Having run out of gas to power the water heater during my shower this morning, it got me wondering about using electricity for the water heater. Bring brand new at all this we haven't even considered it. Does it work as well as gas? Better? Any gotchas to consider?
I've never had a problem with either of the campers I've had. My old '08 Roo 23SS and now the '14 Flagstaff 27BESS - flip the switch "on" and it doesn't take long for the water to be hot - I've received no complaints in the years we've used used the water heater on electricity.
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So long as the water is full before you turn it on, you'll be OK. If not, you'll burn up the element in a minute or less. I don't believe it will recover as fast with just electric vs just gas. If you run both, it will recover very quickly. Using THEIR electric (which you've paid for already) will save you from using YOUR gas.
Propane heats quicker than the electric side.
Since we rarely have electric, we're used to using the propane.
Don't know what you're doing to go through that much propane so fast.
We don't even use one tank through the whole camping season.
Either you're wasting a lot of it or you have a propane issue.
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The gotcha is you may have to watch what you have turned on at the same time the heater element is on. It takes 12 amps on a typical suburban 1440 watt heating element. If on 30 amp power outlets you may need to be choosy at what all you have on at the same time to keep from tripping circuit breakers.
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Propane heats quicker than the electric side.
Since we rarely have electric, we're used to using the propane.
Don't know what you're doing to go through that much propane so fast.
We don't even use one tank through the whole camping season.
Either you're wasting a lot of it or you have a propane issue.
I was surprised as well. We've only used it for four nights now. (3 were separate practice nights at a local state park.). Full hookups. Heater when necessary. Boiled water a couple of times for coffee. Heated the water a half dozen times. (We did have the furnace running last night set at 60'when it was in the 50's outside.) That was all using the same, single tank. But then it seemed to stopped this morning. When I checked the tanks all four quadrants in the meter were showing red. I shut that tank off, opened the one tank and all quadrants on the meter went green. So I am assuming my first tank is empty.
drhroo, did you have the tanks filled yourself or are you assuming the dealer filled them up for you?
also, we turn the WH off when we leave the campsite or when we aren't going to need it, like overnight. leaving it on while gone is a waste of propane.
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Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
So long as the water is full before you turn it on, you'll be OK. If not, you'll burn up the element in a minute or less. I don't believe it will recover as fast with just electric vs just gas. If you run both, it will recover very quickly. Using THEIR electric (which you've paid for already) will save you from using YOUR gas.
+1 This is how we do it. We have elec hookups most of the time and part of my setup ritual is to purge air from the water heater and turn on the electric heating element. It stays on until we are packing up to head home. I will turn on the propane heater when people are showering because as others have said, it helps the heater to keep up better.
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The gotcha is you may have to watch what you have turned on at the same time the heater element is on. It takes 12 amps on a typical suburban 1440 watt heating element. If on 30 amp power outlets you may need to be choosy at what all you have on at the same time to keep from tripping circuit breakers.
If you have 30 amp service you probably also have a separate 15/20 amp outlet at the pedestal with its own breaker. I run the water heater on this 20 AMP outlet with a 12 GA Extension cord.
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Les & Heidi Kramer
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Olmsted Township, OH
If you have 30 amp service you probably also have a separate 15/20 amp outlet at the pedestal with its own breaker. I run the water heater on this 20 AMP outlet with a 12 GA Extension cord.
How do you do that? From the factory, is the water heater hard wired or is there a plug in the back behind the access panel?
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__________________ I live with fear every day, and sometimes she lets me go fishing.
Are your tanks 20 or 30# bottles. Leaving the hot water heater on when not in use will waste gas also. Heater will take a bunch. 20# will not last long. As mentioned we never have run a 30# tank emty during a camping season unless we need a lot of heat in cooler temp. Later RJD
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How do you do that? From the factory, is the water heater hard wired or is there a plug in the back behind the access panel?
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In my unit the water heater is plugged into a regular outlet with a 15 amp breaker. I just unplug from the outlet and plug into the extension cord. The water heater is just inside the rear access hatch so it is easy to get to.
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Les & Heidi Kramer
2021 Jayco Melbourne 24L
Olmsted Township, OH
My suspicion is that first tank wasn't full to start with. Our first tank quit this year after 22 nights of camping, only 3 (first trip) of which were on electric sites. This is a 20 lb'r. Last trip was in the Adirondacks w/ night temps in lower 50's and days in the 80's. Plenty of use of furnace, water tank and stove/oven, not to mention the fridge. Had visitors - lots of showers.
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I installed a switch with pilot light in my bathroom so I can turn the electric heater on and off without going outside to the water heater. Allows me turn it off if I decide to run something that pulls a lot of amps.
First pic is the new electric box. (You have to replace the old one because there is now place to run a new wire into the box and because the outlet doesn't have screws, it uses metal slots that pierces the wire's insulation when you close it up.)
Second pic is the hole for the new switch box under the bathroom sink.
Third pic shows the switch box installed.
Fourth pic shows the final installation
Last is the wiring diagram and Menards part #. (I had to order it on-line to get it in brown.)
OK. We're going to try the electricity approach and see how that works.
It is only the two of us and we don't use a lot of hot water.
We only turn on the water for the 15 mins or so to heat up the water and take two quick showers. Then once more in the evening to wash dishes. The rest of the time it is off.
bikendan - we were told by the dealer that they had filled the tanks and they showed "all green" on the gauge. BTW, our gauge is one that has 4 quadrants which are either green or red. I do need to learn about the selector switch. I had forgotten about that. I was just turning on/off the left tank and hadn't not even turned on the right tank until yesterday.
We normally use electric only with the exception of very cold weather or more than the two of us that want to take back to back showers at which time I turn on both gas and electric.
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If you have 30 amp service you probably also have a separate 15/20 amp outlet at the pedestal with its own breaker. I run the water heater on this 20 AMP outlet with a 12 GA Extension cord.
So I like that, because the converter, AC and WH together are a full load, but does it then mean that you have a hatch open to run the separate cord.
Also if I used a tank up that fast, I would suspect that is was not really full to begin with, but I would still be doing a lot of propane sniffing and checking connections with soapy water for leaks, AND never leave anything propane running when you are away unless just the Frig because you are not on hook up... Better safe than BLOWN UP is one of my motto's.
It is only the two of us and we don't use a lot of hot water.
We only turn on the water for the 15 mins or so to heat up the water and take two quick showers. Then once more in the evening to wash dishes. The rest of the time it is off.
bikendan - we were told by the dealer that they had filled the tanks and they showed "all green" on the gauge.
There are also only two of us and we do the same as you are doing.
NEVER assume the dealer did what they said they did.
I have read of many newbies who later found that the tanks were NOT full when they left with their new rig.
Never seen a gauge like what you're talking about.
Can you post a pic of it.
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Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
2011 Flagstaff 831 RLBSS
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