New to Site and to owning a Travel Trailer

[MACK C-85]

Our '07 276 has a remote switch above the sink. The 267 became the 276 in '05
The heater is buried under the cabinet in front of the bunk. You pull the drawer out to access it from inside.

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by Sunline Fan

That said though, I've always been taught to never use the breaker as a regular on/off switch.

You are correct in your thinking, however the prior owner may have not thought that way..... I know if it was mine, I would only crawl in there once and soon a lighted wall switch mod would be born.... I think Gary and Kitty did this on their T320SR or fixed up a goof the prior owner did.

[Gene]

With my '02 2363 it was either the move the mattress and reach through the 4 inch hole for the switch on the back of the water heater or use the circuit breaker for the electric element on the water heater. I added a wall switch that I could reach near the converter. It has a pilot light that is on when the switch is on.

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by MACK C-85

Our '07 276 has a remote switch above the sink. The 267 became the 276 in '05
The heater is buried under the cabinet in front of the bunk. You pull the drawer out to access it from inside.

Mack, the 3 switch rocker tank panel came about in the spring of 2004. Looks like this. Complete with the warning sticker about the HW heater.



Prior to the 3 switch, they had a 2 switch tank panel, looks like this. Also with the sticker. I do not know how many years back that 2 button KIB went.


Atwood around early 2003 changed the heaters to use a relay for the power wiring of the electric element. That relay turned on and off element and the remote tank panel or other separate switch turned on the relay.

The pre 2003's had a little black rocker switch on the actual wiring cover on the back of the heater, no relay. And if the heater on the older ones is located like yours, well it may be buried deep in there. Thus the prior owner was using the breaker as the on/off switch.

I only know this little factoid.... as our T310SR a 2004 model year camper built in Nov 2003 has the new relay system but has a remote lighted switch as the tank panel is only 2 rocker buttons. Our prior 2004 T2499 built in May 2004 has the 3 rocker panel that I'm assuming looks like yours. Must of been Sunline was using up the 2 rocker panels they had in stock then started using the 3 rocker panels.

John

[Sunline Fan]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Prior to the 3 switch, they had a 2 switch tank panel, looks like this. Also with the sticker. I do not know how many years back that 2 button KIB went.

2 button KIB was only MY2003-early 2004. MY1997-late 2002 had the one button KIB with separate Atwood switch module for the water heater. 1995-96 might have had it on the range hood face, though I'm not 100% sure (these hoods had four rocker switches though). I know 1994 and older had gas-only water heaters, so there were three switches on the range hood panel (water pump, test button for monitor, and hood light) back to the early '90s. Before that, it was a large monitor system panel mounted on a cabinet, back to the mid '80s.

[JohnB]

Learn something new every day on SOC!

2 rocker panel only a 2003 model year thing??? I have a unique one

[Sunline Fan]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Learn something new every day on SOC!

2 rocker panel only a 2003 model year thing??? I have a unique one

Sorry John, didn't research it going forward before. Indeed the first half or so in 2004 (through Nov/Dec 2003) received the two switch version, before changing to the three switch one. That said, you still have a kinda rare one.

[Janalee]

My '02 2363 has a 1-rocker GAS switch and an indicator light that goes out when the heater ignites--always wondered why they don't stay on to show you it's in use!--it's on the sink wall under the monitor panel..doesnt look like any you guys have pictured...I have purposely put tape over it since it is directly beneath the pump switch. My electric switch is on the tank accessed either thru the "hole" underneath the mattress or squeezing thru the outside baggage door....this is why I use the breaker switch,Jon...too old and too used to simplifying my life interests..Much easier and cheaper to replace a breaker than to replace that stupid switch behind a water heater...of course, this is JMHO! Now,to go a bit further..we don't shower in our camper..we use the camp showers which are usually great..so I seldom use the water heater. We use an old 12 cup ELECTRIC coffee pot for dishes rather than a 6 gallon heater that gets too hot anyway just waiting to wash off a few dishes at suppertime....paper plates for the rest of the day! Back when we had visitors along,I had a PartyPerk pot outside....washed the dishes outside and had plenty left for cleaning up.
This being said..if you have kids or an 81 yr.old DH with dementia(mine) then I vote for the hidden access in the breaker box....!! You will find your own way of doing things Christina.. Janalee

[OhhWell]

Our 2002 had the "hidden" and completely unmarked switch on the back of the heater, under the bed / wardrobe as well. Also, no switch or anything anywhere else. I hadn't known we had an electric element until I had disconnected the heater to remove it. I was also tempted to leave the switch on and use the breaker as a switch.