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Bobbo's avatar
Bobbo
Explorer III
Oct 19, 2013

Question on winterizing water heater

I have an Atwood Water Heater GCH6A-10E 6 gallon gas/electric water heater. When I winterize, I drain the water then pull the red wire off the ECO thermostat. I do this so I can't accidentally turn on the heater while it is empty. I also turn off the breaker to the electric water heater element, just in case.

However, I don't like repeatedly flipping breakers like they were on/off switches. It can lead to premature failure.

Does the red wire off the ECO thermostat disable both gas and electric?

Thank you

5 Replies

  • dougrainer wrote:
    Jack_Diane_Freedom wrote:
    If it is not plugged in to AC or the battery is not installed over the winter why would you need to do this?


    Because, people have SHORT memories. When the season starts back up, they sometimes forget about the 120 side of the water heater and then accidently dry fire and destroys the 120 element. ESPECIALLY if they have the water heater bypass valves where NO water goes to the water heater tank and when they open the faucets and see water out of the Hot and Cold, they assume the tank is full of water. By leaving the drain plug removed and the wire harness disconnected, they cannot dry fire without actually going to the outside of the water heater and reconnecting the harness and installing the drain plug and that is enough to make sure the tank will fill with water. Doug


    Provided they remember to swap valving on water heater so it is no longer bypassed.
  • Jack_Diane_Freedom wrote:
    If it is not plugged in to AC or the battery is not installed over the winter why would you need to do this?


    Because, people have SHORT memories. When the season starts back up, they sometimes forget about the 120 side of the water heater and then accidently dry fire and destroys the 120 element. ESPECIALLY if they have the water heater bypass valves where NO water goes to the water heater tank and when they open the faucets and see water out of the Hot and Cold, they assume the tank is full of water. By leaving the drain plug removed and the wire harness disconnected, they cannot dry fire without actually going to the outside of the water heater and reconnecting the harness and installing the drain plug and that is enough to make sure the tank will fill with water. Doug
  • Bobbo's avatar
    Bobbo
    Explorer III
    Jack_Diane_Freedom wrote:
    If it is not plugged in to AC or the battery is not installed over the winter why would you need to do this?

    The batteries stay in and it stays plugged in 24/7/365 so the Progressive Dynamics converter keeps the batteries charged. I do not disconnect the battery. I have killed chassis batteries by not doing that.
  • If it is not plugged in to AC or the battery is not installed over the winter why would you need to do this?
  • Yes, but the EASY thing to do is just disconnect the wire harness plug at the ignition/control module. That is what we do on our winterizing at the shop. Doug

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