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jplante4's avatar
jplante4
Explorer II
Nov 05, 2015

Water Heater On or Cycle?

I would be able to figure this out using my extensive thermodynamics knowledge :B, but I'm missing a piece of information.

Is it better to leave the (propane) water heater on all the time while parked, or shut it off after you're done with the hot water and turn it back on when you'll need hot water again.

As far as cycling goes I figure it uses 4000 BTUs to get back to temp (50° temp rise, 80 pounds of water) and a gallon of propane contains 90,000 BTUs, so I use about .05 gallons for each cycle.

The piece of info I'm missing is what's the duty cycle of the heater in standby? In other words, at what temp does the burner kick on and off?

This is the kind of stuff that enters your head when you're sitting around all day at a campsite.
  • jplante4 wrote:

    Is it better to leave the (propane) water heater on all the time while parked, or shut it off after you're done with the hot water and turn it back on when you'll need hot water again.


    Back when we owned a popup with a manual light water heater I'd light it when we first set up and would leave it that way for the duration of our stay as it was such a PITA to get it going each time. With a DSI water heater I just switch it on using the gas mode when I happen to think about it, usually leave it on during the day mostly 'cause it's not something I'm really thinking about, and if I happen to remember will turn it off overnight, turning it back on again in the morning. Sometimes we use the electric heating option for quicker recovery but most times I don't bother with it as gas consumption is so minimal anyway.
  • Not to save propane, But when I shower, I always like to turn on the WH for 12 minutes, (in 75 deg weather) shut it off, jump in, then I don't have to mix any cold w/ it. But that don't work very often cuz DW leaves it on all the time..
  • We turn ours on in the morning for showers and washing. We then leave it on for about an hour afterward to heat water for the remainder of the day. Still have plenty of warm water for evening dishes and washing up before bed. Probably have it on for 2 hours total per day.
  • When we are using our trailer, the water heater is on.
    Chump change difference if any by leaving it on or shutting it off....and we like to have hot water when we need it...

    Camping is suppose to be relaxing...and this is too complicated for me and too much to think about.
  • Leave it on! Geeze there is nothing like washing up in cold water after a trip to the toilet.
  • It is my understanding that it takes more energy to keep water warm than to heat it up again, and again.

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