How long does it take for your hot water heater to heat water from cold to shut off of the heat. My hot water heater takes 45 minutes to heat a tank. The water is pretty hot and if you aren't carefull you can burn your self. I am wondering if this is normal. I keep wondering if it is a fire hazard.

rutzbeck, I think what you are experiencing is typical when using propane. I think if you used 120v or 12v, it would take longer.I typically will turn on the water heater 30 to 45 minutes before I need hot water. I do not leave it on all of the time, unless it is exceptionally cold.Wayne

Typically with 70*F water supply an RV water heater will heat to shutoff temp in 30 mins. on electric heat element and 20 mins on propane heat.(The colder the water supply...the longer heating to shutoff temp)Normal t-stat preset temp is 140*FECO t-stat (high temp) preset is 180*FHot water is not intended to be used 'straight' from faucet/shower......it s intended to be tempered with cold water my user at faucet.This allows longer hot water from a smaller size/capacity water heater.Longer heating times and really, really hot water could mean that normal temp t-stat is not opening and water is heating until ECO t-stat opens shutting down heating process.But if that was happening......Suburban Brand would not refire until you 'reset' the ECO by pushing reset buttonAtwood ECO will 'auto reset' when temp drops but you would get a 'fault' light on switch panel that will stay on until you turn switch off then back on.You can test water temp........After heating cycle......run straight hot from nearest faucet into a mug and take water temp with instant read thermometer.CAUTION: water can scald at 125*F----water temp should be close to 140*F (or 180*F) SO YOU CAN GET INJURED.Testing water from faucet will have slightly lower temp then water in WH tank........BUT is safer than trying to get sample from the Pressure/Temperature Relief ValveCAUTION>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

rutzbeck, no offense intended, just a little humor. Why would you want to heat hot water? Point is, it is a cold water heater.Wayne

Hi,The ten gallon on electric takes 90 minutes from dead cold until the first cycle. Thereafter it will cycle about once every four hours and takes 15 minutes to cycle to off.The tank is well insulated on the inside of the RV so I find I can heat the water in the morning--and still have water hot enough to dishes after supper.It is more economical to heat the water "as needed" instead of leaving it on 24/7.

Hot water heater | Good Sam Community

23 Replies

mkirsch
Nomad II
Nov 19, 2014
I run mine in the very lowest setting, and it takes about 15 minutes from cold to shutoff.

When the heater kicks out the water is the perfect temperature for a shower straight out of the hot tap.

I also shut off the water heater after I'm done in the morning. Can't see wasting the propane to keep water hot that I may or may not use tomorrow. Plus the pilot blows out half the time anyway.
rutzbeck
Explorer
Nov 19, 2014
On the overheat the hot water tank was only partially filled and the pump was off. When I realized it I turned the pump on but it wouldn't lite off for 1 to 2 hours. Then it reset..

On flushing it out, I use it on and off all winter but as soon as I am home I empty the tank, as usually at this time of year we are pretty cold. I live in southeast Alaska. This year it hasn't been cold so I haven't emptied it since Last Feb. The longer burn times started before that.
pjay9
Explorer
Nov 19, 2014
Save energy (don't heat the cold water) for the 19.5 discussion as well!! :>)
Reddog1
Explorer II
Nov 19, 2014
jimh425, you have some good points. I gotta say, I am so tired of the weight police or DRW vs SRW threads. Some of the Moderators on other Forums on RV.NET are not very tolerant of those threads. Maybe I should follow their example.

Mean while back to the OP. I think if I had small kids camping with me I would not want the water to be hit enough to burn your self. Actually, I think you would be forced to use less water showering or adjusting the hot and cold to get the temp you want.

rutzbeck wrote:
How long does it take for your hot water heater to heat water from cold to shut off of the heat. My hot water heater takes 45 minutes to heat a tank. The water is pretty hot and if you aren't carefull you can burn your self. I am wondering if this is normal. I keep wondering if it is a fire hazard.
jimh406
Explorer III
Nov 19, 2014
Reddog1 wrote:
If the water in it is already hot, it can't heat it.

I think it is a water heater or hot water heater. But I have questions ...

If it isn't on, it's not heating water, so is it still a cold water heater? How hot is hot? If the water is 110, for example, is it hot? If that is hot and the water heater pushes the temp up to 120, did it heat hot water?

If you put frozen stuff in the freezer is it a freezer or a maintainer?

We could go on, but maybe we should save the effort for the weight police or DRW vs SRW thread. :)
Super_Dave
Explorer
Nov 19, 2014
Old-Biscuit wrote:

YOU Can't overheat if t-stat is working (pump on or off has no bearing-----pump on and running water means hot comes out and cold goes in. Pump on but not running water just heats to t-stat setting)

OB, if the pump hasn't cycled after filling the fresh water tank, the HW is dead empty. I think OP was saying he ran the water heater for a long period with no water in it.
Super_Dave
Explorer
Nov 19, 2014
If we are only doing dishes or want to wash our face, it only takes about 10 - 15 minutes to be hotter than we need for those jobs.
pjay9
Explorer
Nov 19, 2014
From cold it takes about 30 plus mins...then during use it fires up and takes about 15 mins to reheat.

I wish I could find a way to tell the Tstat to start heating as soon as the water has run for a minute that way it would keep heating and not let the temp drop so much so two showers could be taken right away...someone always has to wait.

Boatycall...any tricks up your sleeve? Or do the think the adjustable Tstat will help with the slow response issue?
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Nov 19, 2014
rutzbeck wrote:
It has seemed to take longer. I have always left it off until I needed it unless it is very cold. It use to take 30 minutes. I overheated it once( forgot to turn on the pump) and after that it has taken longer and seemed hotter.

Use to take 30 mins.......now time has increased to 45 mins.

WHEN WAS LAST TIME YOU CLEANED TANK??

Overheated it once (forgot to turn on pump)....takes long/seems hotter

YOU Can't overheat if t-stat is working (pump on or off has no bearing-----pump on and running water means hot comes out and cold goes in. Pump on but not running water just heats to t-stat setting)

HAVE YOU MEASURED TEMP?
deltabravo
Nomad
Nov 19, 2014
mooring product wrote:
Reddog1 wrote:
rutzbeck, no offense intended, just a little humor. Why would you want to heat hot water? Point is, it is a cold water heater.

Wayne

Please don't ban me but its a water heater.

LOL

The exact commentary just came up on a Jeep Forum I am on.