Hot water heater

[Jfb117]

Can someone explain hot water heaters to me? We have a 2020 Rockwood 2912BS and the hot water will not last the length of a shower about half way through we het cold water.
Took it to Chesaco in Hamburg PA I thought when you had the gas and electric on they worked together to produce hot water. With both on it keeps the water hot so you will have enough hot water for a shower. I was just told by a technician that they work independent and only one element will work at a time.... Thoughts.

[5er_tom]

You can run both at the same time, but it is not necessary. We runs ours on electric almost 100% of the time. If you are in a hurry for hot water when you get to your destination you can run both as propane will heat the water faster. It will not hurt the water heater to run both, it just uses your propane rather than the CG electric.

[EdJunior]

Tom has it about right. If you only have a 6 gallon water heater, that's not much water. You need to learn how to take "spit showers". Well, maybe not truly a spit shower, but a conservative shower. Get wet, turn the water off and soap up. Turn the water back on to rinse then off. Water on for the shampoo, then water off. Then water on to rinse. This will help immensely, and will also not fill up your gray tank so fast.

[Chris Pastuzyn]

Welcome from New Jersey, I believe the term is Navy shower! With a 6gal heater and depending how cold the incoming water is will also play in on how fast the heater will recover.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Jfb117

Can someone explain hot water heaters to me? We have a 2020 Rockwood 2912BS and the hot water will not last the length of a shower about half way through we het cold water.
Took it to Chesaco in Hamburg PA I thought when you had the gas and electric on they worked together to produce hot water. With both on it keeps the water hot so you will have enough hot water for a shower. I was just told by a technician that they work independent and only one element will work at a time.... Thoughts.

Is this your first RV? If so, Navy showers are necessary for the hot water to last. That's why the shower head has a on-off switch.
Next, if that technician said that, I wouldn't trust anything else they said. Most in the RV Community are well aware that you can run both electric side and propane side for faster recovery time.

[cboss]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Is this your first RV? If so, Navy showers are necessary for the hot water to last. That's why the shower head has a on-off switch.
Next, if that technician said that, I wouldn't trust anything else they said. Most in the RV Community are well aware that you can run both electric side and propane side for faster recovery time.

X2

My wife and I can do dishes.
Wait about a half hour, she can shower.
Wait another half hour, I can shower.
We do take "Navy Showers" although I'm Army.
In the past five years we have never run out of hot water.
We normally only use the electric option, rarely have both gas and electric on at the same time.

[5er_tom]

We have a 10 gallon water heater and on electric DW and I can take our showers right after each other and have lots of hot water.

[Apsaunders]

We have the 2608BS with the small water heater. At first we found that when the tank is on electric, the water would get cold about halfway through the shower.

Now we leave the electric on all the time, but when we take showers, we also turn on the gas. Recovery is continuous. No Navy showers here. I can let the shower run as long as I want. I've never run out of hot water.

Until reading this thread, I did not know when both the electric and gas was on, the gas over-rides the electric. I assumed both were on.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by Apsaunders

Until reading this thread, I did not know when both the electric and gas was on, the gas over-rides the electric.

It doesn't. The OP was misinformed. When they are both on, and the water temp in the tank falls below a certain temp, then both the electric element and the gas fire are operating to heat the water at the same time.


As per the Suburban water heaters website:


https://www.airxcel.com/rv/suburban/...n-gas-electric



Direct Spark Ignition and Electric Element

Take advantage of campground or generator power to heat your water with the 1440 WATT Incoloy electric element. The Incoloy electric element provides a recovery rate of 6.1 gallons per hour. For a Faster RECOVERY rate of 16.2 gallons per hour, use both gas and electric simultaneously.

[johnniec]

Jfb117
One thing that you need to look at is the position of your water heater bypass valve. If it's not all the way to the full flow ( summer position) you will experience the scenario you have described.
JohnnieC

[eye95]

Originally Posted by Apsaunders

We have the 2608BS with the small water heater. At first we found that when the tank is on electric, the water would get cold about halfway through the shower.

Now we leave the electric on all the time, but when we take showers, we also turn on the gas. Recovery is continuous. No Navy showers here. I can let the shower run as long as I want. I've never run out of hot water.

Until reading this thread, I did not know when both the electric and gas was on, the gas over-rides the electric. I assumed both were on.

As stated earlier, both operate at the same time, providing faster recovery.

Unless you are hooked up to sewer, long showers will fill your gray tank. This retired airman recommends *shudder* navy showers—even with an unlimited supply of hot water.

[kenandterry]

Originally Posted by Jfb117

Can someone explain hot water heaters to me? We have a 2020 Rockwood 2912BS and the hot water will not last the length of a shower about half way through we het cold water.
Took it to Chesaco in Hamburg PA I thought when you had the gas and electric on they worked together to produce hot water. With both on it keeps the water hot so you will have enough hot water for a shower. I was just told by a technician that they work independent and only one element will work at a time.... Thoughts.

Just for the record.....our motorhome has a gas and electric 6 gallon water heater, and I had an enjoyable shower last night, heated by only the electric element, as we’re camping with electricity, why use MY propane?
I didn’t time my shower, but it was over 5 minutes long and I didn’t run out of hot water. How long a shower were you hoping for?

Secondly.....your technician that told you only one element will work at a time should find another job that he understands. He doesn’t really understand your rig.

Just sayin’.

[Thomas ho]

put a new elect. element. they can get half burned up. 10.00 fix.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by Thomas ho

put a new elect. element. they can get half burned up. 10.00 fix.

Do what?
What problem are you addressing?
Are you talking about the anode rod which does not heat water?
Have you seen an electric element (loop) that was half burned up?

[BriaBeck]

Another thing you can do to help is take cooler showers...


The first time we got into a full hookup site, I took advantage of the opportunity to push the limits of the water heater. Temp set to what was comfortable for me. I tried to run out of hot water. Couldn't do it. Filled up the grey tank first. Our WH is 6 gal gas only. Oxygenics RV Body Spa 2gpm shower head. Mind you that was in the 95° heat of summer. Might not obtain the same results in cooler weather such as early spring or late fall.

[KKonyha]

I replaced our thermostat with a 10 degree hotter one. That also will extend shower life. I like long hot showers so I was happy with the purchase. Most of the time, we leave the heater on electric only but will switch to both to take back-to-back showers.