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Turlock_Bill's avatar
Turlock_Bill
Explorer
Jun 10, 2013

First Trip!

We just got back from out 1st long trip with our 2012 Cougar 28' 1/2 ton 5th wheel pulled by a 2012 GMC 2500 HD Gas Truck. The trip was approx. 1800 miles and only problem had was the breakaway cable got caught under the hitch. Everything else was great! I am glad I installed the 5th airborne pin box it really worked great with the Bilsten shocks. The Towmax tires got us home, I just made sure the air pressure was good. Only thing I would like to change is the hot water capacity it is a 6 gallon gas Suburban unit, any suggestions?
By the way Yellowstone was Awesome!
Bill
  • Turlock Bill wrote:
    1800 miles and only problem had was the breakaway cable got caught under the hitch.


    This has happened to me once already and it scared the bejeezus out of me, I had no idea what had happened! Luckily it was in a tight turn at about 2 mph.
  • I had a six gallon and there was noooooowaaayyyyy we could go back to back to back with showers.Unless you are just putting water on yourself shutting it off soaping up and turning it back on to rinse...My wife and kids are not going to shower like that.So we would have to space them out.But on our new camper we have a ten gallon and we can all go in a row without shutting the shower head off.No one honestly likes to shower turning it on and off.But you can def just use both elec and propane to reduce the time between showers with a six gallon.
  • danoren wrote:
    I would leave the 6 Gallon hot water tank and use electricity & Propane at the same time to heat the water between showers to shorten the heating time.


    Yup.
  • rhagfo's avatar
    rhagfo
    Explorer III
    Turlock Bill wrote:
    There was 4 adults for part of the trip and the recovery time was kind of a pain but you are probably right about the learning curve, Thanks


    Wow we had three adults, take showers one right after another, two women and myself. I was last in line, and had plenty of hot water, on a six gallon tank, heat it with gas, and use the shower head shutoff.
  • danoren wrote:
    I would leave the 6 Gallon hot water tank and use electricity & Propane at the same time to heat the water between showers to shorten the heating time.


    x2. I have a 10-gallon tank and when I'm running electric and propane at the same time, I have an unlimited hot water supply -- or so it seems. I live with DW and 9 and 11-year old girls -- all with long hair. On our last trip, each of us took a shower -- me last (and they say chivalry is dead!). I'd say the shower was in use for the better part of 90-100 minutes and we never ran out of hot water. Of note, my shower was about 6-7 mins! :)
  • I would leave the 6 Gallon hot water tank and use electricity & Propane at the same time to heat the water between showers to shorten the heating time.
  • There was 4 adults for part of the trip and the recovery time was kind of a pain but you are probably right about the learning curve, Thanks
  • If you have the physical room and the fiscal ability, you might fit in a 10 gallon water heater, but if you learn to conserve hot water, (navy showers, etc) you will find that you will rarely need more than 6 gallons. Just a learning curve.