Winter Water Heater Question

[carsonb54]

Hello all - I just purchased a 2020 Kodiak Cub 175BH. My family and I are regular year-round tent campers so the cold doesn't bother us and we plan to use the camper all winter. In order to do so we plan to not use the fresh water tank, water heater, sink, or shower. However, we DO want to use the propane heater at night.

If I drain the hot water tank, I want to be sure the electrical element does not burn out and the gas does not turn on to heat the water, but I also want to use the gas to the heater and fridge (no electrical hook-ups where we'll be camping).

How do I turn off BOTH the electrical AND gas to the water heater, while still using propane for the heater and fridge?

Thanks everyone!

[mjcarte]

I would think you could simply turn off the circuit breaker to the water heater.

[dsol]

In my Voltage the water heater is off unless turned on. When I turn mine on I have a choice of electric or gas ( or both where it tries electric first then goes to gas just like the fridge on auto). If you do not actually turn it on then you should be fine.

As a matter of fact in my two previous trailers the water heater was off unless turned on by the switch so I feel pretty comfortable in telling you not to worry.

However, I would make sure you blow out the water lines and properly winterize if you are heading into freezing weather. As a SoCal guy I have no experience but have heard about pipes breaking from expansion of water freezing.

[ewarnerusa]

My unit has the regular rocker on/off switch for turning electric water element on, and another for turning the propane burner for water heater on. If off, no electricity or gas will go to the water heater. The electric water heater element also has its own AC breaker in the camper's AC control panel. This breaker can be switched off as an additional fail-safe so you don't accidentally turn it on. Note that in my camper, the rocker switch will still illuminate if switched on for electric water heater even if the AC breaker is off. But the electric element is not receiving power in this instance. I'm not sure of an additional way of turning off propane. But the control panel of my water heater does have a fuse that can be removed when accessing it from the outside door. Removing that fuse will result in the heater not turning on with either electric or propane.

Found this image from another thread that shows the fuse I'm referring to. Underneath the flat wiring harness with various colored wires there is a gray 2A fuse (note that picture is rotated 90 degrees CCW so the fuse appears on the right of the harness). Pull that one, heater should be inoperable without it.
https://www.dutchmenowners.org/forum...p;d=1570884678

[persistent]

Originally Posted by carsonb54

Hello all - I just purchased a 2020 Kodiak Cub 175BH. My family and I are regular year-round tent campers so the cold doesn't bother us and we plan to use the camper all winter. In order to do so we plan to not use the fresh water tank, water heater, sink, or shower. However, we DO want to use the propane heater at night.

If I drain the hot water tank, I want to be sure the electrical element does not burn out and the gas does not turn on to heat the water, but I also want to use the gas to the heater and fridge (no electrical hook-ups where we'll be camping).

How do I turn off BOTH the electrical AND gas to the water heater, while still using propane for the heater and fridge?

Thanks everyone!

My Kodiak Cub has two lighted switches for the water heater on the cabin control panel. One switch is for gas. One switch is for electric. Turn them both off. I also turn off the circuit breaker to the electric water heater when I empty the water heater. The electric element will burn out if it is "on" without water.

I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!