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Carl
In '59 a 120V electric water heater was standard. A
manually lit gas water heater was an option. However it seems that very few
trailers did not come without the gas option.
In re-reading your post I believe that you do not
have the original hot water heater since it has both gas and electric running to
it. If it is a traditional RV tank water heater (not a tankless demand heater)
either you have a dual (gas & electric) water heater, or an electronic
ignition water heater (gas). The switch would either turn on the electric
heating element or light the gas pilot. You should have access to the heater
from the outside. There HAS to be a vent. It will be located adjacent to the hot
water heater on the outside wall of the trailer. See if you can open it. On an
original style vent you could remove the lower panel for access. If you have one
of the new tankless heaters I cannot help you.
The city/battery switch is most likely either for a
vent fan or for a blower motor on the furnace (in either case to switch
from 120V to 12V with the aid of a transformer). I highly doubt that the one you
describe is for the hot water heater as I have yet to hear of any hot water
heater powered by a battery! The switch labeled inverter is somewhat of a
mystery to me. Perhaps the previous owner added an inverter. Since I have never
had a trailer with an inverter I cannot tell you anything about it except that
they did not have such things back in '59. Occasionally you will find a trailer
from that era with an optional battery charger, but back then you didn't even
have a univolt!
As for the refrigerator. To light the optional gas
refrigerator there was a device that you warmed up with a lighter until you
heard a "pop". This device controls the flow of propane to the burner, once it
popped, you were able to light the burner with a match or lighter. I think that
the device was called a clixon valve. It has been so long since I have seen one
of these that I do not know how to describe it to you. Open up the access under
the refrigerator and look around, it should be apparent where this clixon valve
is. This is assuming that you have the original refrigerator. It should be a
Dometic with a porcelain door.
Scott Scheuermann
1960 Overlander
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