I'm winterizing my pressurized water system and wanted to get ideas on how to unpower an electric Kuuma water heater after draining. I do not see any switch or breaker to accomplish that. There much be a way to do that without disconnecting shore power or disconnecting the wiring. I'm also assuming that it's a good idea to turn off the power to it when empty. I have a Newport 33. Any ideas?
De-powering water heater for winter
- Thread starter D. Inscho
- Start date
Welcome to SBO.
There should be a breaker on the main breaker panel for it. If not you need to install one.
If the HW tank is empty and the heater turned on the heating element will burn out in short order.
There should be a breaker on the main breaker panel for it. If not you need to install one.
If the HW tank is empty and the heater turned on the heating element will burn out in short order.
There must be a circuit breaker on the panel. If not, disconnect the shore power then disconnect the black wire from the water heater and wrap the end with electric tape and store in a safe place. Then plug in the shore power. Try tracing the power wires. It must be connected to the panel somewhere. If so it may be easier and safer to disconnect at that point.
Thank you! There is a breaker for the water heater but it is a push button panel allowing only and "on" reset. It occurred to me to trip the circuit by shorting the circuit but didn't think that wise. The wiring panel is nicely labelled and accessed so that may be a good place to cut the power, carefully.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,270
Push button breakers.
They pop out when tripped. You push it in to correct.
You should be able to push in and it will pop out. Tripped. Off.
If not replace breaker.
I favor a toggle breaker. Positive display of condition. On/Off.
Way too much frustration with those bugger buttons on Airplane panels. Usually smashed and needed repair/replacement because of aggravated in flight crew.
They pop out when tripped. You push it in to correct.
You should be able to push in and it will pop out. Tripped. Off.
If not replace breaker.
I favor a toggle breaker. Positive display of condition. On/Off.
Way too much frustration with those bugger buttons on Airplane panels. Usually smashed and needed repair/replacement because of aggravated in flight crew.
Thanks for the feedback.
The breakers allow only a reset after being tripped. When an untripped button is pressed it returns to the "on" position completing the circuit. Thus the water heater breaker is always on unless tripped.
The breakers allow only a reset after being tripped. When an untripped button is pressed it returns to the "on" position completing the circuit. Thus the water heater breaker is always on unless tripped.
That indicates a breaker fault. No one designs a boat electrical system which continuously powers a water heater. Some previous live aboard owner may have done this or there is a faulty breaker.
Regardless, fix it and install a proper breaker so it stays off until needed.
So something like this could be installed to enable switching if a toggle type won't fit.
Circuit Breaker 20 AmpPush-On/Push-Off (catalinadirect.com)
Circuit Breaker 20 AmpPush-On/Push-Off (catalinadirect.com)
Seems very unlikely the manufacturer wired the water heater to be always on…… it’s a broken breaker. And and again as noted, if it’s on when tank is empty it will burn the element real quick. Again a reason the builder would never have made it an on only design. And as a side note, you are winterizing your boat and staying plugged into shore power? Might not be the safest thing…… plus I’m sure not too many yards would permit this.
good luck
Greg
good luck
Greg
It's clear I need to update the panel. It looks original on this 1982 build. The boat will remain in the water like most all around here. Bellingham WA winters typically only get a week or 2 of cold in the teens or 20s. Thanks for the feedback!
On my C30, I have the push-on/push-off breakers but do not like to use them for a switch because they are darned expensive. I installed a simple toggle switch into the panel next to the breaker to turn off the water heater. The one in the link is rated for 20A @ 120v AC so is big enough for the 1500W heating element.
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Just so folks aren't confused, @Hayden Watson's post contains a simple typo. The switch is rated for 20A not 2A. 2A is wholly insufficient for 1500 watts at 120v.
