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Old 06-22-2012, 03:36 PM   #21
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Need to remove the round plastic cover, three screws just to the right of the switch. Make sure power is of. This will expose the wiring for the electric element. Get a meter, set on the ohms scale, and should read almost zero ohms across the two terminals. If it does, apply power, set the meter for AC voltage 200 volt scale, and should read 120 volts across the two terminals. If the element reads near zero ohms, but you have no power, then back to that switch, and or the breaker.
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Old 06-22-2012, 04:02 PM   #22
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Will try that once the rain stops. Thanks!!
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Old 06-22-2012, 04:12 PM   #23
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1st
Do you have 120 volts at the circuit breaker panel and on the output side of the circuit breaker feeding the hot water heater? YES then move to 2

2nd
Are you getting 120 Volts at the new switch? YES then move on to 3

3rd
If you are getting it out of the switch then make sur eyou have 120 volt thru the heater overliad switch. That is the plastic covered switch that you must puch both buttons together to reset it if tripped. If this get 120 volts out move to 4.

4th
If all is good in 1 ,2, and 3 then the electric element is blown and open and will need to be replaced.

That's it
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Old 06-22-2012, 04:21 PM   #24
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The AC circuit is very simple.

The photo is of the high limit switch (under the rubber covers).
The one on the left is "blown" (not "popped") and would need to be replaced.

RV Suburban Water Heater Thermostat/High Limit Switch on eBay!
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Old 06-22-2012, 06:20 PM   #25
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So far no voltage at element. High limit switch is intact. Time to check to switch and power to it. Thanks to all for the advice.
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Old 06-22-2012, 07:05 PM   #26
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How do I check voltage at the switch? Where do I put the 2nd lead from the multimeter? Thanks.
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Old 06-22-2012, 07:18 PM   #27
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The white connection side of heating element (return) or the white wires capped together in the enclosure. Because its AC you cannot use "ground" as the return path. Actually you can but you'll get a false reading.

If you read across it and it reads full power its not conducting. Better to establish power to it first.
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Old 06-22-2012, 07:28 PM   #28
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HI LOU You must be a Pilot for your quick responses I also like the GERMAN short hair Pointer sorry it is the German in me.
Hope to meet you some Day.
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Old 06-22-2012, 08:07 PM   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VinceU View Post
The white connection side of heating element (return) or the white wires capped together in the enclosure. Because its AC you cannot use "ground" as the return path. Actually you can but you'll get a false reading.

If you read across it and it reads full power its not conducting. Better to establish power to it first.
I am not getting power across the heating element following Windriders post. My high limit switch is ok.

My next step is to check the power to the switch.
So reading above, I should put one lead from the multimeter on the white side of the heating element and the other lead on the wire leading into the switch?

Also how do i check if there is power to the high limit switch?

Thanks!!!!
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Old 06-22-2012, 09:33 PM   #30
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If you don't have continuity between the two screws on the heating element, then your element is burned up. It needs to be replaced.
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Old 06-22-2012, 10:18 PM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bresdogsr

I am not getting power across the heating element following Windriders post. My high limit switch is ok.

My next step is to check the power to the switch.
So reading above, I should put one lead from the multimeter on the white side of the heating element and the other lead on the wire leading into the switch?

Also how do i check if there is power to the high limit switch?

Thanks!!!!
Follow that schematic Herk sent you. Start at circuit in panel. Attach meter one clip to white bus (remove sheet metal cover). With breaker closed, check output of WTR heater supply circuit breaker with other probe. If power avail go outside to htr connections. Now attach meter to return of element and leave attached. Start checking with other probe to inlet of switch, outlet of switch, into overload, follow to other points Always leave one probe on neutral to maintain point to point test.
In the event you have power at C. Breaker but not at switch (2nd test point), there may be junction box with bad splice.
Hope all this makes sense and helps. Careful with this voltage, damage is quick and sure if you goof.
Remember you should have 110 at eve very test point with one probe always on neutral. If you don't stop there and find what's wrong. By starting at power source work to load, you'll find it. I assume shore power I connected and other ac loads work? Good deal and good luck.........
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Old 06-27-2012, 09:13 PM   #32
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Follow up: Was able to test the electric with a friends help. Had no voltage to the switch or high limit or heating element. Checked the braker and no electric either. We checked other breakers and discovered one leg was out. We checked the breakers on the gennie and one was tripped. So some how I the leg the water heater was on a surge or it back fed into the gennie. Have to do some more electrical detective work. Good thing is water heater is now working, gennie is ok, no other electrica applainces etc were harmed. We also added an "L" bracket to the door frame aroind the HW heater since one was missing and reinforced the other. The panel around the HW heater is now flush with the sides.

Thanks to all who helped and contributed their knowledge
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Old 06-28-2012, 06:47 AM   #33
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Hmm, sounds like the hot water tank breaker failed to trip so the next breaker upstream did. I don't think its common, but you might have a faulty breaker, and it would not be a lot of work to take it to an electrical store and have them test the trip point on it for peace of mind. The other explanation would be both breakers tripped at the same time when that switch failed and shorted to ground, not supposed to happen as the water tank circuit should be fused lower than the gennie leg, but possible.

Grats on figureing it out, always feels good to wrestle one of those to the ground
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Old 06-28-2012, 09:34 AM   #34
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Hate to be a fly in the ointment but in this case the genset breaker is not related to shore power providing power.to the heater and ac bus. However the transfer switch is common to both and if one phase common contact is bad causing a voltage drop both power sources will trip a leg (brkr) in time. Most coaches it's with the shore power feed close to the genset. Large cables in and out. Disconnect power and remover cover for a look. Something isn't right to open 50 amp circuit breakers.

Transfer switch wiring appears installation manual from Onan.
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Old 06-28-2012, 04:15 PM   #35
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Hmm, I "assumed" all this testing was being done using generator AC power as we were talking about generator breakers. Potentially a bad assumption. I'm not seeing how resetting a generator breaker would have any impact on power being present on one side of the AC panel when connected to shore power. I wouldn't have thought a transfer switch would have been smart enough to sense if the upstream AC panel or generator breakers were tripped???
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Old 06-28-2012, 08:21 PM   #36
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The switch on each of my last TT's were very hard to operate until the got a squirt of WD40. No problem after that.
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