Electric water heater and tank warmers

[Karlr]

Hey there. I'm new to the forum and we have our first trailer, a voltage 3200. It has the epic and cold weather packages. I've read a lot and realize that the manuals from dutchman are notoriously lacking. I have switches on my control panel that would seem to indicate that I can run my tank heater electrically. Is this for when you're hooked up (which is a new concept foe me as a tent camper)?

Also are the tank warmer switches to keep the tanks from freezing in extreme cold? Sorry if its a silly question...don't have much need for winterizing where I live! Thanks. This forum is a really great find!

[kevinmiles]

Hi and welcome. Yes, your hot water heater most probably can run either on 120 volts or on propane. In fact, you can run both at once if you want to heat the water extra fast. The tank heaters you mention are usually for the drinking, grey and black tanks to keep them from freezing when it's very cold. Even if slightly below freezing outside I've never had to use mine.

[Karlr]

Great. Thanks very much.

[waytoogood]

Welcome Karlr

I'm glad to see another Voltage owner from here in Southern California.
Where did you purchase your trailer and how were you treated?

[Karlr]

I went up to trailer hitch rv in nippomo. The sales process was great. Since we drove off we don't exist anymore. I've gone to dutchman directly to fin a local dealer to help with a few warranty things.

[sundancer 87]

Originally Posted by Karlr

Hey there. I'm new to the forum and we have our first trailer, a voltage 3200. It has the epic and cold weather packages. I've read a lot and realize that the manuals from dutchman are notoriously lacking. I have switches on my control panel that would seem to indicate that I can run my tank heater electrically. Is this for when you're hooked up (which is a new concept foe me as a tent camper)?

Also are the tank warmer switches to keep the tanks from freezing in extreme cold? Sorry if its a silly question...don't have much need for winterizing where I live! Thanks. This forum is a really great find!

There's a sneaky side to the electric part of the water heater. It's a switch located behind the exterior panel. Open the panel and look towards the bottom of the tank. You should see a rocker switch down there with a bale, or keeper, on it.
You have to remove the keeper and then flip the switch before the electric side of the heater will work.

Forum members could write a real owner's manual for these things that would more helpful than the 'covers all models' of Dutchman products.

[Wanderer]

Welcome to the forum Karl. This is a great resource and is growing all the time which only makes it better!

I always wondered why the electric switch is outside on the tank. Real inconvenient and easily forgotten. I drain my tank for travel (why carry all that extra weight?) and am always afraid one day I'll forget the switch on when I drain the tank.

[waytoogood]

My tank heater and water heater switches are on the main switch panel. Maybe that is something Dutchmen starting doing in 2013.

[kevinmiles]

Both my 2009 Jayco Designer and my 2012 Infinity have switches in both places - ie. they both have to be 'on' for the electric heating element to work.

[nmroper]

Originally Posted by waytoogood

My tank heater and water heater switches are on the main switch panel. Maybe that is something Dutchmen starting doing in 2013.

Has anyone been able to confirm which 3 tanks are heated with the three switches located on the main panel. Dealer never got me an answer. They told me they were used when traveling in cold weather with wet tanks. Thanks

[lakebuster]

Just thought of an idea, put water in all of the tanks, then let sit overnight with heaters on and open each dump valve and see which one's are warm. When I get some time off I will try this!

[nmroper]

Originally Posted by lakebuster

Just thought of an idea, put water in all of the tanks, then let sit overnight with heaters on and open each dump valve and see which one's are warm. When I get some time off I will try this!

Good idea, just wont work at the moment since we are fulltiming without city connections. I'm going to run this one by Dutchman if no one here can help. Thanks for your reply.

[hddecker]

Originally Posted by kevinmiles

Both my 2009 Jayco Designer and my 2012 Infinity have switches in both places - ie. they both have to be 'on' for the electric heating element to work.

When I was drying out the floor under the fridge (thanks to the great bypass connections that weren't tightened), I found the receptacle the water heater is plugged into.

Before I put everything back together I put in a switch with pilot light. Now I don't have to open the access panel every time I want to use 120V to heat the water. I leave the tank switch on and control the AC power with the switch inside.

I don't understand the reasoning behind have the 120V switch on the tank, other than it's a short cut for the manufacturers.

It's not a big deal to switch a receptacle, most of my lamps in the house are controlled by a wall switch, seems reasonable that the hot water AC could be controlled the same way.

There is a switch kit available as an after market upgrade, the cost is about 3 times what it costs to buy the parts from on of the big box building supply stores.