Propane Water Heaters.

[jlwilliee]

I`m new at this travel trailer camping thing,so this might sound strange.I have a ? about whether to keep you hot water heater on( the entire camping trip)are just turn it on when your gonna need it.It only takes 20 mins to get hot.I just don`t want to waste gas ,keeping the water heather on.

[RVRoadTrip]

We leave ours on all the time when camping. It kicks on as needed... once or twice a day, otherwise it uses no propane at all. We have the DSI model, no pilot light.

[Batman_777]

On all the time, uses very little LP

[K-Star]

i leave it on electic 24x7. turn on the gas when taking a shower.

[NLOVNIT]

We're the same as John: electric all the time & turn on the gas only at shower time. That's the only time we use such a volume of hot water that we need the quicker recovery the propane heater provides.

Lori-

[gearman]

I keep the hot water heater on entire trip. Think of it just like your house, you dont turn it off when not using it.

I too have a DSI with electric heater as well, if we are ever in a campground I will use the electric, but that is rare.
Once camp is set up, I make sure fridge, water heater, ect.. are running.

[Ray,IN]

Ours is on propane twice daily. On when we arise- for showers, washing dishes,etc, then off until evening for the same ritual. Water stays hot enough for hand washing round the clock. Total run time_ about 30 min/24hrs.

[jeffinsalida]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray,IN Ours is on propane twice daily. On when we arise- for showers, washing dishes,etc, then off until evening for the same ritual. Water stays hot enough for hand washing round the clock. Total run time_ about 30 min/24hrs.

Same for us...on at breakfast and again after dinner to do dishes and clean up for bedtime. The rest of the day it is warm enough. I don't like to hear it run in the middle of the night. I hear pennies being wasted, but I am very cheap.

[LindaH]

If we're in an RV park where we are not paying for electric, we leave our electric water heater on all the time. However, if we're dry camping or boondocking, we only turn on the propane when we need hot water.

The propane WILL come on each time the water temperature goes down to a certain level. We've been parked next to people who leave their propane water heater on all the time, and we have to listen to it kick on all night long...very irritating!

[richardcoxid]

The water temperature (electric and propane) on most HWH’s are controlled by non-adjustable “snap stats” Check the ON/Off set points of both of them. You may have to copy the model #s etc and got to an electrical supply house to cross reference them.
Purchase/install a new propane “snap stat” that has about a 10 degree lower ON set point than the electric stat. That way other than on initial heat up, when the HWH cools slightly only electricity will be used. When a lot of water is used and the bulk temp of the HWH cools to below the propane set point then both heat sources will be on. As it is heating up the propane heat turns OFF first. IE- Use their elect and not my propane.
Richard

[richardcoxid]

I guess I should preface my post with "When hooked up to non metered electricity-----

Richard

[Theberrys]

We leave ours on all the time and it doesn't use much propane at all. Our rig has a big lp gas tank 50Gal due to the Gennerator being propane so the Water Heater is in the noise.

Dick

[wa8yxm]

Depends.. Heater in my coach is dual power. Gas/Electric, Now Gas I pay for, so I only turn it on when needed.. Electric, usually, is paid for as part of the site rental for short term sites (you pay by the KWH on long term) so... If the park's buying........