Update: flap in the foam around the water heater?

OK, so one question is answered -- the styrofoam is probably not glued to the tank, and there are some fairly large gaps between the foam and the outside of the tank. Roaming around other discussions on the web, I stumbled across a picture of a tank with the foam partly removed:



(I don't know how clear that picture will be -- I have tried to edit it to clarify the image.)

The problem with the furnace is that it draws a lot of power -- we do a lot of boondocking and have to conserve batteries, especially in cold weather. Yes, we could run the generator more than we do, but we do not like the noise, even though it is a Honda 2000. And the furnace is noisy, too.

The goal here is for some nice, quiet, radiant heat during and after dinner -- just to take the chill off the interior. (We could use a portable propane heater but I am a little concerned about carbon monoxide.) We are fine without any heat when it is in the 50s inside -- but when it drops below 50, even with a lot of clothing, it can get a little chilly. We usually sit inside and read in the evenings when we are camping in cold weather -- below 40 outside. We don't sit by the fire because we almost never make fires -- too much chance of a forest fire in the tinder-dry forests of the Far West.

We run the water heater very sparingly -- we turn it on in the evening to shower, and then off. So this would mean that it would be on for a somewhat longer time -- it would go through a few more cycles. But we would not leave it on at night. I'd be surprised if the pressure valve popped -- it never has. (I have tested it -- it does work.)

Water heaters cycle but you could be causing it to have to cycle more often than it was designed to. They have thermal protection switches and pressure/temperature popoff valves. If the pressure popoff valve fails to function; they blow up. Furnaces are designed to cycle and to heat open spaces safely.

On thing you might try is most campers use mechanical thermostats for the furnace/air conditioner. The DW always fussed about the heater running too long and getting too hot in the camper then getting too cold before it came back on with the old mechanical thermostat. Mechanical thermostats take a wider variance in temperature to turn off and on. Replacing it with a digital type will maintain the temp in the camper more accurately. Now the camper stays within several degrees of the setting with the digital.

I think that the "hot seat" issue is significant -- the water heater is under the seat --but fortunately, that is the seat where DW sits, and she is the one who wants it warmer! Seriously, if I do this, I would have to monitor the temp to make sure there is no fire danger. I would experiment and then undo the modification if the results are unsafe.

And yes, this will result in less insulation for the tank, when (and only when) I have removed the styrofoam flap. It will mean that we will burn more propane -- but I have two tanks, and we currently use a quarter gallon of propane a day. (I have measured it.)

My real question, though, is whether some of the styrofoam can even be removed at all?? Is it glued onto the tank? I would guess it is not, since there are these nylon straps that go around the tank to hold the foam on. If it were glued, the straps would be useless.

If and when I do this mod, I would probably just use a box cutter to slice the foam flap, and I would probably put velcro on the outside of the flap to re-install it in warmer weather.

Finally, I don't plan on adding a fan to distribute the heat -- I might cut a vent hole in the cabinet to let the heat out. There is a plywood hatch cover over the water heater -- an access panel -- and I could easily cut some holes in that, too.

Couple of issues.......excess heat in the area where tank is located and lack of heat retention in water heater. The tank is insulated for a reason.
Are you going to install a small fan to get that heat out and distribute it. Course that would cool off the latent heat from tank

But it's your trailer

A great idea. You've analyzed the situation, weighed the pro's and con's and decided it might be a good solution for you. Go for it. If you find it costs too much gas, or the area gets too hot to sit near it, you can always go back to what you have now.

More people should do this type of "out of the box" thinking. They'd be a lot happier and much less disappointed with the RV they decided to buy and use.

Would the tank be to hot for the dinette seat it is sitting under, when you take off the foam??