Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks: Another Question: Water Heater Switches

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Another Question: Water Heater Switches

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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=10309
Printed Date: 30 Jun 2025 at 9:04pm
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Topic: Another Question: Water Heater Switches

Posted By: devro
Subject: Another Question: Water Heater Switches
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2017 at 3:19pm

Well now that you friendly folks have helped me figure out the unlabeled outside light switch:

Can you help me with this one??

Water Heater operation:

There is a switch inside labeled Water Heater, it turns red when it is on. I assume it needs to be ON for the water heater to heat water.

But is it heating with gas or 120v?

There is a switch accessed though the little door on the outside, a rocker ON/OFF switch.

Does this switch control the gas/electric choice?

If the outside switch is in the ON position does that mean the water will heat using 120v?

And if it is set to the OFF position the water will be heated with gas?

When inside the trailer, and I flip the inside switch ON (lit red) I can hear the water heater light up with gas, does not matter if the outside switch is turned ON or OFF.

So can someone tell me how this things works with gas and electric?

Or send me to where I can get an instruction manual?

The instructions tag on the water heater didn't do me much good to understand how it works on gas and/or electric.

Thanks again,

JIM

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JIM

Replies:

Posted By: riotkayak284
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2017 at 3:36pm

Inside is for GAS. Outside in the metal access door is to run on AC.

Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2017 at 3:42pm

When you turn on the switch inside and the red light comes on, your propane has ignited and is now heating your water. Hopefully before doing this you have purged air out of your HW tank, make sure it is full and your valves are set for summer use, not for winterization.

The rocker switch on the outside, when turned on, will heat your water with 120, shoreline power only. If you set it to off, the only way it will heat is if you turn your switch inside to on, so that the propane will be used, it is not an auto thing, you have to set the switch accordingly as to whether you want to use electric (outside switch) or propane (inside switch).

Some who want to get hot water the fastest way will turn both on, (assuming you are hooked up to 120) so that both work together in tandem, and your recharge time will be shortened. For us, we usually boondock so we use propane. For the times we do have electricity I turn the inside switch off and the outside switch on, I figured I payed for it, may well use their electricity instead of my propane. Safe travels Jim.

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God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

Posted By: devro
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2017 at 4:13pm

Thanks riotkayak284 and jato for the help.

I got it now, just didn't want to screw anything up. It's too easy to ask all you nice folks questions and not have to worry about something burning out or blowing up!!!

Yes, I previously checked the bypass valve and flowed water through the hot water lines before turning on the heater.

Thanks again,

JIM

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JIM

Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2017 at 5:42pm

Just a few points to add to jato's summary.

The gas and electric sides are totally independent. The switches do not interact at all.
Running on gas and electric simultaneously is perfectly alright. It will cut the recovery time roughly in half.
On gas the red light will stay on only until the burner lights. It will then go out but the heater is still heating until the water is hot. If it does not go out it means the WH is not lighting. Usually out of propane or air in the lines.
Do not ever run on shore power unless you're sure the WH is full of water. The electric element will burn out within a few minutes.
There is little reason the turn off the outside switch but if you want to inhibit electric operation while plugged in you can turn off the circuit breaker in the power distribution panel in the converter. You may want to do this if you're going to leave the camper for an extended (days) time. The one exception is if you want to run the microwave and A/C or space heater at the same time. The 30A service will generally support two large devices but not three.
An instruction manual for the Suburban SW6DE is available on line.

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Charlie
Northern Colorado
OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD

Posted By: devro
Date Posted: 12 Jul 2017 at 6:27am

Thanks CharlieM!

That was some short, sweet and very useful information.

I believe I'll print that out and put it in the POD book I'm assembling.

JIM

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JIM

Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 12 Jul 2017 at 8:56am

Originally posted by devro

Thanks CharlieM!

That was some short, sweet and very useful information.

I believe I'll print that out and put it in the POD book I'm assembling.

JIM

Before you put too much effort into that, you may want to look at the manual that techntrk has already assembled ( http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 ). He doesn't have the same exact R-pod, but there is a lot of overlap.

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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost