Outside water heater toggle switch

[IALAWMAN]

Can any one tell me how to change the outside water heater toggle switch. I believe mine has gotten gravel in it and will not switch back from off to on.

[Scrapper]

It is for turning on the electric heating element. Check for a hairclip pin or cotter pin.
Some have them installed. DO NOT turn this switch on without water in the WH. Doing so will immediately burn out the element.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Scrapper

It is for turning on the electric heating element. Check for a hairclip pin or cotter pin.
Some have them installed. DO NOT turn this switch on without water in the WH. Doing so will immediately burn out the element.

The OP is asking how the replace the toggle switch, not what or where it is.

[Jmkjr72]

First question would be for what kind of water heater
Being it's on a water heater it should be a sealed switch so something behind it is hard very hard
First would be make sure it isn't the cotter pin or something partially in the cotter pin holes
But from what I see of most of the switches they have a tab on top and on bottom
You may have to pull some gas parts off to get in with little flat tips to start prying on the switch while pushing the tabs down. When you get the replacement you will see the tabs I'm talking about. Swap the wires and push back in

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Jmkjr72

First question would be for what kind of water heater

He said it's an outside toggle switch, which means it's a Suburban.

[bubbles]

First off it's not a toggle switch, it's rocker switch and as can be seen it comes out the front by pinching the top and bottom tabs. Be sure no power (AC power) is on the RV or at least open the water heater circuit breaker. If you can get to the back of the switch pinch the 2 tabs inward and push the switch out the front of the heater. Swap the wires to the new switch and push the switch in its cutout. If you can't get to the back of the switch sometimes a thin piece of material can be inserted from the front to press one tab at a time to get the switch out. Left is a rocker switch, right is a toggle switch. The home standard wall switch is also a toggle type switch. The lever is the toggle. The water heater switch is a sealed item and don't think gravel can get inside. Sometimes they are just hard to switch and sometimes they are just a cheap switch. Hope this helps.

[Jmkjr72]

Originally Posted by bikendan

He said it's an outside toggle switch, which means it's a Suburban.

Other brands do use an outside switch I just saw atwood that had a switch out on the water heater

[5picker]

To the OP... it should come out by prying on it gently with a screwdriver. It does have tabs on it as in the photo above but you'll likely not get to where they are but you should be able to collapse them enough by prying on the edge of the switch to get it out.

Don't be surprised if it doesn't have gravel in it as you are thinking. (it's an enclosed switch so not sure how anything could get in it anyway)
These switches are known to melt/burn up internally and not move.
Be ready to replace it.