Community Forums

Jchemie · 10-03-2022, 09:00 AM

When I start camp, I run mine on electric until the 10 gallon tank is up to heat then shut it off. It stays good for 1 shower for many hours later. I turn it on again when I use the shower or kitchen sink, off shortly after I’m done. It is always off while I’m away from camp (along with the water supply). I “exercise” the propane heater occasionally, or if both A/C units are running a lot on a hot day and I need hot water, just to ease the burden of electric power useage in my rig.

Sullivanclan · 10-03-2022, 02:37 PM

We only turn electric or propane on when needed. The more electric we waste the more they will increase camp fees and the more likely there could be a malfunction.

Cr8havoc · 10-03-2022, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Woody

For those of you with electric or dual source water heaters, do you leave the electric running all the time like a regular residential unit, or do you turn it on/off daily?

Just bought our first RV and discovered last night that ours is dual source. Thinking I'll leave it on electric throughout the day, then turn the LP on for showers to help with recovery time

We live in FL so the Electric Element is more than sufficient, and it is only turned on when needed (works quite fast). If we leave the coach for more than a few hours, I will shut off the water just in case.

Srwlasvegas · 10-03-2022, 05:33 PM

We leave ours on electric full time while on shore power. Once hthe water is heated it's easy to maintain temperature

Lantley · 10-03-2022, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jkjavelin

We have a 10 gallon water heater in our fifth wheel, and when on shore power we use electric only. We've taken back to back showers and have never run out of hot water. BUT, we use an Oxygenics showerhead.
JK

This^^^

ChadBounder · 10-03-2022, 07:59 PM

On and leave it on while plugged in. No reason to turn it off.

Atlee · 10-04-2022, 01:49 AM

I usually just heat water up to a temp I like when I take a shower. Then cut it off. This way, I don't waste cold water getting the water temp down to a useable temp for my body.

The Byrd · 10-04-2022, 06:47 AM

we turn the hot water on when we need it, usually after dinner for doing dishes and showering. It is on for about 2 hours. Maybe I am being ecologically minded, but why waste electricity or propane when it isn't necessary.

Alan_Hepburn · 10-04-2022, 09:58 AM

Question for those who advocate turning the water heater off: do you do the same thing at your home? I mean, if saving energy is the goal it seems that you should be doing it when you're not in your RV as well. So, do you turn off your house water heater when you aren't using hot water, and do you turn it off when you leave the house?

Mr.Woody · 10-04-2022, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan_Hepburn

Question for those who advocate turning the water heater off: do you do the same thing at your home? I mean, if saving energy is the goal it seems that you should be doing it when you're not in your RV as well. So, do you turn off your house water heater when you aren't using hot water, and do you turn it off when you leave the house?

It's a valid question, BUT... How many people have a simple and convenient on/off switch easily accessible for their water heaters at home? I have the feeling of people had an easy option to potentially save some dollars staring them in the face, they might use it. On the other hand, I think people would use it a few times, but turn it on and leave it on after the second or third cold start to the shower lol

The energy star ratings that show the annual cost of operation are very helpful in that regards, and I wish I knew what the rating would be for my 6-gallon heater in the RV.

Steve 716 · 10-04-2022, 02:45 PM

My diesel coach is all electric. Heat is produced by heat pump or alternatively by Aqua Hot. The Aqua Hot provides electric heat for water. We keep it on all of the time and have never had a problem. Shower water takes a minute or two to get hot but once there it stays hot for as long as needed. We have never noticed a hit on our campground electric bill.

Mongobird · 10-05-2022, 02:50 AM

So what is the energy cost for leaving the hot water heater on? In my parked rig, I left the 10 gallon hot water heater on, with no draw on it, and the temperature varied between 30 and 45°, and my week long power consumption for the hot water heater and the battery charger was 4.5 kW.

If I just run the battery charger, and systems on the rig that are not normally turned off, my draw for 4 weeks with colder temperatures averaged at 2.7 kW per week. So my assumption is that the hot water heater if left on 24/7, and colder temperatures, but not frigid, costs about 2 KW per week.

My testing was done in 2019, when the rig was new to me, and parked outside. It's now parked inside, and it would be harder to reproduce wind and the conditions of being out in the open. If anyone else has done any testing, the results would be interesting to compare.

Atlee · 10-05-2022, 04:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan_Hepburn

Question for those who advocate turning the water heater off: do you do the same thing at your home? I mean, if saving energy is the goal it seems that you should be doing it when you're not in your RV as well. So, do you turn off your house water heater when you aren't using hot water, and do you turn it off when you leave the house?

Of course not. For several reasons. 1) There is no convenient switch on the wall in the house to do so. 2) It takes a while to heat up a 50 gallon water heater at home. Takes minutes to heat up a 6 gallon RV water heater.

If I had a convenient indoor switch for the house water heater, I would cut it off when we go on extended RV trips.

DKRITTER · 10-05-2022, 07:02 AM

We kinda lean to the conservative side.

We usually leave ours on AC 1 if we are there, we generally turn our WH off if we leave or go to bed. If it's warm out AC 2 works fine for showers if it's cold we need to add the diesel burner to keep the water hot enough for showers.