SW6DE electrical mod help

Piledockey · 03-09-2020, 08:10 PM

Hi I'm new to the forum been reading thru lately and searching for schematics but I was wondering if there is a way to keep it wired to my panel as is but add a secondary switch for inside the coach along with an option for a plug for 120v so I could use outside outlet if it's available. I don't know if this has been touched on or if someone could point me in the right direction I'd really appreciate it
Thanks

SeaDog · 03-10-2020, 09:56 AM

Welcome to the forum its a great place to get your questions answered. Its best to say what rig you have so folks can give good information many will not recognize SW6DE as a water heater. Are you saying your rig does not have any outside electrical outlets?

cavie · 03-10-2020, 10:10 AM

Yes you could add an outside box with a GFI outlet to the WH circuit but why do you need to? Every RV I have seen has an outside GFI outlet. If you do it you would need to turn off the WH while you use the added outside outlet. A lot of work for little use.

bubbles · 03-10-2020, 10:22 AM

This kind of sounds like wanting to do 2 mods. Adding the capability to power the water heater electrically from inside the coach (Suburban water heater AC switch is on the water heater) and adding a 120Vac external receptacle. Could be wrong of course.

kenandterry · 03-10-2020, 10:31 AM

A little confusion here.....

Are you trying to control the electric heating of the water heater from inside, or wire an exterior electrical outlet?

It would help if you tell us what year, make and model you have for your RV and water heater.

**Bama Rambler** · 03-10-2020, 10:39 AM

There are a few ways to add a switch inside the RV to turn the water heater on and off depending on your particular RV. A lot of people run wires from the existing WH receptacle in the RV at the back (or side) of the heater and mount a switch on the nearest cabinet. It's usually easier to access that area than to run wire in the walls.

You could also access the power panel and tap into the circuit near the breaker and mount a switch on the cabinet beside the panel.

I'm sure we can come up with others once we know which RV you have.

Piledockey · 03-10-2020, 12:46 PM

Sorry for not being clear
My rig is a 2005 palomino puma 29bhs
Has a sw6de suburban hot water heater .
Some one who mentioned it soundd's like two mods is right
I'd like to wire the heater like the sw6deL model
The second mod would be to wire an extension cord to the heater in order to use an outlet that's separate from the rig itself
But I think in order to do that I'll have to add a GFI outlet near the water heater
Thanks for all the replies.

Piledockey · 03-10-2020, 12:48 PM

I also forgot to mention it has one switch on the wall by the main door for the gas function of the WH

kenandterry · 03-10-2020, 01:09 PM

I did the mod outlined in Bama Ramblers second paragraph.
Now I don’t need to use the switch inside the exterior of the water heater anymore. ......which can wear out.

**Bama Rambler** · 03-10-2020, 01:13 PM

There are a couple of ways to add the external cord safely.
1. Add a power receptacle to the side of the RV kinda like the shore power cord but smaller and add a power switch to switch between shore power or cord power to the heater. That way you couldn't have both powering the heater at the same time.

2. Do basically the same thing, but use a power relay instead of a manual switch, and have it powered by the cordset. That way whenever the cord is powered the relay switches the power feed for the heater to the cordset. Think of it kinda like an automatic transfer switch.

Piledockey · 03-10-2020, 05:17 PM

If I want to add an extension cord plug I would need to wire in a gfi outlet to the main panel but before the extension plug the external switch going into the junction box on the WH would have to be wired to a relay right? Basically I want to have the option to run the WH to an outlet that's on the shore panel instead of running of my coach's 30 amps, as well have the option to run it off my coach panel with an interior switch .We live full time and I don't want to risk blowing/tripping breaker during the summer time .

**wmtire** · 03-10-2020, 06:52 PM

Many of the SWDE model water heaters are simply plugged into an outlet behind the water heater. If you have easy access you can just simply unplug it form the RV's outlet and plug it into an extension cord to the campground pedestal.

I have schematics for the SWDE and SWDEL models here:

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ore-36197.html

This post will show the 120 volt electrical cord.

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ml#post2122426

**wmtire** · 03-10-2020, 07:02 PM

Also, you do know you can do as many others, and just use the circuit breaker in the RV's electrical distribution panel to the water heater as an inside switch for the 120 volt electric heating element.

This thread may also help:

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ml#post1227271

Larry-NC · 03-10-2020, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piledockey

Sorry for not being clear
My rig is a 2005 palomino puma 29bhs
Has a sw6de suburban hot water heater .
Some one who mentioned it soundd's like two mods is right
I'd like to wire the heater like the sw6deL model
The second mod would be to wire an extension cord to the heater in order to use an outlet that's separate from the rig itself
But I think in order to do that I'll have to add a GFI outlet near the water heater
Thanks for all the replies.

Piledockey,

The SW6DEL includes a relay and uses 12v to switch the 120v on and off. There is an easier way to get the same result. Simply switch the 120v on and off. If you open the cabinet on the inside of the trailer, to access the back side of the water heater, you will see that it simply has a line cord, plugged into a 120v outlet.

The simplest thing to do is get an outlet strip like this one, plug it into the wall, and plug the heater into it. To change the heater's state, simply open the cabinet and flip the switch. This is really just inserting an extension cord with switch into the wiring.

Many of us have done the same thing in more elegant fashion. We mounted a switch-with-pilot-light in a junction box cabinet panel near the water heater. A flexible cable (14-gauge SJO) went to a plug, into the outlet. Another cable went to a receptacle to accommodate the water heater plug. I have several pictures on how to do this, but can't get my hands on them this instant.

Don't do this unless you are experienced in electrical wiring.

rockfordroo · 03-10-2020, 11:20 PM

I wired a 110VAC switch with pilot light to control the 110VAC to the WH. See Post #13 here:

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...-110742-2.html

IMHO, trying to add a 12VDC switch into your main panel where the gas switch/DSI light are located and then having to wire this to a new 12VDC relay, which also needs to be wired into the existing 110VAC line would be a LOT more work.

Even easier is a remote controlled outlet like this one:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westek-1...36LC/305011214

Just make sure it can handle 15 amps.

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