MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A 1993 32FT REGENCY LAST WEEK AND JUST DROVE IT 2100 MILES HOME. THERE ARE THREE SWITCHES IN THE COACH THAT ARE OF THE HOME STYLE SWITCH PLATES WITH A RED LIGHT THAT COMES ON AT THE SWITCH WHEN TURNED ON. ONE SWITCH IS JUST INSIDE OVER THE DOOR, ONE AT THE END OF THE KITCHEN COUNTER, AND ONE OVER THE DRIVERS SEAT. CAN SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT THEY ARE FOR?

ONE AT THE END OF THE KITCHEN COUNTER...

This one may be the 120v ELECTRIC hot water heater element (as opposed to the propane "element")

quote:

Originally posted by Gunner:
ONE AT THE END OF THE KITCHEN COUNTER...

This one may be the 120v ELECTRIC hot water heater element (as opposed to the propane "element")

THANKS, GUNNER, I WILL SEE IF THATS IT
NICK

My guesses:

1. Inside the door - main 12VDC switch. Kills 12VDC power to most circuits.

2. Kitchen Counter - could be water heater 120VAC element, OR, 12VDC heating pad for the FW tank. Likely the former.

3. Driver's Seat - probably the switch for the 120VAC engine block heating element. On my Breakaway, the outlet was energized by this switch, but the block heater wasn't plugged into it...

Some Barths have switches by the door that:

Control the mode of the electric step.

Control the light underneath the step.

Control the outside light.

Control the light in the outside grab handle.

Control the fluorescent lights in the ceiling.

Nick
The one over the door, left of the control panel with a pilot light is the 110V heater that is in the water compartment. Ours is set to work if the temp in the water compartment drops below 44 degrees. You must be plugged in of course.
The one overhead of the drivers seat (no pilot light)is labelled "ENGINE HEAT" but I'm not sure if that means, 1. glow plugs 2. block heater or maybe 3. Motoraid hot water heater???
I don't have a home type switch on the end of the counter. There is a white button for the panic alarm under the counter top folding extension on the end and the master coach cut off switch inside a door down by the step. Our kitchen is on the curb side aft of the entry door.
Fun trying to figure this stuff out ain't it!
Don

On mine, the FW tank heater is 12V - which makes sense, as it keeps the water from freezing on the road.

The "Engine Heat" switch is almost certainly for the block heater. The Motoraid HW heater works anytime the engine is running (on my Breakaway, anyway).

My 110VAC HW heater element was prior-owner installed, and is inside the doors under the sink.

On my same year 32' Regency;
Switch on wall next to range oven is for the electric water heater under the sink;
One over the entry door (Is yours front entry or side? Mine is front) is the power to the curbside compartment heaters;
The one over the driver (slightly behind your head) is for the roadside compartment heaters;
They power the heater's when docked and you either have 110 shore power or the generator is running.
The water tank heater is thermostatically controlled in the access compartment on the drivers side and has a 110v electric element fan, also on a thermostat.
That's what mine do.
Tom

Ok, finally had to do some trouble shooting on the switches. I removed the cover and switch over the driver. The switch had been disconnected and the wires taped up. The cover on the supply wire had been labeled with a sharpe (eng preheat-pos). I am pretty sure this is a factory label done by the installer. Have no idea why it had been disconnected. I don't really need an engine preheater in Georgia but will try to get it working anyway. Just have to get in that nasty engine compartment and find the other end.

The switch over the door does control the 110 volt heater in the street side compartment that has all the water control valves and water pump.

I'm hoping the switch on the front of the cabinet in front of the sink and over the arm of the sofa is for the 110v hot water heater. I pulled the switch and some one had disconnected the indicator light but the switch was still operational. Haven't been able to locate the heater element at the water heater yet to see if it is bad. I can get to parts of the water heater from under the bathroom sink but can't see the element. There was a switch on the water heater itself that had been turned off. I turned it back on but still no hot water.

Now new switch questions. Close to the floor at the entry door is a panel of 12v switches for the grab handle, step light, etc. One of these switches if labeled vent light. What vent light?

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.

Thanks for the help, I feel like I am spending most of my time undoing the MAINTENANCE done by previous owners, even if they were Caterpillar Master Mechanics.
Nick

Nick
Welcome to the world SPOTS. "Stupid Prevous Owner Tricks", we all have been dealng with these since buying into the Barth experience. It would be the same no matter what old coach coach you bought but at least with a Barth it is worth the effort.
The engine preheater switch over the drver's seat is worth making operational. We all usually pull up camp and head out in the morning when it is cooler, and throwing the preheat switch will allow a cleaner start up with a lot less smoke. The neighbours will appreciate it.
Don

Nick, I'm curious about your hot water heater. Typical RV water heaters are primarily propane powered. When electrified, the heating element is screwed into a fitting on the tank. The working elements of all these heaters, including the propane burner, the electric element, the pressure relief valve, & the drain valve are always accessed through a door the outside of the coach.

From your description it sounds as though you don't have a standard RV water heater. Is that the case, or is it possible you're looking in the wrong place?

"are always accessed through a door the outside of the coach."
Maybe. The electrical connections, along with the water connections, are inside -under the kitchen sink- on mine. In other words, the propane heater part, popoff valve, etc are accessible through the outside door but some stuff is inside.

The plumbing indeed is connected inside the coach. I don't claim to have seen everything, but an electric heating element in the tank, accessible from inside the coach, & any electrical connections to it, is a new one on me. Makes for difficult servicing, as opposed to having all the mechanical elements out side in easy reach. What make is your HWH?

On our 92 Breakaway the counter switch is the hot water heater. We have an electric only water heater made by atwood. It is under the cedar closet on the curb side.

"but an electric heating element in the tank, accessible from inside the coach, & any electrical connections to it, is a new one on me."
Mine ('97): The 120v electric heating element screws into a port on the tank inside the coach, under the sink; the electrical on/off switch is on the cabinet face near the sink. Access requires removal of all the "stuff" in the cabinet under the sink, but it is well within easy reach. The propane heater part is inside the external access door. BTW: Both propane heat and electrical heat may be applied to the water in the tank at the same time, as they are independent of each other. We use the electrical element most of the time and use the propane when not connected to shore power.