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Old 10-17-2015, 08:57 AM   #21
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This "discussion" lost me at 'dry docking (off the grid)'.
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Old 10-17-2015, 12:09 PM   #22
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For me at least, conserving propane is not so much about saving money as it is about avoiding the hassle of removing and refilling the 30# tanks.

This was our first year with our new to us TT and we went through just a bit more than one 30# tank of propane using it for cooking, the WH, the fridge and the furnace. I leave the WH on overnight most of the time but I've experimented with turning it off. It didn't take long to re-heat the water in the morning - maybe 5 minutes.

We always have electric sites so most of our propane conservation comes from using shore power for the fridge and an electric ceramic heater rather than the furnace. The ceramic heater is quieter than the furnace, too.
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Old 10-17-2015, 12:13 PM   #23
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One trick we use when dry camping is to fill the tea kettle from the kitchen hat water faucet just before taking our showers, as that uses just enough of the water from the hot water line to bring hot water to the shower from the water heater, thus saving water.
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Old 10-17-2015, 12:43 PM   #24
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If your using gas and are camped near another rig be courteous and turn it off at night. Water heaters on propane are very noisy, more so for your neighbors than inside your rig.
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Old 10-17-2015, 02:08 PM   #25
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If your using gas and are camped near another rig be courteous and turn it off at night. Water heaters on propane are very noisy, more so for your neighbors than inside your rig.

No kidding on the noise- our neighbor in Colorado Springs had the noisiest water heater I've ever heard. And, with the way their camper was and the site layout (they had the campers back to back), it was right outside of our bedroom slide.
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Old 10-17-2015, 02:10 PM   #26
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$30 a tank? I live in Canada and we pay double for everything and I pay only $18 for 30 lbs at Costco. I would say you are getting a bad deal for propane.

I was excited to pay just $27 one time. I was so surprised, I had the guy double-check that he was charging me correctly. Other than that, it's been significantly more expensive.
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Old 10-17-2015, 02:21 PM   #27
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This "discussion" lost me at 'dry docking (off the grid)'.
Sorry there we dont call it boondocking in New Zealand we call it, Off The Grid, or Freedom Camping.
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Old 10-17-2015, 03:27 PM   #28
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I guess I am stupid. First...what is dry camping? I will admit. I am spoiled. I want electric and water. I am also VERY conservative. I just assumed you should turn it off when not using it. I will tell you that we are different. That would be for a different topic.


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Generally, on most RV forums I belong to:

Dry camping- camping in campground with no hookups(like 99% of California State Parks)

Boondocking- camping in areas with no developed campsites, such as US Forests, deserts, Walmart, rest stops, truck stops or BLM land.

Our WH is right next to our bed, so we turn it off at night, so we don't get woke up when it fires up.
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Old 10-17-2015, 06:09 PM   #29
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We are dry docking (off the grid), does anyone know if it uses more gas to heat water from scratch or keep it hot all night.
Suburban Water Heater. 6 Gallon (22.6L)
Since you are dry camping possibly -- leaving it on uses a little more of your battery reserve ?

When dry camping I keep everything that I can in the off position.

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Old 10-17-2015, 06:17 PM   #30
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Sorry there we dont call it boondocking in New Zealand we call it, Off The Grid, or Freedom Camping.
Oh, I wasn't referred to your terminology. I don't plan to camp off the grid on any continent! We love us some water and electricity hook-ups!
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Old 10-17-2015, 06:35 PM   #31
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I was excited to pay just $27 one time. I was so surprised, I had the guy double-check that he was charging me correctly. Other than that, it's been significantly more expensive.
Yikes where you getting propane? I only pay about $13 for a 30 # tank. Prices have gone down sounds like a rip off. Later RJD
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Old 10-17-2015, 06:57 PM   #32
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Yikes where you getting propane? I only pay about $13 for a 30 # tank. Prices have gone down sounds like a rip off. Later RJD

