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Originally Posted by CoachmenKat
The control panel for our Coachmen Mirada has a switch for the hot water heater. It has the word gas at the bottom. Does that mean that it is on gas in the down position? When in the up position, a blue light comes on. Is this electric?
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You will need to look at the Owners Manual for the Mirada, but this switch likely means; in the down position the hot water heater is gas only. When the blue light is on, it is both gas and electric at the same time. That is, the electric element is used to boost the recovery time of the water heater and you get more/warmer water as it is used.
We actually have two switches; one to turn on the gas electronic ignition of the water heater, the other to turn on the electric element. At least once we have heated water with only the electric element and it has a poor recovery time. But with the gas and electric together, you can take a long shower.
Using gas the energy input to the water heater is 12,000 BTUh, the electric element adds 1440 watts of energy. 1440 watts is roughly 4900 BTUh, or about 41% of the gas input. Together they are 16,900 BTUh.