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Old 11-21-2017, 12:29 AM   #1
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How long does your hot water heater last shower (minutes)?

Ok i have a 6gal hot water heater i think it can supply 18gal on electric+propane? I know it has a quick recovery. But when showering is when its needed the most.

Anyway i guess since me and my girlfriend takes different length of showers it got cold on her with in 6min or so. That was on electric only. So i kicked it on propane and still no change. I don’t recall using the hot water prior to.

I never had this problem since i run electric only and 99% of the time is 5min. And I know it works.
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Old 11-21-2017, 12:55 AM   #2
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I had this exact same issue. I posted on here too. Although I haven’t been back out in my trailer since posting to try out what responses I got.

Most of the responses I got said to make sure the bypass valve on the water heater is off all the way so the water isn’t blending. It’ll be a couple weeks before my next trip to see if that was the cause. I was getting 4-5 minutes at best in my shower.
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Old 11-21-2017, 01:59 AM   #3
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I get about 4-5 mins as well. I have the 6 gal water heater. I added the electric element which I leave on all the time since I am full timing it. I embraced the "combat shower" technique to get the most out of it.

I will take a look at that bypass valve in the morning.
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Old 11-21-2017, 02:23 AM   #4
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Another place you will want to check is the outside shower if you have one. If the valves are open and the wand valve is closed it will cause blending of hot and cold just like if your bypass valve is open.
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Old 11-21-2017, 04:32 AM   #5
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There was a Government research study on "Water usage while Showering" this was a Long Term High Dollar study under Strict Controlled conditions! The final documented outcome was "People with Hair use more Water"! Youroo!!
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Old 11-21-2017, 04:34 AM   #6
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How long does your hot water heater last shower (minutes)?

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Originally Posted by Chris Allen View Post
I had this exact same issue. I posted on here too. Although I haven’t been back out in my trailer since posting to try out what responses I got.

Most of the responses I got said to make sure the bypass valve on the water heater is off all the way so the water isn’t blending. It’ll be a couple weeks before my next trip to see if that was the cause. I was getting 4-5 minutes at best in my shower.


I had that problem when I first got it no bypass if I remember right. Simple 2 valve system

But now its seeing how long i can keep hot water going before it gets cold, just to keep her happy, when she is over. I am hoping turning the propane on prior to, will help out tremendously.
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Old 11-21-2017, 06:12 AM   #7
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You only have a 6 gallon water heater...

We do "navy" style showers where you shut the shower head off while soaping up. We can take two showers back to back and not run out of hot water.

Home systems typically have 40 gallons or larger. Some have continuous water heaters. Check the bypass valves and the outside shower, but I suspect you may have to change your showering method.

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Old 11-21-2017, 07:37 AM   #8
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You only have a 6 gallon water heater...

We do "navy" style showers where you shut the shower head off while soaping up. We can take two showers back to back and not run out of hot water.

Aaron
X2

Turn shower head off while soaping up. Turn it on again when ready to rinse. Don't just let it run continuously.
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Old 11-21-2017, 08:21 AM   #9
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X2

Turn shower head off while soaping up. Turn it on again when ready to rinse. Don't just let it run continuously.
Correctomundo!
Exactly what wifey and I do; daughter hates the idea, so she always goes to the bathhouse.
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Old 11-21-2017, 08:23 AM   #10
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Ok I have a fifth wheel but I can’t remember the brand hot water heater maybe suburban, however I do have electric and gas so what I have done is; always keep electric hot water element on and just right before you get in the shower turn on the gas switch and you can pretty much shower as long as you need. If it is colder outside you can insulate the garden hose with nerf tubes from swimming pools. My tank is a 10 gallon but to me it’s no different than a quick recovery 6.. my wife does have long hair and the first time out I was good and she ran out of hot water. Later I found out the gas solenoid was not getting the 12 volt trigger voltage needed to open the gas valve. Once fixed it works like a charm.

Hot water is hot from electric and as soon as the cold is introduced the gas side kicks on and that’s all once your done showering simply turn the switch off.
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Old 11-21-2017, 08:29 AM   #11
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Quote:
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Ok i have a 6gal hot water heater i think it can supply 18gal on electric+propane? I know it has a quick recovery.
Tex, where did you find the 18 gallon figure? I'd like to study that a little more.
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Old 11-21-2017, 08:30 AM   #12
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As mentioned- turn on both LP and electric when showering.
My surburban WH has a sticker that says what the recovery time is for electric and LP and combined. Combined the recovery is 1/3 the time as electric alone.
So turn on that LP if you want a much quicker recovery!

