Water heater electric switch

I just finished replacing the toggle switch for ac on the hot water tank...
So after taking the old switch apart,and seeing the "quality" of the switch, I'm asking if anyone uses the circuit breaker for the on/off switch instead of the actual on/off switch by the tank?
Thanks
cd

Many do. We don't.

I used the breaker whenever I was camping or at home between trips. The only time I used the outside rocker is when I drained the WH, to make sure I didn't power up without water in the heater. 

Leave it in between trips. At the beginning of each year you should drain the whole system and sanitize the FW water system with 1 cup Clorox to a full fresh water tank. Run it until it refills the HW heater and all the plumbing. Let it sit overnight and flush. Drain the whole system if you expect freezing temps. 

I drain the wh and the entire water system after each trip. I pull the anode out and clean out all the debris in the hw tank. I dry out the Hot water heater and store it with anode out. Imho sanitizing the system once per year does next to nothing. Many, many places where we all camp,  supplies well water that is not chlorinated. That is a problem.  Water sitting in the system for any period of time is subject to rapid bacteria growth. I have been in the water works business for 46 years and I have seen problems from not draining the system time and time again. Of course, I never consume water from the camper water system. I only drink bottled water when camping.  I already know that a lot of campers are going to disagree with, and thats fine.  I am only stating what my experience has taught me.