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11-18-2013, 11:50 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,948
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Added switch for Hot Water Heater inside
I have a 2012 378TS and it only has the 120 volt switch outside at the hot water heater. I know why but still wanted to add a switch inside.
I could use the circuit breaker but they are not meant to be used as a switch.
So I bought a switch light combo at Home Depot and used a small amount of wire.
1. I removed the electrical panel and removed the 3 wires from the hot water heater. (black, white and bare copper)
It was long enough to reach the hole I cut above the electric panel.
2. I added about 18" of romex wire from the electrical panel to the new switch and mounted in the wall with a blue electric box. NOTE:I found all the wiring was with #12 AWG (rated 20amps) instead of #14 AWG (rated at 15 amps) . Good job FR.
3. Now when I want to turn on my electric for the water heater in the morning before showering all I have to do it turn on the switch and the red light comes on to show me it is ON.
I could have located it at a different location but I always try to keep it simple and the present location would be hard to accidently turn it on or off. I plan to add stickers to make it look more professional.
Very easy project for about $10 and an hour of time.
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11-18-2013, 12:02 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Northeast Louisiana
Posts: 33,962
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Iggy, that looks good. Thanks for sharing.
I'm going to pick at you just a little. Electric water sounds dangerous, whether it's cold or hot. 
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11-18-2013, 12:51 PM
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#3
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Mod free 5er
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 24,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wmtire
Iggy, that looks good. Thanks for sharing.
I'm going to pick at you just a little. Electric water sounds dangerous, whether it's cold or hot. |
Why not just "Water Heater" Why would you want to heat hot water?
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11-18-2013, 12:53 PM
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#4
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Always Learning
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,891
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OldCoot
Why not just "Water Heater" Why would you want to heat hot water? |
We do it all of the time. It's only cold when you first turn it on. After that, you're re-heating hot water...
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11-18-2013, 12:58 PM
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#5
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Mod free 5er
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 24,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ependydad
We do it all of the time. It's only cold when you first turn it on. After that, you're re-heating hot water...
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No, you're heating warm water, if it were hot, the heater would not engage.
They are advertised as water heaters, not hot water heaters. Check it out!
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11-18-2013, 01:05 PM
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#6
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Always Learning
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,891
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OldCoot
No, you're heating warm water, if it were hot, the heater would not engage.
They are advertised as water heaters, not hot water heaters. Check it out!
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I would assume it's your determination of what is "warm" vs. "hot" and when the water heater kicks on to re-heat the water (looks like 110 degrees; is that "warm" or "hot"  ).
I chuckle at the nomenclature of "hot water heater", but I also question myself if I'm being a little too spastic for worrying either way!
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Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
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11-18-2013, 01:08 PM
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#7
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Mod free 5er
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 24,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ependydad
I would assume it's your determination of what is "warm" vs. "hot" and when the water heater kicks on to re-heat the water (looks like 110 degrees; is that "warm" or "hot" ).
I chuckle at the nomenclature of "hot water heater", but I also question myself if I'm being a little too spastic for worrying either way! |
If you can hold your hand in it, it's warm. 130°+ is hot.
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11-18-2013, 01:18 PM
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#8
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Canadian Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Eastern GTA, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,238
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OC, if you're to get technical here, "hot" is different to each person. Water at 120 deg F might be hot to some and just warm to others. My SIL washes dishes in the sink with water that's "warm" to her, but its too "hot" for me to put my hands in it.
I don't know how hot the water is in my water heater before it kicks in to make it hotter.
To the OP, I like the idea of the remote switch. If I were going to do it, I'd prefer the switch be located next to the switch for gas to the water heater. Maybe I'd use an ON-OFF-ON DPST switch. Your location might save running a lot of wire though.
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11-18-2013, 01:24 PM
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#9
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Always Learning
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,891
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Iggy, I do love our inside switch for the electric side of our water heater (came from the factory & I'm lucky that it's like itat mentions- having it right beside our gas switch is nice). No matter what- I'm sure you're going to love the convenience!
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Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
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11-18-2013, 01:29 PM
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#10
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Mod free 5er
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Concord, NC
Posts: 24,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by itat
OC, if you're to get technical here, "hot" is different to each person. Water at 120 deg F might be hot to some and just warm to others. My SIL washes dishes in the sink with water that's "warm" to her, but its too "hot" for me to put my hands in it.
