Community Forums

ibmcmc · 08-01-2012, 03:20 PM

I must be in the minority as we turn our water heater on and off twice a day no matter who is paying the electric. Once as soon as we get up and then just prior to dinner. Water stays hot all day long. 30 year old habit.

garym114 · 08-01-2012, 03:27 PM

Old habits carry over. When dry camping in Alaska we found it used much less water to turn on the water heater long enough for the water to a comfortable shower temp and turn it off. When you take a shower just use the hot water valve, no adjusting of temp needed. Still do it. Washing dishes is different.

JSW · 08-01-2012, 04:30 PM

In four years we have lit the gas heater only two times because our electric water heater works so well we never run out of hot water.

cocos camper · 09-18-2012, 10:19 PM

We turn ours off when not using. I added a second switch in bedroom to turn heater on from the bed so I have hot water when we get up

frazierdee · 09-19-2012, 12:52 AM

Other than using the propane, does it stress the heater to leave it on all the time?

Tony Lee · 09-19-2012, 03:48 AM

We are full-time so our vehicles are our house.

In a normal house the hot water is there 24/7 and I just can't see any point in doing things differently just because our house has wheels.
The other consideration is that our real house is rented out so the tenants pay all the utilities. This means that because with solar, our electricity costs are zero, our water costs are zero, our sewage and rubbish disposal costs are near zero (no need to pay for dumps with all the free dump points around), so even allowing for the small amount of extra propane we use for the convenience of having hot water on-tap, our total utilities costs are way, way less than they would be if we were living in our house.

And the different views nearly every day - priceless.

Dunner · 09-19-2012, 05:07 AM

When I had my 5er with dual handles, the hot water only, was hot enough to give you 2nd degree burns. If I turned it off after my evening shower, it was tolerable the next morning.
My MH has a single handle, so it should be easier to regulate. I'll still probably turn it off after my shower. I also had electric hot water with my 5er and when I refreshed my batteries in the evening and morning, I also heated my water. MH is gas only. :(