Follow up:
We're still "happy camping" at Brookville. Today is Sunday and I imagine the campground will be thinned out pretty good shortly. We're going home tomorrow sometime.
About the water heater. I did press both buttons on the water heater, and neither of them are tripped. I searched the wires and can't find any other switches or in-line fuses. Although the propane does act like there is simply no power (battery), no sparking, no trying to ignite, nothing. Just a dead silence.
About fill cold water in a hot empty tank. No, I did not do that. The electric element fried out first. I checked the water about an hour after I turned the electric on. Of course it was cold water as the water heater was on by pass.
So then I tried gas. It fired up just fine. An hour later I tried the faucet again. Cold, of course. And that's when it hit me about the by pass.
I did touch the pipe and feel around the tank and it was cold. So, when it turned off the by pass, and filled the tank, water was going into a cold tank.
For what it's worth, cat baths just don't work for us. Maybe once, or a quick cat bath if coming inside all hot and sweaty. But for a several day stay with no ability for a shower, well .... my days of "roughing it" ended when I got out of the Army. I'll take a cold shower.... when I get desperate enough, which we actually did on this trip.
Add one more experience to "memories" of camping. My wife laugh at me when I was jumping around in the cold water, and I laughed at her too. The cold shower would have probably been even nice, if the outside temperatures were up in the 80's or something. But the outside temperature is still under 70, more like 60, and I have no desire to join the polar bear club permanently!
Still having a great time. Three great campground in East - South East Indiana are Brookville-Mounds (not the Mounds in Anderson), Quakertown, and Whitewater. All 3 are within 10 miles of each other and all are on Brookville Lake. Connersville, Metamora, and Richmond are all within a little drive from all three of these parks. Between the lake, and the sites in this area, it's quite nice area to camp in and still have plenty to do if your the "active, on-the-go type camper.
And one more thing! No kids running through our campsite, no loud music at all, and almost every one had outside lights turned off after 10:00 pm, both Friday night and Saturday night I really appreciated the DARK at night!
