|
01-26-2015, 05:39 PM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 470
|
Hott Rod vs adding electric tankless water heater
Would a Hott Rod heating element be better/worse than adding a 120V electric tankless hot water heater in route with the propane water heater?
I ask because we are about to go full time and with a 6gal water heater, we don't get much shower time with it. I know converting to an on demand water heater would be the best, but I'd really rather not spend a grand on it. If either of these would be useless in bringing us up to about 15min of hot water then let me know. Thanks
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
01-26-2015, 05:48 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Thor Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wherever the rig is parked
Posts: 8,092
|
A Hott Rod won't increase the amount of hot water, it just uses electric power instead of propane to heat the 6 gallon tank, and does it slower than propane. To increase the hot water supply you'd either need to install a larger heater (10 gal) or an instant water heater. For what it's worth, we have a 6 gal heater with factory electric/propane and we can wash dishes and get two comfortable showers in the morning. Depending on how old your heater is, it may need flushed.
__________________
Bruce Dickson 2013 Thor Challenger 37GT, 5 Star Tune, Safe-T-Plus Steering Control with Air Trim, Roadmaster front and rear Sway Bars, SuperSteer rear Track Bar, Crossfires, 2018 Honda CRV . Full timers since Jan 2012.
|
|
|
01-26-2015, 07:45 PM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Excel Owners Club Mid Atlantic Campers Coastal Campers
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Beaufort, SC
Posts: 540
|
I would have to recommend the Hott Rod.. You could then run both electric and propane, to make the recovery time a lot shorter. It always worked for us, when we had a 6 gallon water heater.
__________________
2015 Excel Winslow 37SDF 38' fifth wheel
2007 Excel Limited 33RKE 35' fifth wheel
2015 Ford F350 Platinum DRW Crew Cab 6.7PSD
|
|
|
01-27-2015, 06:51 AM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Near Toronto, Canada
Posts: 1,842
|
I think you're going to have to compromise on something.
Your water heater is 6 gallons. You want to have 15 minute showers. Even a very efficient shower head like the Oxygenics unit are still going to use 2 gallons per minute.
So, a 15 minute shower is going to be 30 gallons at 2 gal. / minute. That means your water heater has to be able to keep at least 1/3rd of it's capacity hot constantly.
That's just not going to happen, even with both propane and an electric element going.
__________________
Ted 'n' Laurie, plus Jackson (aka Deputy Dog, the Parson Russell Terrier 'fur kid') and, Rylie (who crossed the Rainbow Bridge June 14, 2012).
|
|
|
01-27-2015, 07:10 AM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Damon Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,024
|
Hott Rod "Burns" around 450 watts (six gallon model) of electric, that's 1/3 what my Electric element burns (roughly) and round 1/5-1/6 the heat of the gas burner.
An electric "tankless, at Motor home power levels, good for perhaps half a gallon per minute, NOT enough for a shower.
Propane tankless can heat as much as 2-3 gallons per minute, (In RV sizes, in house sizes even more) but the amount of electricity needed to heat water that fast exceeds the capacity of a 50 amp oulet (needs 75 in fact)
__________________
Home is where I park it!
|
|
|
01-27-2015, 08:46 AM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,031
|
Learn how to take a sailor shower.
Add the Hott Rod. it has a adjustable setting to set it to higher temp and run LP the same time when taking a shower.
Once you get use to the sailor shower you will still have some hot water left after 2 showers in a row.
After shower turn LP off and use the free campground electric for the Hott Rod
For longer showers use the campground showers.
__________________
99 Discovery 34Q ISB
2014 MKS AWD EcoBoost Toad
Fulltime Since "99"
|
|
|
01-27-2015, 08:58 AM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 7,753
|
If you want a really long shower, use the campground facilities. No way can two people take a Hollywood shower with 6 gallons of hot water back to back
__________________
Don
2002 Country Coach Intrigue
|
|
|
01-27-2015, 12:46 PM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 470
|
Thanks for the help. I'm very good at the quick showers, but my wife fails to grasp this concept. I'll probably just add the Hott Rod to save on propane and convince my wife to use the campground facilities after her shifts.
|
|
|
01-27-2015, 12:54 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club Solo Rvers Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 37,725
|
Hott Rod voids your water heater warranty and, while the do work OK (I've installed two of them) they aren't enough to keep up with water flow. Great for keeping the water hot between uses but not much more. Turn on the propane and take short showers or get a 10 gal water heater for a slightly longer shower.
__________________
2009 45' Magna 630 w/Cummins ISX 650 HP/1950 Lbs Ft, HWH Active Air
Charter Good Sam Lifetime Member, FMCA,
RV'ing since 1957, NRA Benefactor Life, towing '21 Jeep JLU Rubicon Ecodiesel
|
|
|
02-01-2015, 10:53 AM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Northern California
Posts: 5,850
|
We do not full time nor have we had a 6 gallon tank.
We get good results from the 10 gallon tank while on propane. The water gets so hot that the mixture at the shower head is likely 2 parts cold and one part hot.
That makes about 30 gallons of warm water available available.
I did install a Hott Rod in our Attwood 9 years ago. It does not provide as high a temp water as does the propane side. But, it still requires at least a 1:1 mixture at the tap.
__________________
Dean
1995 38' CC Magna #5280 **** Sold after 21 years of enjoyment.
|
|
|
02-01-2015, 03:32 PM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club American Coach Owners Club Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Fort Pierce, FL
Posts: 1,019
|
Camco makes one also, available on Amazon. We installed this version and it worked like a charm for the time we had that RV...
__________________
Revolution LE 38X C9 Cat
2020 Jeep Gladiator Toad
|
|
|
02-02-2015, 11:23 AM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,063
|
Lived with a 6 gallon heater in my last coach providing showers for me, the wife and two adult daughters and never ran out. My current coach has a 10 gallon Suburan with a factory calrod and never runs out either. A demand water heater that would keep up would use all available power from the pole leaving little to none for you AC or other systems.
Try adding the calrod or consider upgrading to a 10 gallon heater with a calrod and run both at the same time when showering.
Currently I run the rod to keep the water hot and only turn on the gas when there will be back to back showers.
__________________
Neil V
2001 Winnebago Adventurer WFG35U
|
|
|
02-02-2015, 12:53 PM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 5,314
|
My experience with the hot rod is that it will get the water really hot. It just takes a longer time to get it there. Two navy showers are quite possible with a 6 gallon wh, and it is a good idea to turn on the propane during the time.
__________________
Tom
2016 Newmar Bay Star Sport 3004
2021 Jeep Gladiator Sport Willys
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|