Forum Discussion

Coach_Cleats's avatar
Coach_Cleats
Explorer
Jan 15, 2016

toggle swiitch issues

Electrical toggle switch for water heater does not light but works fine in heating water.
Looking for replacement method.

Gen toggle will heat injectors but will not work to turn starter. Switch on gen will start gen but it s a pain to open shroud for each use. How do I replace that toggle?
  • Think the water heater switch is 110 and thinking the bulb is burned out. Is so go to Lowe's or home Depot and ask for a furnace switch. I did, the only one around that knew what I was talking about was a heating /refer tech customer. They found one.
  • The water heater switch—is it turning on the propane heating or the electric element (if you have one)?

    If it's the electric element, the light is almost certainly just a 120V pilot light of some sort, and any old replacement would work fine—a lighted switch of sufficient ratings, or a separate pilot light or neon indicator.

    If it's the propane side of things, the light (at least on mine) is a bi-color LED and is wired separately from the switch, as I recall. Most likely cause of the light not working would probably be a broken wire or other connection problem, not the LED itself.

    Generator start switch is probably most easily ordered from the generator maker as a replacement part. Doubtless it would be possible to find a switch from other sources that would be compatible, but doing so would take a fair bit of searching, I think, particularly if you want one that's the same physical size. The generator manual may have the electrical configuration of the switch, which would be helpful for testing. Here also there's the possibility of a problem with the wiring between the generator and the swtich rather than a problem in the switch itself.
  • "Coach Cleats".....On the Monaco products, that water heater light just burns out. You can often find just the replacement light, usually it's a separate indicator.

    The generator switch has been known to have issues caused by a dirty connection. Your remote switch, on your dash, is connected by a small wiring loom to the generator. You need to look at the wires running into the generator and clean the connectors. Often it's easiest to slide your generator out, crawl under the coach and you can sit up behind the generator (there will be a large area where it slid out from) and clean the connectors at the rear of the generator.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Have same issue here.. The problem is BOB BOB is, of course a Burned Out Bulb.

    So what to do about it..

    Method 1: Tear hair out trying to find a new switch to replace it (possible but if you wish to go this route call the manufacturer of your Motor home or of the control panel)

    Method 2: Indicator lamp assembly

    On the back of the switch are 3 leads.. Two on one side and one (Ground usually) on the other.. Hook the black lead on one of the Indicator lamps to the Ground, hook the RED lead to one of the other terminals with the switch OFF, if it lights, try the other terminal

    I just driled a small hole near the switch and installed it,, The ones I have were a buck a pop (When I bought 'em) at RS Electronics in Livonia, MI. (Not the ones shown in the link) and mount with "Speed nuts" (Spring steel things)

    NOTE: this is not as bright as the OEM lamp in the switch, LED's last a LONG time, And I suggest you buy about a dozen of 'em give or take, They are very handy indicators.

    NOTE: In another thread someone suggested a 12 volt outlet might be wired backward... Get two, one RED one Green, wire them back to back

    That is the Green one the black lead connects to the ground (outer) pin on a 12 volt accessory plug and the red lead to the center pin, The RED one has the black connected to the center pin and Red to ground.

    Plug it in . Green means Wired right, Red means Wired wrong BOTH means A/C outlet.
  • On my Monaco product I just pulled out the switch, looked at the side of it to see who manufactured it, and then did an internet search for the source. If you disconnect a switch, make sure the power is off and you make a not of how the wires were connected. On my water heater switches, all of the wires were connected with push on connectors.
  • The gen toggle sounds like it is working if it activates the preheat.

    Probably one of the wires from the remote switch to the generator is broken.

    I have that situation right now on my generator. Just have to fix the wire.