Hot Water heater

[LSepulveda]

This may sound like a silly question but, I've owned by RV for over three years and always had to turn on the propane switch to get hot water. I brought it in to a repair shop a couple of years ago and they change the heat element and flushed the system, but it didn't help.

Yesterday, when I found myself out of propane and no heat I opened the access to the water heater and noticed an on/off switch which was switched off. By chance, is this the switch that turns of 110 v to the heater? It has been in that position since I had the work done.

I also have an on/of toggle inside the coach for 110 and propane and that 110V switch has been on.

By the way, my coach is a 38' 1998 Newmar Dutchstar.
I feel like a dunce right now.

[BFlinn181]

The real question is, Why do you have to heat hot water?
Actually that switch is a 'safety' switch for the 120 v element. If the tank were empty and someone switched it on in the coach thinking it was a light switch, it would burn out the element in short order. If you are draining the tank or storing the coach, that switch saves you the headache of having to replace the element.

[LSepulveda]

That makes sense, but should the switch be in the on position as long as water is in the tank? Mine is off now.

[BFlinn181]

Yes, if you have water in the tank and want to have heated water available. You can turn it off in the coach when not needed. The switch in the water heater compartment is to turn it off when draining the tank, and storing the RV.

[LSepulveda]

Thanks, much appreciated.

[USMCRET]

No reason to feel like a dunce. I still can't believe some of the stuff I didn't understand at first. These contraptions aren't always intuitive.

[LSepulveda]

Yes sir, don't I know it. But we love the RV life. It sure beats my past passion; sailboats. Multiply RV issues and cost by at least 5 and then push the problem out to open waters. Hard to get emergency service or anything out there. RV - Good!