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River Rat View Drop Down
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Joined: 14 Jun 2016
Location: Eugene, Oregon
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Posts: 6 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Newbie Questions
    Posted: 26 Jun 2016 at 11:19pm
   So I've been reading a lot the past few weeks and searching this great forum. I hope to contribute some day. We took it out last weekend for the first time.  Now I have a few questions since I bought used,  I didn't get a walk through.

   The water heater switch on the wall is that only for propane? We were hooked up to the 30a electrical 
 and used the switch on the WH it self. My father told me to turn the one on the wall on too. Did I damage something by having both on? 
    
    How does the electrical system work? When I am plugged into 120v. Do the lights, pump, and heater/furnace fan work off the battery? When I'm plugged in does it charge the batteries?

Sorry for the newbie questions and if they have been asked before.

Thanks Eric


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WillThrill View Drop Down
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Posts: 298 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jun 2016 at 11:25pm
Our Pod's water heater only operates on propane, though you do need either shore power or the batteries to be connected in order for it to work.  When you turn on the switch, it turns on the water heater which will then run until the water reaches its set temperature.  It kicks off then until the water temperature falls again.

Your lights, water pump, and furnace will all run on battery power, as will your slide and your refrigerator (not recommended to run it on 12 volts; run it on either shore power or propane, but remember it consumes a little battery power even on propane mode).  All of these devices work on 12 volt power regardless as to whether you're connected to shore power or not.  When you are plugged in, your converter takes the 120 volt AC current and converts it to the 12 volt DC current these devices need.   And yes, it charges your Pod's batteries at the same time, but be aware that it will generally take hours to fully recharge your batteries.

Your AC outlets, air conditioner, and microwave will not work at all without shore power (or generator power).

There is a lot that can be said about batteries, but suffice it to say that you shouldn't let them drop below 50% charge (or capacity, same thing) before recharging them.  A 50% charge is equal to about 12.2 volts.  You can monitor the voltage will a voltmeter attached to the batteries or with one you hard wire into the Pod somewhere, a very common modification.
"Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien

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this_is_nascar View Drop Down
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Posts: 466 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 2016 at 7:37am
As long as you had water in the water heater, you won't do damage having it power from electric and propane at the same time.

I never understood the logic behind doing that, but I know many do.  To the other poster, I thought all Pods had dual control on the water heater.  You sure you don't have a switch for electric?
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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 2016 at 8:43am
Originally posted by WillThrill

Our Pod's water heater only operates on propane, though you do need either shore power or the batteries to be connected in order for it to work.  When you turn on the switch, it turns on the water heater which will then run until the water reaches its set temperature.  It kicks off then until the water temperature falls again.

Your lights, water pump, and furnace will all run on battery power, as will your slide and your refrigerator (not recommended to run it on 12 volts; run it on either shore power or propane, but remember it consumes a little battery power even on propane mode).  All of these devices work on 12 volt power regardless as to whether you're connected to shore power or not.  When you are plugged in, your converter takes the 120 volt AC current and converts it to the 12 volt DC current these devices need.   And yes, it charges your Pod's batteries at the same time, but be aware that it will generally take hours to fully recharge your batteries.

Your AC outlets, air conditioner, and microwave will not work at all without shore power (or generator power).

There is a lot that can be said about batteries, but suffice it to say that you shouldn't let them drop below 50% charge (or capacity, same thing) before recharging them.  A 50% charge is equal to about 12.2 volts.  You can monitor the voltage will a voltmeter attached to the batteries or with one you hard wire into the Pod somewhere, a very common modification.


No Pod has been BUILT with a propane only WH. Unless you, the dealer, or a previous owner changed it out for some reason, I assure you, it's a DSI/Elec model.
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Posts: 1407 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 2016 at 4:12pm
Also, to clarify about the furnace, it runs on 12V and requires propane. No propane, no heat, only the fan.
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WillThrill View Drop Down
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Posts: 298 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 2016 at 7:45pm
Originally posted by furpod

Originally posted by WillThrill

Our Pod's water heater only operates on propane, though you do need either shore power or the batteries to be connected in order for it to work.  When you turn on the switch, it turns on the water heater which will then run until the water reaches its set temperature.  It kicks off then until the water temperature falls again.

Your lights, water pump, and furnace will all run on battery power, as will your slide and your refrigerator (not recommended to run it on 12 volts; run it on either shore power or propane, but remember it consumes a little battery power even on propane mode).  All of these devices work on 12 volt power regardless as to whether you're connected to shore power or not.  When you are plugged in, your converter takes the 120 volt AC current and converts it to the 12 volt DC current these devices need.   And yes, it charges your Pod's batteries at the same time, but be aware that it will generally take hours to fully recharge your batteries.

Your AC outlets, air conditioner, and microwave will not work at all without shore power (or generator power).

There is a lot that can be said about batteries, but suffice it to say that you shouldn't let them drop below 50% charge (or capacity, same thing) before recharging them.  A 50% charge is equal to about 12.2 volts.  You can monitor the voltage will a voltmeter attached to the batteries or with one you hard wire into the Pod somewhere, a very common modification.


