Community Forums

TenderSeat · 01-29-2023, 05:05 AM

Asking for Pros and Cons of leaving electricity to hot water heater on all the time. A couple of YouTubers advocate intermittent power because it stays hot for several hours, and of course uses less electricity, if that is a consideration. We live full-time in our rig, and my habit is to turn on the power and leave it on. Most importantly, does it shorten the life of the water heater to be on all the time, or does turning it off and on frequently shorten the life of the heater? Any advice from some of you pros? Thanks

Bigd9 · 01-29-2023, 05:50 AM

The electrical element inside the water heater will only come on when needed to heat the water. If you are living in the RV then I would most certainly leave it on 24/7. I leave the water heater in our home on all the time.

No, you will not shorten the life of either the water heater nor the element by leaving it on all the time. What you do need to do every year or so is turn the heater off and drain/flush it to get rid of the calcium partial build up. I turn off power, and water to the RV, then remove the drain plug. Turn the water back on and let the water pressure flush out the tank for 30 seconds of so, then turn the water back off and reinsert the drain plug, turn the water back on, turn on a hot water faucet till all of the trapped air escapes. Then turn the electrical or propane water heater back on.

I caution you to make sure nothing important is near the water discharge as it could end up being covered in white deposits from the tank.

Old-Biscuit · 01-29-2023, 09:38 AM

Just like at home............

When we FTd it was ON from time we set up to when we torn down to move
I like hot water when I want hot water not 15/20 minutes later

When at CG on FHU site........electric was part of the site fee
When we weren't in CG we used propane and left it on also

FTd fr 7 yrs.......RV is now 16 yrs old. Still same Electric element in water heater AND Fridge