Adding water heater "on" switch

[tiinytina]

Sent: 8/13/2006

hi ho all,

    Just wondered what the possibilities are... We would like to install a water heater switch that lights up when the water heater is on period, not just lights up when we turn it on while the igniter does its thing... we find we turn it on but then forget its on... thus heating water when we don't need it etc, wasting propane.  (actually we are sitting here wondering if one of us actually turned it off after doing our breakfast dishes... now that Gone is sitting at dad's farm until we fuss with it again...)... at this point I'm actually wondering if the little light is supposed to stay on and its just broken.... hmmmmm.
   Thanks!  tina

[The_Handier_Man1]

Sent: 8/13/2006

Tina,  I know that I would have to have a "big light" to indicate if the water heater was on for me to notice it.  I even leave the inside lights on and then the battery is dead, lol. Maybe a timer switch that shuts it off after a preset time would work better for me,   Les

[Rick]

Sent: 8/14/2006

Tina,
I have the same thing with my water heater.   When I first got the rig, I thought that there was something wrong with the heater.   The light would come on only during the ignition and then go off.   I kept clicking the switch and then gave up with it in the on position.   I was then sitting on my couch with the window open and started to notice a peculiar smell.   I then heard the sound of gas igniting and went and checked my water.   The water was hot.   It was then when I realized that for some unknown reason an engineer decided to put a switch in that only lit during the ignition process and went off after the water heater was working.

I have the same opinion, they could have put in a red light for ignition and then once the heater was working they could have changed to a different color to let you know that it was operating.
I suppose you could hook up an operating light.

Rick

[tiinytina]

Sent: 8/14/2006

I think I will wire Gone like a building I work in thats very secure.... it won't let you out until all the correct things are off... hee hee hee. Realistically may need to install a lit switch as a primary to the heater switch... and install window sensors that close and lock, fridge turns off and opens itself, top vents without travel covers close.... and finally front and side curtains close themselves... all at the touch of a remote ... ha ha ha dream land!

Tina

[brians1969]

Sent: 8/14/2006

The only time the light will stay in on is when ignition fails-like when you run out of propane.