hot water heater switch confusion

Ralph Cramden wrote:

SoundGuy wrote:

bob2194 wrote:
The hot water heater is both electric and propane. I only have one switch. My older TT had 2 switches, this one has only one one and its electric, off and its propane.

If you have a gas / electric water heater with only one switch inside the trailer then it's a Suburban SW6DE whereas your previous water heater with 2 switches inside the trailer was an Atwood. That one inside switch when switched on means the water heater is running on gas, the switch that turns on the electric heating element is on the water heater itself, accessed by opening the outside water heater hatch. It's a rocker switch with a pin through it so you don't inadvertently turn the electric element on when there's no water in the tank - do that and you'll instantly burn out the element.

With a pin through it? That's a new one here, as I have had 3 Dometics and none had a pin through the outside switch for electric operation.

Some RV manufacturers do it right and will install another switch inside marked as water heater electric. That way you can leave the outside switch in the on position and control it inside. Rockwood is one. If you have a Dometic and an inside switch both switches need to be on for electric operation.

DOMETIC ......acquired ATWOOD last year
Atwood has never had an On/Off Switch in outside compartment for the electric element.
Prior to 2004 they did have On/Off Rocker switches on backside on WH where electric element is located which had to be ON for electric element to function.

Suburban HAS the On/Off Switch in outside compartment and it was pinned to lock it out.