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09-03-2021, 03:26 PM
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#1
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New Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Beaver
Posts: 7
M.O.C. #29556
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What is this switch for?
Please help. Just got a 2001 Montana 5th wheel & trying to figure it all out. Can anyone tell me what the brown switch with the red indicator light under the tank etc. monitoring system is for? (It’s below the sink area). If I did it right there’s a picture attached to this question
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09-03-2021, 04:10 PM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Denver
Posts: 1,045
M.O.C. #5329
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I could be wrong, but that doesn’t look like a factory switch to me. Any chance you could contact the previous owner?
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09-03-2021, 04:59 PM
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#3
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New Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Beaver
Posts: 7
M.O.C. #29556
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scattershot
I could be wrong, but that doesn’t look like a factory switch to me. Any chance you could contact the previous owner?
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That’s what I was thinking too. I will have to contact them. That you for answered
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09-03-2021, 07:43 PM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: McKinney
Posts: 7,165
M.O.C. #6433
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Just a guess. But the earlier Montanas did not have an inside switch for water heater on electric. My 2007 didn’t. You had to turn it on electric by a switch outside on the water heater. They may have added an inside switch. But just a guess.
__________________
Bill & Patricia
Riley, our Golden
2007 3075RL (recently sold, currently without)
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09-03-2021, 08:51 PM
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#5
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New Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Beaver
Posts: 7
M.O.C. #29556
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That’s exactly what i was thinking. I’m waiting for the original owners to get back to me. Thanks for replying
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09-04-2021, 04:45 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 2,140
M.O.C. #25165
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Just another thought...Could it be tank heaters? The indicator light would help knowing when they are left on.
__________________
Robert & Diana McNeal
2019 Montana Legacy 3791RD 20th Anniversary Edition
2014 F350 4x4 6.7L SRW
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09-04-2021, 05:55 AM
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#7
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New Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Beaver
Posts: 7
M.O.C. #29556
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Good guess. Never thought of that
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09-08-2021, 01:31 PM
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#8
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Kingsport
Posts: 55
M.O.C. #25935
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That's the same panel I had on my 2006 Mountaineer. Standard level checks, bottom left switch turn on the water heater (gas only, not elec), right switch turns on water pump.
__________________
Maurice & Patricia & Bella & Tigger & Allana & Maximus
Kingsport, TN
2020 MHC 331RL
2014 RAM 2500HD SLT LB 4x4 6.4L SRW
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09-08-2021, 02:21 PM
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#9
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Springfield
Posts: 58
M.O.C. #25709
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Also thought tank heaters since it's near the gauges. Especially if you don't have any tank heater switches anywhere else.
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09-08-2021, 02:23 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: McKinney
Posts: 7,165
M.O.C. #6433
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Did they have tank heaters in 2001? My 2007 did not. Or at least didn’t have any switches for them.
__________________
Bill & Patricia
Riley, our Golden
2007 3075RL (recently sold, currently without)
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09-08-2021, 03:37 PM
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#11
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Carmichael - CA
Posts: 7,362
M.O.C. #4831
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Tank heaters are a relatively recent addition. They didn't exist prior to 2016 or so. My bet this is an owner added electric hot water heater switch. Pretty common mod in the day.
__________________
Carl (n Susan)
There is more to life than fuel mileage.
2012 Montana 3700RL Big Sky Package towed by a 2015 Ford F350 6.7L PSD 4WD CC LWB
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09-08-2021, 08:02 PM
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#12
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Fargo
Posts: 213
M.O.C. #19032
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It is for sure the gas water heater on the left, and the pump on the right as was mentioned above.
The red LED between the switches comes on of the water heater faults (fails to light) in which case you turn it off for a few seconds and then back on.
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09-09-2021, 11:27 PM
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#13
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New Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Saskatoon
Posts: 2
M.O.C. #17425
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We have a 2001 Montana 2880rl with a similar switch( it is not exactly the same but is in a similar position). The switch is on the circuit that supplies both the microwave and the water heater in electric mode. It allows you to switch the circuit to run either the microwave or the water heater in electric mode. Because of the high power draw of these items and limited capacity of the electrical system (30 amps) we can run only one or the other at any one time. This allows our trailer to run the air-conditioning without fear of tripping breakers by running the microwave and water heater at the same time. You can confirm this by trying to use the microwave in both switch positions. If it runs in one position and not the other then this is indeed what your switch is for.
Our biggest problem is making sure we have put the switch back into water heater mode after using the microwave so we have hot water later on and not fire up the gas mode for a quick water reheat. : )
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09-10-2021, 06:28 AM
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#14
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Fargo
Posts: 213
M.O.C. #19032
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark7
It is for sure the gas water heater on the left, and the pump on the right as was mentioned above.
The red LED between the switches comes on of the water heater faults (fails to light) in which case you turn it off for a few seconds and then back on.
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My bad in the above comment. I skipped right past the spot when you were asking about the "added" switch. I agree with Carl n Susan and BB_TX. Given the location they installed it, I would have to guess it is for the line voltage part of the water heater. I installed one of them myself a few 5'ers back.
I should add one to my current Montana as the small toggle switch (on the water heater outside under the cover) is frozen in the on position and I control it with the breaker since the water heater is on a separate circuit. Not convenient, but it works.
__________________
2004 Montana 3295RK 2019 Ram / Cummins 2500 Summer season weekend warrior
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09-11-2021, 10:42 PM
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#15
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: May 2013
Location: PORT ANGELES
Posts: 80
M.O.C. #13434
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I have 2003 Monty 3295RK. Previous owner installed switch just like this for inside unit water heater electric control. Mine in different location but same switch, light is to show water heat on elec.
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09-12-2021, 10:42 AM
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#16
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: McKinney
Posts: 7,165
M.O.C. #6433
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Kaiser’s suggestion has merit also. A good friend had a 2008 3295RK that had a switch in the kitchen area. One position powered the microwave and the other position powered the water heater (I think). He could only operate one or the other, not both. A look on the back of the switch would give a clue. If it only has two terminals then it is a standard switch. But if it has three terminals and each terminal has a wire then it is likely switching power between two somethings.
__________________
Bill & Patricia
Riley, our Golden
2007 3075RL (recently sold, currently without)
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09-12-2021, 01:10 PM
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#17
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New Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Seabrook
Posts: 9
M.O.C. #29537
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I think electric water heater
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