Water heater - Always on or only when needed? - Page 2

gickes · 10-01-2016, 01:16 PM

leave the water on it will only run when needed

brewjaz · 10-01-2016, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cigarman

Same here. I turn it on and leave it on. I like the convenience and would probably forget to turn it on until right before I needed it.

X2

Thanks for asking the question, cuz I did wonder what others thought was best.

Ian Walker · 10-01-2016, 04:15 PM

We have a 2012 Rockwood MiniLite #2304. When we're on shore
power the hot water tank is on all the time on electric. However
after about 4 or 5 days I've noticed there will be no hot water.
Have to turn the switch off, wait 10 seconds & turn it back on &
away it goes.

mtnlvr · 10-01-2016, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dukeboone

If I'm on hookups I leave the water heater on (unless I turn the water supply off, which I do when I leave for an extended period). If I'm dry camping I leave the water heater off until I need it, it seems to heat really fast on propane, and I really don't need it to maintain the hot water all day long.

X2

kantonburg · 10-02-2016, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

Zowie... Another item to add to my list of RV subjects that folks over think

We never turned ours off when we had a tank, and we always ran propane and electric at the same time. Now we have tankless, non-issue😁

I always left mine on. I was just curious if I wasn't supposed to as I hadn't heard or read anything about it. There have been a few things I was surprised to find out.

OldCoot · 10-02-2016, 07:38 AM

When we camp, it is always on. When we get home from a trip, the wh is turned off, anode removed/re taped and loosely installed to keep varmints out and pressure relief valve is opened to drain. Been doing it like this for years with no problems.

CedarCreekWoody · 10-02-2016, 08:14 AM

I was going to say that I do the same as the old man but then it occured to me that I AM the old man!

Since mine is propane only I keep it off until needed.

donniedu · 10-02-2016, 08:52 AM

I figure 11 years is good life from the water heater. Yea, i just replaced mine after 11 years. When I have had it on gas, once hot it only comes on maybe 4 times a day for a few minutes to maintain water temps. Guess Im used to being at home with plentymof hot water.

itat · 10-02-2016, 09:03 AM

I've been experimenting with turning it off if we leave for the day on an excursion and when we go to bed at night. I've found that our tank is well insulated and the water stays reasonably warm if the heater is off for 8 hours. Not hot, but more than room temp. So I really don't think it uses much propane if you leave it on without a water demand.

timfromma · 10-02-2016, 09:07 AM

When I first bought my camper, I took it on a 1400 mile drive to Orlando. I left the water heater on propane the entire drive down and it emptied one of my propane tanks. Ever since, I leave it off until about 15 minutes before I want hot water.

rockfordroo · 10-02-2016, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timfromma

When I first bought my camper, I took it on a 1400 mile drive to Orlando. I left the water heater on propane the entire drive down and it emptied one of my propane tanks. Ever since, I leave it off until about 15 minutes before I want hot water.

That's one heck of a lot of propane. Are you sure the tank was actually full when you left?

NMWildcat · 10-02-2016, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timfromma

When I first bought my camper, I took it on a 1400 mile drive to Orlando. I left the water heater on propane the entire drive down and it emptied one of my propane tanks. Ever since, I leave it off until about 15 minutes before I want hot water.

I am fairly sure posters are talking about turning WH on/off once you are set up at a campground. I don't know of anyone that travels with a TT or 5'r and has the WH turned on while on the road.

NMWildcat · 10-02-2016, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

Zowie... Another item to add to my list of RV subjects that folks over think

We never turned ours off when we had a tank, and we always ran propane and electric at the same time. Now we have tankless, non-issue😁

After thinking about this more, one of our first 5'rs had an exceptionally loud WH that was close to the bedroom. We did turn that one off at night so it wouldn't wake us up every time it kicked on. OP, I'm sure after using your rig for awhile you will decide what works best for you when it comes to managing your hot water

timfromma · 10-02-2016, 09:34 AM

I was new to the whole RV things so I will chock this up as a newbie mistake.

Now that you mention it, I doubt the tank was full. This was our first trip with it after bringing it home from the dealer so I have no way of knowing just how much was in there at the time.

Wolverine 1945 · 10-02-2016, 09:47 AM

We run ours only on ele now that we are camping in State Parks,,, we turn it on about an hour before we need it,,, and off the evening before we leave,,, it is still pretty hot in the morning !!! We do not use any more propane that we have to,,, we use a hot plate so that we do not use the stove unless we have to,,, all meat is cooked on our little grill !!! Which does mean we must buy small tanks from time to time !!!

spock123 · 10-02-2016, 09:55 AM

Yea we hardly ever use the stove, I cook outside. The hot water heater and the furnace in winter. We hardly ever turn our propane hot water on. We use campground electric for hot water

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Wolverine 1945 · 10-02-2016, 10:03 AM

Years ago we camped with friends in a park where they had shares,,, we only use ele,,, it was like free,,, we even used ele grills & ele fry pans outside !!!

jcrayford · 10-02-2016, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolverine 1945

We run ours only on ele now that we are camping in State Parks,,, we turn it on about an hour before we need it,,, and off the evening before we leave,,, it is still pretty hot in the morning !!! We do not use any more propane that we have to,,, we use a hot plate so that we do not use the stove unless we have to,,, all meat is cooked on our little grill !!! Which does mean we must buy small tanks from time to time !!!

not to derail, but being in the US, you have the option to refill those small tanks from a 20 pound tank with an adapter (I purchased mine from Cabelas). I can refill for pennies, as opposed to buying new small green bottles for a couple of dollars. And every year, I will recycle my small green bottles and replace them with new ones that someone else just bought for the weekend trip....

Back to the OP's question though, if plugged into the campground power, the WH is on all the time. If dry camping, it depends on how much hot water we need. Can usually heat enough water for dishes on my Coleman stove while enjoying a beer and save on propane..... Although the Coleman fuel isn't getting any cheaper either.... Still looking for a cheaper alternative to that...

J.

OldCoot · 10-02-2016, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

I am fairly sure posters are talking about turning WH on/off once you are set up at a campground. I don't know of anyone that travels with a TT or 5'r and has the WH turned on while on the road.

I fill my water lines/water heater and put about 5-10 gal in fw tank, turn on frig and water heater before we leave for FL in Nov and it doesn't get turned off until we get home in late Feb, early Mar. It is on while on the road the entire trip to and from.

awellis3 · 10-02-2016, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raspivey

I used to think that until I realized it was using more propane to heat it up between uses than just letting it maintain the heat.

I wondered the same thing. How did you "realize" that? What measurement or comparison led you to that conclusion? You can save me some time (and propane) if you figured this out with some measurements.

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