just found out

I just upgraded my old gas only water heater with a gas/electric atwood. the atwood connection box shown above has a 12 volt relay inside it to control the 120 heating

it has a double switch plate for wh control, one switch for gas and another for 120 v operation, all control wiring is 12 v

Look at the breakers in your electrical panel in your TT. If your heater is wired there should be a separate circuit breaker for the "electric side" of your heater labelled as such AND a toggle switch somewhere in the galley to turn on the electric. Otherwise what was said earlier is the case - you have a gas-only model and it's not likely it can be upgraded to include an electric heating element.

Ok thanks for the help. I left model number of Atwood in trailer paperwork which is in Seattle right now and I am in Utah. I will ask trailer be accessed for paperwork and will report back hopefully today or tomorrow with the model number.

Model of water heater would make it easier for anyone to try and help you.

Models comes as a Combo (electric/propane) OR as Propane ONLY
Does NOT come as a 'quasi' combo....one that would be converted later to electric

Manuals are GENRIC and cover several different rigs with various options.

Look in outside compartment on side of frame for YOUR model number.

IF it was a combo it would have a 'GC' at beginning of model number (GC10A-4E)
If propane only (G10-3E) ---examples are for 10 gallon

Also IF electric.....then inside rv on backside of water heater tank would be a 'cover box' down low that covers electric element/120V wires and DC relay used to activate element)

Backside of an Atwood with electric option

nephi007 wrote:
Howdy. So in reviewing the manual for the Atwood propane water heater model on our 2016 rig I founds out that it is an electric model as well but the electric switch on the DSI panel in the trailer is blocked by a plate. There is no switch in the water heater compartment. Can this Atwood be wired to accept electric? Looks like it came from the factory as a DSI propane only rig.

You should have two large wires, independent of the circuit board that are located close to the water heater. The electric element is usually on the side of the tank.