Pretty well everywhere I've ever filled up- MD, VA, PA, and most recently in CO. CO was $30 and change.
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Old 10-17-2015, 08:10 PM   #33
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Pretty well everywhere I've ever filled up- MD, VA, PA, and most recently in CO. CO was $30 and change.
We are close enough to a Costco outlet in SW Ontario to justify a membership and propane fill ups with our regular shopping trips. Their prices are by far the best, and their automotive gas is at least 4¢ / l cheaper than the competition and usually more. Back to the water heater- shut off or leave running? I found that the types which use a pilot light keep the water warm without noisy firing overnight. Now that we have electronic ignition, I know it fires at least twice overnight. It doesn't bother our neighbours, and I don't have to remember in the morning. I doubt that the cost difference whether a saving or added expense is enough to worry about. We use our unit on average 3 nights a week from early May to Mid Oct, and we have used one 30# tank, plus what was left in the other when we bought the unit this spring. Not too bad at all. We have an electric HW capability but our hydro is metered at our park, and I think propane is more economical at our rates.

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Old 10-17-2015, 09:41 PM   #34
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If it is still hot in the morning, why turn it off?
if still hot in the morning and it is off, then gas and/or electric has been saved -- not sure I understand your question --
for our 6 gallon suburban, it takes about 6 or 7 minutes to heat the water fully on gas, and it's then good for at least 8 - 9 hours of hot water after we've turned it off --
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Old 10-17-2015, 09:44 PM   #35
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Good point, OC. A few people had mentioned doing it to save energy so I started doing so. I had been thinking that if its still hot in the am then why leave it on all night. When I do restart it in the morning it doesn't take long to shut back off.


My hot water heater is under bunk where my son sleeps so I turn it off at night. Paranoia....
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Old 10-17-2015, 10:50 PM   #36
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We start heater just before showers otherwise it is off until full hot is only warm. It takes very little time to heat up for discontinuous usage. And yes showers could be discontinuous usage but I seldom dry camp and don't want any inheritance remaining. Seems like cost of warm showers are trifles at this age. In fact I don't remember them ever entering luxury class even when I enjoyed? tent camping.
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Old 10-18-2015, 05:39 PM   #37
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mountainmanbob,
How much electricity, 12 volt usage during boon docking/dry camping or off the grid camping, would one use to heat water with propane?
Except for the electronic spark for ignition what power is needed while heating on propane?
Talk about penny pinching.
Maybe RamblerGuy can give us the mathematical equation for that one?
This on or off heater discussion is like diesel vs gasser or Chevy vs Ford debate.
Really cracks me up.
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Old 10-18-2015, 05:48 PM   #38
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I'm with LandJ on this topic......spending thousands on your rig, gas/diesel, insurance, camping fees etc, and some are concerned about a couple of dollars of propane. Doesn't make sense to me.....besides, the first time there is no hot water, the DW goes insane!
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Old 10-18-2015, 06:02 PM   #39
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I still fail to see the need to shut it off. With CRS, I'd forget to turn it back on and end up getting another tongue lashing.
We are evening shower people, particularly when camping. All we need hot water for in the morning is to do the dishes after breakfast and we find the water warm enough even if we forget to turn it on. Something about making coffee reminds me to turn the WH on.

So as Coot says, depends on how good your memory is.

The only other issue is does the WH wake you up in the middle of the night when it cycles?
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Old 10-18-2015, 07:20 PM   #40
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mountainmanbob,
How much electricity, 12 volt usage during boon docking/dry camping or off the grid camping, would one use to heat water with propane?
Except for the electronic spark for ignition what power is needed while heating on propane?
Talk about penny pinching.
Maybe RamblerGuy can give us the mathematical equation for that one?
This on or off heater discussion is like diesel vs gasser or Chevy vs Ford debate.
Really cracks me up.
Sorry, but I have no information on the 12 volt amps that the water heater uses. I'll measure it the next time I have our Sunseeker out of storage. I'm curious, too.
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