroom, if I'm running on propane then I will use the switch in the main control board and keep the red switch in the bathroom off, correct? Sorry about all the questions, I really do appreciate your help.

Burtonair 01:
I think you have the switches down correctly. The only thing I can add is sometimes people have had a need for hot water quick after having the heater off, and you CAN run both propane heating AND electric heating at the same time for faster water heating.
 

Burtonair01

Member
So I tried just the electric portion of the hot water heater last night and it works great, so tonight i'm just trying the LP portion to make sure it is in perfect working order. Thanks for all of your help.
 
We just picked up our new 2013 BH 3070RL and also wonder about hot water elec vs LP. There are two rockers in main control panel in kitchen for water heater: one for DC and the other for 110V. In the water heater compartment outside there are two large square push "switches" On and Reset. down in bottom left corner of the compartment there is a small black "light switch" type of rocker switch "on"/ "off". Can someone explain how that all works together and what each does?---again not any insts I can find for the elec water heater or how to manipulate inside vs outside switches. thanks
 

jnbhobe

Well-known member
Turn on the switch outside and forget about it. the other two are tempeture limit resets. On the control panel inside the red light switch is 110v water heater. The red rocker on the monitor next to the pump switch is propane control for the water heater. You can run both 110v and propane for quicker recovery.
 

boatto5er

Founding VA Chap Ldr (Ret)
We just picked up our new 2013 BH 3070RL and also wonder about hot water elec vs LP. There are two rockers in main control panel in kitchen for water heater: one for DC and the other for 110V. The two in the control panel are for Propane and Electric use. The smaller one should be for turning on the propane and the larger "Residential" looking one will be for 120V electricity (DO NOT turn this one on without water in the Hot Water Heater - you will FRY the heating element).

In the water heater compartment outside there are two large square push "switches" On and Reset. These are reset switches and should only be used if they "pop out". Consider them to be like electric breakers.

down in bottom left corner of the compartment there is a small black "light switch" type of rocker switch "on"/ "off". Turn this switch on and leave it on. It is the "on the tank" switch for the electric heating. Can someone explain how that all works together and what each does?---again not any insts I can find for the elec water heater or how to manipulate inside vs outside switches. thanks

You can use both propane and electricty to heat your water initially for faster hot water, or when you need quick recovery (like after DW takes a long shower :rolleyes: ). Again, be careful not to turn the electric heater on without water in the tank. This was the abbreviated instruction manual - hope it helps. Also, there is a Full Manual for the Suburban Water Heater under the Tools Tab on the Forum Menu.
 
Here's my "cheat" sheet I worked up after talking to the service department at the dealer Curtis Trailer in Portland,OR
Hot Water heater switches
(information from Service at Curtis Trailers)

+Exterior compartment switches:
-small black "light switch" type in lower left corner on/off: This is to turn on 110V (in conjunction with the hot water 110V rocker switch in main interior control panel). *Can leave the one in exterior compartment on all the time, then use the interior control rocker switch to turn 110V on when hooked to electric or off when using LP

-Two large square soft push "switches" in middle of compartment: These are "breaker" switches. ON should be pushed in all the time. If "breaker" trips, can push Reset.

+Interior large rocker switches / main control panel:
-Water heater 110V: Have to turn this on for 110V heater(in conjunction with the small black in bottom left of exterior compartment).
-Water heater 12V: Turn this on (and 110V off) when using LP hot water heater. The 12V is just for lighting the LP water heater.

PLAN:
1. Always ON= "light switch" type in lower left corner of exterior compartment
2. Hot water with 110V= Main control panel (interior) 110 Water heater switch ON and 12V switch OFF
3. Hot water with LP gas= Main control panel (interior) 12V Water heater switch ON and 110V switch OFF
4. OR can run both by having all of the above switched to ON (for faster water heat up)

Hope this is a helpful guide for someone out there---since there are nil instructions that came with the BH---only instructions for the LP water heater(and that didn't include any switches)
 

usnthedog

Active Member
If this is still active I'll throw in my comments. I always turn off the water heater whenever I see my known loads are approaching 30 amp. You don't know when the heater is coming on and it is surprizing how fast you can reach that 30 amp without noticing. On comes the water heater and out goes the lights.

I write myself a note to turn it back on when the loads go down.
 
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