If it's warm weather and the incoming cold is not so cold you probably won't run out of HW.
If it's colder outside and the incoming is cold then you may need to take Navy showers. We can take back to back navy showers and not run out even when it's 33 outside. We do place a small electric heater on the floor near the bathroom door to add extra warmth to the room. This helps so your wife won't feel as cold during those times the water is off while lathering...
Good luck.
Remember- it's all part of the adventure!
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Old 11-21-2017, 08:53 AM   #13
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It is what it is, however, going to an Oxygenics shower head will give the impression that you've picked up pressure and you can go to a lower volume setting on the faucet. I switched out my faucet as well to a single handle style (Dura Faucet from Amazon) that allows me to get the temp and lower flow rate dialed in pretty quickly. If you are on the potable tank it really stretches your water supply out and hence your hot water.
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Old 11-21-2017, 08:58 AM   #14
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We only use LP when boondocking. I don't see the need to use my LP when I'm paying for electric. We find that if we space out our showers by 15 - 20min, we never run out of HW.
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Old 11-21-2017, 11:33 AM   #15
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Reading this thread reminds me how glad I am to have a perfectly functioning on demand water heater. After 10 days of Navy showers while boondocking, we went to full hookup park and we both luxuriated in a 20 minute, hot shower. Now if we could just find a rig with a shower big enough for two!
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Old 11-21-2017, 01:43 PM   #16
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Tex, where did you find the 18 gallon figure? I'd like to study that a little more.


I am honestly not sure where I found that information. I do remember dealership had 18gal so i done some looking and its part of the quick recovery feature?
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Old 11-21-2017, 01:48 PM   #17
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Reading this thread reminds me how glad I am to have a perfectly functioning on demand water heater. After 10 days of Navy showers while boondocking, we went to full hookup park and we both luxuriated in a 20 minute, hot shower. Now if we could just find a rig with a shower big enough for two!
Lucky dog... still on the honeymoon, eh?
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Old 11-21-2017, 01:51 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by wahoonc View Post
You only have a 6 gallon water heater...

We do "navy" style showers where you shut the shower head off while soaping up. We can take two showers back to back and not run out of hot water.

Home systems typically have 40 gallons or larger. Some have continuous water heaters. Check the bypass valves and the outside shower, but I suspect you may have to change your showering method.

Aaron
X3
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Old 11-21-2017, 01:56 PM   #19
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Navy Shower

I have sometimes wondered at the disconnect here when discussing showers in an RV. A simple fact of life in most factors in RV living is that this is simply NOT your stick home. You can't leave the lights on and the heater running 24/7, and you can't luxuriate in the shower for 15 minutes. Continuous hot water doesn't mean a continuous supply or an infinite grey tank.
Beds are different, steps are different, space is different, storage is different, and the water heater is different, and so is the waste container. Not only do you have a limit on hot water, that is far less than at home, you also have a limit of how much water you can dump into your grey tank.
Adjustments to these factors are a fact of life. I can get a great shower without running the water continuously, and do so. So does my wife. We can take showers one right after the other, and never run out of hot water.
My goal is proper sanitation, and infrequent trips to the dump station.
Not that difficult.
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Old 11-21-2017, 02:04 PM   #20
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I have sometimes wondered at the disconnect here when discussing showers in an RV. A simple fact of life in most factors in RV living is that this is simply NOT your stick home. You can't leave the lights on and the heater running 24/7, and you can't luxuriate in the shower for 15 minutes. Continuous hot water doesn't mean a continuous supply or an infinite grey tank.
Beds are different, steps are different, space is different, storage is different, and the water heater is different, and so is the waste container. Not only do you have a limit on hot water, that is far less than at home, you also have a limit of how much water you can dump into your grey tank.
No disconnect at all. Some folks are talking about no/partial hookups (like you), and others are talking about full hookups. My rig in a FH site provides comfort exactly like my stick house. I just have to refill propane more often
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