Water Heater electric switch

Duran916 · 07-22-2019, 10:50 PM

Hello there. I successfully took out our 233S Roo on a weekend family camping trip. We slept 8 ( 3 adults, and 5 kids (14yrs, 10yrs, 8yrs, 8yrs, 7yrs ) with a couch unused. I fired up the stove, the outside portable grill, and the hot water heater ( on propane ). I tried the electric water heater but either I was doing something wrong or waiting 10 mins of running the hot water wasn’t long enough. On the outside of the trailer at the heater rod area I put the switch to on. As well I turned the water heater electric switch on. I ran the water but didn’t see a change in temperature. Oh and I was plugged into the 30 amp at the site.
Here’s question #2. When running on battery power is it normal for my fridge to flash on and off the check light while on on and auto?
Just wondering and trying to learn here. Thanks from California

dalford · 07-22-2019, 11:04 PM

You say you turned the switch on the heater by the heater rod and also turned water heater electric switch? I’m assuming your talking about the water heater switch inside the RV? That switch is actually a switch to turn on gas heat. It should have a red led by it that comes on and goes out as long as the gas fired burner lights.

It sounds like your winterization valves are still in winterize position. Can you take a pic of the valve positions or just google winterize valve positions and make sure yours are correctly set.

As far as your second guestion.. I’m not sure what your asking.. spell check take over..lol.

rockfordroo · 07-22-2019, 11:44 PM

It's difficult to understand exactly what you did from your post. But here are some thoughts:

If you had already heated the water with the LP gas, you aren't going to really notice any difference with the electric heater on if you just run a little water. Especially if you didn't turn off the gas side.

My suggestion: Leave the gas off overnight. In the morning, run some water and see how hot it is. (The water stays hot for quite some time; you may be surprised how warm it still is in the morning.) Then turn on the electric side for 10 minutes and see how hot the water is.

If you have a used TT and this is your first time out, it's also possible that the previous owner burned out the heating element.

OR the 120VAC breaker for the water heater is tripped.

Finally, make sure the water heater is plugged in. If it's a new unit, they've been known to not have been plugged in by the Amish guy who installed it - he was in too much of a hurry.

debit · 07-22-2019, 11:59 PM

I never turn on the outside electric switch on the hot water tank; I turn on the switch inside and let the propane heat the water. (I even turn off the main breaker to the hot water tank).

As to your second question, I would guess that propane had not reached the frig. When this happens to me, I turn off the frig and wait for the propane gas to reach the frig; then turn the frig on. Sometime I even light a burner on the stove to get the gas flowing.
............
Ram 2500 / FR Surveyor 251rks

Stlcaly · 07-23-2019, 02:25 PM

Blinking check light normally is telling you your unit is not running correctly on propane. Usually has something to do with either lack of propane supply, flame adjustment or flame sensing wire (which controls ignighter). You need to be more specific about type of unit you have. It may not be designed to run on12v

rlh1957 · 07-23-2019, 03:08 PM

Our 2018 Roo 24WS has two switches inside... one for gas HW and one for Electric HW. In addition to that Elec HW switch inside, you need to go outside and remove the HW cover and find another electric switch and turn it on. This outside switch is the extra safety for when you have your HW tank or FW tanks drained for winterization, element change or anode rod change. You don't want someone inside accidently flipping on the HW Electric and burning up the electric heating element

When someone is actually using the shower we flip on both Gas and Electric to give it a little more boost in the recovery process. When the water reaches the set temperature, Electric and Gas will go off just like at home.

rlh1957 · 07-23-2019, 03:09 PM

Before I turn on Gas or certainly Electric switches we always open a HW faucet to confirm that only water comes out... no water or air in water means the tank is not filled with water and you have other things to take care of first.

Chuck_S · 08-01-2019, 01:17 PM

The blinking refrigerator light in the LP setting, or on Auto with no 120vAC power is a failure of the refrigerator flame to light. "Bleed" the propane line to the refrigerator by running the gas stove for a minute.

Water heater electric mode has a switch outside under the door that is safety pinned Off from the factory to prevent being powered On before the tank is filled with water. The electric element will burn out faster than your favorite swear work and flipping the switch again. Also a circuit breaker in the power box. LP mode typically has a switch somewhere in the trailer.

-- Chuck

**Iwritecode** · 08-01-2019, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rlh1957

Before I turn on Gas or certainly Electric switches we always open a HW faucet to confirm that only water comes out... no water or air in water means the tank is not filled with water and you have other things to take care of first.

Water coming out of the HW faucet doesn't necessarily mean the WH tank is full. When the bypass is on, water still flows through both hot and cold lines.

5picker · 08-01-2019, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rlh1957

Our 2018 Roo 24WS has two switches inside... one for gas HW and one for Electric HW. In addition to that Elec HW switch inside, you need to go outside and remove the HW cover and find another electric switch and turn it on. This outside switch is the extra safety for when you have your HW tank or FW tanks drained for winterization, element change or anode rod change. You don't want someone inside accidently flipping on the HW Electric and burning up the electric heating element

When someone is actually using the shower we flip on both Gas and Electric to give it a little more boost in the recovery process. When the water reaches the set temperature, Electric and Gas will go off just like at home.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

Water coming out of the HW faucet doesn't necessarily mean the WH tank is full. When the bypass is on, water still flows through both hot and cold lines.

Iwritecode's information is correct and some I've been preaching for years.

With the water heater (inadvertently) left in bypass (as reported here happens very often!) there will be water flowing out every hot water faucet in your R/V but there will be NO water in your water heater.

The only way to know for sure is open the T&P pop-off on the water heater itself. If water comes out... the tank is full.

GalsofEscape · 08-03-2019, 02:31 PM

for the fridge - mine sometimes takes two attempts for the fridge to light in propane mode if it has not been used in awhile. I turn on the fridge, you can hear the fridge attempt to light (it is a clicking noise) - if it fails to light, the fridge will stop the attempt and the check light will come on. Turn the fridge off, wait a second or two and then turn it back on. again, you will hear the clicking noise and hopefully - a small swoosh sound as the fridge lights.

just as an aside - i use electric sites, so i usually run the fridge on electric.

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