I need HELP!!!: Relocate water heater switch

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Relocate water heater switch

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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: I need HELP!!!
Forum Discription: Perplexed/need help with a problem - ask here
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12656
Printed Date: 14 May 2025 at 4:24pm
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Topic: Relocate water heater switch

Posted By: tony rpod 180
Subject: Relocate water heater switch
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2019 at 11:05pm

I would like to relocate the water heater switch to the inside of my 2018 Rpod 180. I am however having difficulty figuring out which wires I need to extend. I looked at the wiring on the water heater and got confused, anyone out there have experience doing this? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, Tony

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GMC Canyon/RPoder

Replies:

Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2019 at 7:14am

Literally pull the switch off the WH, and extend those two wires to wherever you want.It pops out of the front of the WH easy.

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Posted By: tony rpod 180
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2019 at 8:41am

Ok, thanks!!

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GMC Canyon/RPoder

Posted By: TheBum
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2019 at 3:30pm

I'm wondering if you couldn't just add an inline switch coming off the breaker. It would require much less wire routing.

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Alan
2022 R-Pod 196 "RaptoRPod"
2022 Ram 1500 Lone Star 4x4
Three cats

Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2019 at 3:43pm

Alan, yes, it's really easy to put a switch in the wire from the breaker to the water heater. I did it in about 15 minutes, once I got the switch box, screws, switch, etc. (all repurposed stuff) together. It's super easy. We've got a 172 and the water heater is under the port side dinette seat. I mounted the switch there and labeled it with a warning not to turn it on unless there is verified water in the water heater. Total cost for materials: <$2.

It is technically a third switch in the circuit, but given that one is practically inaccessible and the other is the breaker, it works very nicely, especially in the event one of my kids uses the trailer.

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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2019 at 4:36pm

If you do add the switch, consider a lighted model. Nice to be able to see if it's on or off just by looking.

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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: offgrid
Date Posted: 15 Mar 2019 at 7:44am

if you don't use the same model switch as Suburban uses on the water heater itself, note that the water heater element is rated at 120Vac, 12A, so you need to get a switch with that rating. You should not try to use a 12Vdc rated switch for that application.

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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 15 Mar 2019 at 7:57am

I used standard residential wiring materials, including a plastic switch box and standard 2 pole 120vac light switch that I had laying around from past projects.

Once I bought an RV style plug to add. Unless you have the special tool to push the wires into the slots behind the plug it becomes an exercise in frustration and, in my personal opinion, I don't think they are as safe as a standard 120vac plug, even using the quick connects on the back of the plug or switch.

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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

Posted By: tony rpod 180
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2019 at 4:14pm

Thanks for all the tips!, I popped out the original switch and extended the wires about 3 feet, carved a square hole and mounted the switch beside the GFCI outlet below the bed, so far so good. So much more convenient.

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GMC Canyon/RPoder

Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2019 at 4:46pm

Some people just leave the outside switch on all the time, and turn the water heater circuit breaker on or off in the panel. It's not perfect, but since you already did it.....

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2017.5 Rp-172
2020 R-pod 195
2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl
I'll be rpodding

Posted By: tony rpod 180
Date Posted: 16 Mar 2019 at 6:02pm

Crap! I didn’t even think of that...oh well it’s done now.

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GMC Canyon/RPoder