Community Forums

okmunky · 10-24-2017, 08:47 PM

Anyone have a solar water heater on your RV? Details if you please.

ByeTheWay · 10-25-2017, 06:11 PM

Given a lot of thought to the idea, but with LP for $1.60/gal here, don't see any cost savings. Heating the water is not hard a hose or 2 on the ground, inline will do that. The issue is mixing it w/ cold so that you get the right temp.

oatmeal · 10-25-2017, 07:19 PM

Here's a previous thread on solar water heating:

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f93/solar...ng-330865.html

I put a link in that thread to an actual solar water heater system, but also described putting our electric water heater on the inverter circuit to use solar for it.

powercat_ras · 10-25-2017, 09:33 PM

I designed a roof mount hot water heating system total cost was going to be about $ 300 for materials and about 8 hours labor to install. Payback was 16 years based on the amount of propane $ 300 dollars would buy. So never moved forward.

Yes it can be done. Maybe if you full time and use a ton of hot water payback would be shorter.

shiningdotin · 10-26-2017, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by powercat_ras

I designed a roof mount hot water heating system total cost was going to be about $ 300 for materials and about 8 hours labor to install. Payback was 16 years based on the amount of propane $ 300 dollars would buy. So never moved forward.

Yes it can be done. Maybe if you full time and use a ton of hot water payback would be shorter.

Has it been worth it?

okmunky · 10-26-2017, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oatmeal

Here's a previous thread on solar water heating:

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f93/solar...ng-330865.html

I put a link in that thread to an actual solar water heater system, but also described putting our electric water heater on the inverter circuit to use solar for it.

Thanks Oatmeal!

I revived the thread above with what I think is a workable idea for under $50. It's in the boondocking forum, post #13

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f93/solar...ml#post3870998

I'd appreciate any suggestions.

oatmeal · 11-04-2017, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiningdotin

Quote:

I designed a roof mount hot water heating system total cost was going to be about $ 300 for materials and about 8 hours labor to install. Payback was 16 years based on the amount of propane $ 300 dollars would buy. So never moved forward.

Has it been worth it?

In the part you quoted, he said he designed it but didn't actually install it.

harryn · 11-07-2017, 02:48 PM

If you think about an RV as part of your entertainment, then try to cost it all out, the numbers can become "challenging".

Perhaps a better way to look at these things is "will it enable me to stay on vacation longer where I want to be with less hassle?"

What is the cost of gasoline at a fuel station - other than in CA, pretty reasonable.

What would you pay if you are out of water and fuel in the middle of no where? Fairly crazy amounts of money.

The army actually spends a lot of time thinking about this and the numbers can be staggering even for them purchasing in bulk.

$300 isn't so bad for hot water in that context.