Hot water heater question
Has anyone figured out what is cheaper, leaving your hot water heater on electric on all the time or turning it on and off as needed. The world wonders.
Forum Discussion
Hi,
The ten gallon water heater on the electric setting cycles about every four hours and takes 15 minutes to reheat the water. That is with no water use. I've replicated those numbers when it is mid summer and when it is -37 c.
That is 6 cycles per day to do not very much at all. The electric setting draws 1200 watts so that is 1.8 KWH of wasted energy.
Assuming the water heater is turned off at 8 a.m. the water will still be quite usefully warm ten hours later.
If on campground power that is not metered, who cares? But someone is paying the bill. If it is you, turn off and save your pennies.
The ten gallon water heater on the electric setting cycles about every four hours and takes 15 minutes to reheat the water. That is with no water use. I've replicated those numbers when it is mid summer and when it is -37 c.
That is 6 cycles per day to do not very much at all. The electric setting draws 1200 watts so that is 1.8 KWH of wasted energy.
Assuming the water heater is turned off at 8 a.m. the water will still be quite usefully warm ten hours later.
If on campground power that is not metered, who cares? But someone is paying the bill. If it is you, turn off and save your pennies.
bpounds wrote:
Regarding the OP question, which included turning it on/off throughout the day as needed, there won't be a way to calculate the answer. Too many variables. How many times on/off? Outside temperature? Direction the wind is hitting the camper? Sun shining on the WH cover?
