The hot water heater is an Atwood model GCH6-6E-AC. It is an electric or propane model with direct ignition. It is set up exactly as Gunner describes. Anything gas or 12 volt is accessed outside through the access door. Anything 120V is accessed inside under the cabinets. Now just my luck on the my 32 foot coach it is located where you can get to the front half by pulling out the drawers under the range top but the rear half is under the vanity in the bathroom.

I got the gas part working today. There is a Travel Country RV center just two miles from me on the road I live on, so that's handy. I found a thermal cut out fuse in the thermostat wire that was open or blown, So I went up and ask about it and sure enough they said the heater wouldn't light with out a complete circuit. Bought a new one for $18.00, installed it and heater lit as soon as I turned on the switch. Problem is it fixed it too good. The heater wouldn't turn off after reaching temperature. Figured the thermostat was bad and the heater had previously overheated and that is what blew the fuse link to begin with. Went up bought a thermostat kit for 12.00, installed it and everything works good on propane.

I'm only telling you all this because I know you all go through the same thing. Two trips to the RV center, only about $30.00 in parts, and probably less than 1/2 hour of actual work. But it took all day to get it done.

Maybe tomorrow, I'll get up the nerve to tackle the 120V.
Nick

Check the thermal breaker for the 120V - should be a red button on the tank exterior inside the coach. If the thermal fuse blew (which it did, due to the runaway thermostat), that could also trip the thermal breaker.

Fixed the 120v water heater today. Only took one trip this time, but to two different RV centers. The element was not the screw in type. It was held in by four cap screws. Only cost $11.00. Now we have gas and electric hot water. BTW, this unit is equipped with a heat exchanger to heat the water on the road using the engine hot water.

Now, back to the switches. one over the driver and one on the switch gang by the entry door. Both labeled "vent light". Could these be the lights on each side of the coach at the very front located near the vents on the lower access doors? They don't work but I have not tried tracing the wiring yet. They do not come on when the docking lights are on. There is only one large docking light on each side about mid coach.

Thanks,
Nick

Ken, on my coach, those switches above to the left of the driver's head and the entry door operate the vent light between the driver and passenger. I have 2 switches there, have not figured out what the other one is for! Happy motoring. sky

Sky. Since we also have a 1990 coach, maybe the switches above the driver's seat are the same? On ours, the one operates the engine preheater. The other operates the rectangular light in the front roof vent. That light is also connected to a switch by the entry door.
Don

That is what i thought, i used the preheat last night. Some thing might be wrong with the switch. Will check that. Thanks.
sky

quote:

Over the drivers seat close to the 110v switch for the engine preheat is a pair of 12v switches labeled vent light and heater. What vent light and what heater. The Hot water heater switch is over the door on a control panel of switches.

Well, we have owned the coach for three years now and still learning things about it. I originally asked about these switches shortly after we bought the coach but finally decided to spend an afternoon seeing if I could determine their purpose. Two of the switches are labeled "Vent Light" , but I could never find a light that they operated.

I suddenly wondered if the roof vent that is mounted in the front of the coach was originally equipped with a light and had been changed by a previous owned to a vent without a light. I removed the front vent trim panel and

The switches pictured are mounted over the driver and at the entry door. As you can see they are 3-way switches.







The 3rd wire at the vent is hot at all times and is not controlled by the switches. I'm assuming (yea, I know the danger of that and what it causes) is to operate an exhaust fan like the one in the bathroom.

NOW, can anybody help with what the "heater" switch pictured in the overhead panel operates. It is powered by the ignition switch. The ignition switch must be "ON" to have power to this "heater" switch.

Nick

quote:

NOW, can anybody help with what the "heater" switch pictured in the overhead panel operates. It is powered by the ignition switch. The ignition switch must be "ON" to have power to this "heater" switch.

rearview mirror heaters?

quote:

Originally posted by Patch1st:

quote:

NOW, can anybody help with what the "heater" switch pictured in the overhead panel operates. It is powered by the ignition switch. The ignition switch must be "ON" to have power to this "heater" switch.

rearview mirror heaters?

Nope, got a switch for that on the dash.

Nick

quote:

Originally posted by sky:
Ken, on my coach, those switches above to the left of the driver's head and the entry door operate the vent light between the driver and passenger. I have 2 switches there, have not figured out what the other one is for! Happy motoring. sky

On my 85 the two unmarked 110v style switches above the drivers head (left) are power switches for the two roof top A/C units.

Finally found out what the final unknown switch does!

From earlier in this thread the last switch is over the driver and is labeled "Heater". It is in a two switch gang with another switch labeled "Vent Light".



The "Heater" switch operates a 12V heater located in the Water compartment.



There is also a 120V heater in the water compartment that is controlled by a switch over the door



The 120V heater.



I Think I now know what all the switches in the coach operate.

Nick

Likewise, I have a toggle switch over the door with a neon "on" light that activates a Dayton 120V resistance heater on a thermostat switch with a propeller fan in the water compartment.