No Pod has been BUILT with a propane only WH. Unless you, the dealer, or a previous owner changed it out for some reason, I assure you, it's a DSI/Elec model.

There's no switch on mine to change it from propane to electric.  It says 'DSI' on the switch, but not 'Elec' or anything resembling that at all.

If you're plugged into shore power, does the WH automatically run on electricity and not propane?  Otherwise, I do not see how it would switch from one to the other since I cannot do it manually.
"Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien

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Posts: 3224 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 2016 at 7:48pm
Something I learned from Furpod at our 2016 ERU in Traverse City, MI a couple weeks ago is that the propane will not fire up/spark to light if you have had your WH running off electric for awhile.  Apparently the thermostat setting is higher on the propane circuit than the thermostat setting on the electric (110) circuit.  Good to know as our neighbor, with his 179 was concerned because he couldn't get his WH to run on propane, AFTER already heating up his tank off shore power.
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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 2016 at 8:51pm
Originally posted by WillThrill

Originally posted by furpod

Originally posted by WillThrill

Our Pod's water heater only operates on propane, though you do need either shore power or the batteries to be connected in order for it to work.  When you turn on the switch, it turns on the water heater which will then run until the water reaches its set temperature.  It kicks off then until the water temperature falls again.

Your lights, water pump, and furnace will all run on battery power, as will your slide and your refrigerator (not recommended to run it on 12 volts; run it on either shore power or propane, but remember it consumes a little battery power even on propane mode).  All of these devices work on 12 volt power regardless as to whether you're connected to shore power or not.  When you are plugged in, your converter takes the 120 volt AC current and converts it to the 12 volt DC current these devices need.   And yes, it charges your Pod's batteries at the same time, but be aware that it will generally take hours to fully recharge your batteries.

Your AC outlets, air conditioner, and microwave will not work at all without shore power (or generator power).

There is a lot that can be said about batteries, but suffice it to say that you shouldn't let them drop below 50% charge (or capacity, same thing) before recharging them.  A 50% charge is equal to about 12.2 volts.  You can monitor the voltage will a voltmeter attached to the batteries or with one you hard wire into the Pod somewhere, a very common modification.


No Pod has been BUILT with a propane only WH. Unless you, the dealer, or a previous owner changed it out for some reason, I assure you, it's a DSI/Elec model.

There's no switch on mine to change it from propane to electric.  It says 'DSI' on the switch, but not 'Elec' or anything resembling that at all.

If you're plugged into shore power, does the WH automatically run on electricity and not propane?  Otherwise, I do not see how it would switch from one to the other since I cannot do it manually.


The switch is in the WH compartment, you must access it from the outside. It's in the lower left corner, partly hidden by the gas venturi.
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 2016 at 9:53pm
Once you turn that switch on, it is easier to turn the electric element on/off using the circuit breaker inside.

The reason for using both at the same time is it re-warms the water faster (faster recovery rate).  Gives you a little longer in the shower, and less time between showers if more than one person needs to take one.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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WillThrill View Drop Down
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Posts: 298 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 2016 at 11:03pm
Originally posted by furpod

Originally posted by WillThrill

Originally posted by furpod

Originally posted by WillThrill

Our Pod's water heater only operates on propane, though you do need either shore power or the batteries to be connected in order for it to work.  When you turn on the switch, it turns on the water heater which will then run until the water reaches its set temperature.  It kicks off then until the water temperature falls again.

Your lights, water pump, and furnace will all run on battery power, as will your slide and your refrigerator (not recommended to run it on 12 volts; run it on either shore power or propane, but remember it consumes a little battery power even on propane mode).  All of these devices work on 12 volt power regardless as to whether you're connected to shore power or not.  When you are plugged in, your converter takes the 120 volt AC current and converts it to the 12 volt DC current these devices need.   And yes, it charges your Pod's batteries at the same time, but be aware that it will generally take hours to fully recharge your batteries.

Your AC outlets, air conditioner, and microwave will not work at all without shore power (or generator power).

There is a lot that can be said about batteries, but suffice it to say that you shouldn't let them drop below 50% charge (or capacity, same thing) before recharging them.  A 50% charge is equal to about 12.2 volts.  You can monitor the voltage will a voltmeter attached to the batteries or with one you hard wire into the Pod somewhere, a very common modification.


No Pod has been BUILT with a propane only WH. Unless you, the dealer, or a previous owner changed it out for some reason, I assure you, it's a DSI/Elec model.

There's no switch on mine to change it from propane to electric.  It says 'DSI' on the switch, but not 'Elec' or anything resembling that at all.

If you're plugged into shore power, does the WH automatically run on electricity and not propane?  Otherwise, I do not see how it would switch from one to the other since I cannot do it manually.


The switch is in the WH compartment, you must access it from the outside. It's in the lower left corner, partly hidden by the gas venturi.




Ahh...!  I thought that that switch was merely for the lighter, not for an electrical element itself.  Still learning!
"Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien

2014 Hood River 177
2005 GMC Envoy XL
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