I don't know how hot the water is in my water heater before it kicks in to make it hotter.
To the OP, I like the idea of the remote switch. If I were going to do it, I'd prefer the switch be located next to the switch for gas to the water heater. Maybe I'd use an ON-OFF-ON DPST switch. Your location might save running a lot of wire though.
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Agree, was just commenting on the labeling of the switch and folks calling water heaters "Hot water heaters".
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11-18-2013, 01:30 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Keller, Texas
Posts: 6,090
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Quote:
Originally Posted by itat
OC, if you're to get technical here, "hot" is different to each person. Water at 120 deg F might be hot to some and just warm to others. My SIL washes dishes in the sink with water that's "warm" to her, but its too "hot" for me to put my hands in it.
I don't know how hot the water is in my water heater before it kicks in to make it hotter.
To the OP, I like the idea of the remote switch. If I were going to do it, I'd prefer the switch be located next to the switch for gas to the water heater. Maybe I'd use an ON-OFF-ON DPST switch. Your location might save running a lot of wire though.
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Do you ever hear someone say "that's too warm to touch" - not often.
Doesn't your water heater kick in when the water in the tank reaches or falls below the thermostat setting?
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11-18-2013, 02:13 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 250
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OldCoot
Why not just "Water Heater" Why would you want to heat hot water? |
Sounds like a male pi**ing contest to me. I bet if you asked 100 people about the thing in the basement that makes their water not cold....I bet at least 75% would say 'hot water heater'!!! 
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11-18-2013, 02:21 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Idaho
Posts: 9,839
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It's Cheese and Macaroni!
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11-18-2013, 03:13 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bronston, KY
Posts: 734
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I think it's a geographic thing. Midwest and South seems to say hot water heater although I have an English teacher friend that rants when he hears that.
Iggy, did you keep the breaker in the circuit? If so, did you need extra wire for that connection?
Bill
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11-18-2013, 03:31 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,948
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bend302
I think it's a geographic thing. Midwest and South seems to say hot water heater although I have an English teacher friend that rants when he hears that.
Iggy, did you keep the breaker in the circuit? If so, did you need extra wire for that connection?
Bill
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I just wired from the breaker to the new switch using about 18" of 12/2 with ground romex then use the existing wire from the switch to the heater.
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11-18-2013, 03:46 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: SUNSHINE STATE
Posts: 1,769
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I did the same-------------------
Iggy, I did the same mod two years ago. But what I found out is you should cycle the OFF/ON switch several times on the hot water tank ever so often.
The reason is I guess the switch becomes corroded and will lose contact. I found this to be true after 18 months of the mod being performed. My Hot water tank stopped getting hot on the electrical side. After investigating the problem, I found the switch was working but at low ele power.
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11-18-2013, 04:22 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,948
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DAISY BOYKIN
Iggy, I did the same mod two years ago. But what I found out is you should cycle the OFF/ON switch several times on the hot water tank ever so often.
The reason is I guess the switch becomes corroded and will lose contact. I found this to be true after 18 months of the mod being performed. My Hot water tank stopped getting hot on the electrical side. After investigating the problem, I found the switch was working but at low ele power.
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Hi
Yes, those small black switches on the actual heater aren't rated high enough to handle constant uses ON/OFFs. The switch I installed is rated at 20 amps and should easily handle the load of the electric element going on. I'm happy. 
Have a great day!
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11-19-2013, 07:51 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Greer, SC
Posts: 277
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Iggy, for curiosity sake, what did you do about the elec switch at Water Heater, do you leave it in on position or is it by passed completely? Guess you can tell that electrical wiring is not my specialty.
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11-19-2013, 07:57 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,948
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Quote:
Originally Posted by copsuno
Iggy, for curiosity sake, what did you do about the elec switch at Water Heater, do you leave it in on position or is it by passed completely? Guess you can tell that electrical wiring is not my specialty.
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I will leave the switch on all the time and use the new one to control.
If the small switch gives me problems I will remove and bypass the switch totally. It doesn't hurt to leave the one on the water heater on.
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