Water heater question


Do the full timers upgrade their water heater? The 5th wheels I've been looking at top out around 12 gallons. Is it worth getting a continuous water heater installed before we head out?

We've never used our water heater much, so I don't have a feel for the recovery time. But 6 gallons doesn't seem like much.
 

Grandview Trailer Sa

Senior Member
Re: Water heater question

To my knowledge, 12 gallons is the largest RV water heater made, except maybe in a Park Model. You can do good with one. My trailer has a 10 gallon and in the last year and a half, we have not run out of hot water.
 

Kirk

Senior Member
Re: Water heater question

The water heaters in RVs have a much higher recovery rate than do the house type. One of the advantages of the smaller volume is the fact that it heats up much more quickly. We have been fulltime now for ten years with a 6 gallon water heater and we rarely run out. The one thing that RV water heaters won't do is to fill a bath tub. But we can take a fairly long shower. One of the reasons is that the RV water heater is usually set to 140 degrees, while most house type water heaters are set to operate to about 100.

The vast majority of fulltimers have either 6 or 10 gallon water heaters. There are a few who do have the tank-less type which only heat when water is demanded. But they are very expensive when designed for an RV and thus far not many are in use.
 

C Nash

Senior Member
Re: Water heater question

We have the 10 gallon and hot water has never been a problem for the two of us
 

LEN

Senior Member
Re: Water heater question

A little trick is to turn on the gas and electric at the same time and you should never run out. Watch out though the RV water heaters are at a higher temp. than house hold ones and can cook yer tush in short order.

LEN
 

C Nash

Senior Member
Re: Water heater question

Very seldow even have to turn on the gas on ours but its just the 2 of us
 

Grandview Trailer Sa

Senior Member
Re: Water heater question

An RV water heater will recover faster on gas. Everyone says "use the campground elec." but the water heater does not use that much gas, it just sounds like it does.

The LP side and Elec. side are 2 separate components, and yes, they can be run separately or at the same time. They have their own thermostats and each operate when called for.
 

C Nash

Senior Member
Re: Water heater question

Well Ken you are correct on the noise. Mine sounds like the shuttle blasting off :laugh: Did adjust the air and quitened it down some. You are right it will recover quicker on gas but if I turn on the electric unit when we plug up its hot when we need it
 

utmtman

Senior Member
Re: Water heater question

Hey Len is that a good thing to do? We used to do that until our board went out last year in Bouse, Az and they said that having both gas and electric on at the same time is what knocked the board out.
 

C Nash

Senior Member
Re: Water heater question

I have used mine on both and so far no problem. Would think the owner manual would warn against this if it was a problem and I have read mine and it doesen't tell not to use both together.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Re: Water heater question

mine is all gas ,, but have thought about installing one of those Hot Rod thingys ,, but said to self "why" we only use the water heater for doing dishes ,, :) :eek:
 

H2H1

Senior Member
Re: Water heater question

I have both also, and we use it on electric when in a park, but when out boon docking we use the gas as it heats up quicker....And since rod does not use his shower we can under stand why he use only gas. I know he showered but in the showers at the park,, now when he is boon docking well, we just don't what he does or doesn't do. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: sorry Rod just having fun here with you. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(
 

utmtman

Senior Member
Re: Water heater question

Thanks for that info. I might try it again but after getting our original oem board replaced with that dinosaur board in Az, and it went out twice within first month of using than the third dinosaur board went out a couple of months later I went back to the original oem type board and now I am real careful how we use the gas and electric. I have paid about 3 or 4 hundred dollars so far in board replacements for water heater in a years time. I still have the dinosaur board in storage because when they replaced it with the oem board they said the board was good but the 4 prong adapter was what went bad and they did not work with, use or recommend the dinosaur board. Figure if I ever need it repaired again I will just order the adapter and than fix it that way and save a dollar.
 

Grandview Trailer Sa

Senior Member
Re: Water heater question

Lee,
I wont use dinosaur boards. I have found them to fail, like you have, and they are actually more expensive than OEM boards. Running your WH on both, should not hurt anything.
 

LEN

Senior Member
Re: Water heater question

Just a thought, does the electric get controlled by the board or is it totally separate system??? Inquiring minds!!

LEN
 

utmtman

Senior Member
Re: Water heater question

I think the board controls both because last year in AZ first our gas half went out with the original oem board, than our electric half went out with the first dinosaur board, than both went out with the second dinosaur board than the gas went out with the third dinosaur board. When we got our rv fixed in Az it was by a traveling repairman instead of an rv dealer. But many people recommended him and they also said dinosaur boards were cheaper and great boards. The tech told me that atwood was down and he could not get an oem board either so we felt we had no choice.
 
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