Water heater recovery time?
Did anybody actually timed water heater recovery time? We do have not-metered electricity at the park, so anticipating it, I added electric element to my gas WH. When I start the electric first tim...
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My WH is 13 years old Atwood, so no worry about warranty.
I don't remember the printed rating on the element I used, but it was standard part, so likely 450W.
As I mention - we do have enough hot water for normal use, so I started the thread with planing on those rare occasions when we need a lot of hot water.
In the past, with gas heater when water got cold, we could wait 20 minutes and it got warm again, but that was in summer with 80-90F.
Evidently we can't expect HW soon on electric element alone, especially this time of the year with 40's F.
So it all boils to planning, or firing up propane burner.
Thanks to everyone for feedback.
Side note - during element installation I found out that factory insulation has a lot to desire.
Back of the tank had like 3" x5" hole in insulation for 1/2" piping.
Front of the tank has no insulation touching up the steel panel.
I used polyurethane foam sold under "Great stuff" to fill up the voids and even I can't measure the difference, I think my recovery time shorten quite a bit thanks to that.
The added insulation should also keep the camper colder in summer as WH sitting under counter-top was transferring some heat to the living space.
I don't remember the printed rating on the element I used, but it was standard part, so likely 450W.
As I mention - we do have enough hot water for normal use, so I started the thread with planing on those rare occasions when we need a lot of hot water.
In the past, with gas heater when water got cold, we could wait 20 minutes and it got warm again, but that was in summer with 80-90F.
Evidently we can't expect HW soon on electric element alone, especially this time of the year with 40's F.
So it all boils to planning, or firing up propane burner.
Thanks to everyone for feedback.
Side note - during element installation I found out that factory insulation has a lot to desire.
Back of the tank had like 3" x5" hole in insulation for 1/2" piping.
Front of the tank has no insulation touching up the steel panel.
I used polyurethane foam sold under "Great stuff" to fill up the voids and even I can't measure the difference, I think my recovery time shorten quite a bit thanks to that.
The added insulation should also keep the camper colder in summer as WH sitting under counter-top was transferring some heat to the living space.
