When in an rv "resort", do you tend to use electric or gas for your water heater and why?

We always use the electric. Why pay to empty a propane tank when you have already paid for the electric use? If you are on a metered site, then you will need to figure out the cost difference and act accordingly. The water heater and furnace will gulp down the propane quite rapidly.I prefer to use the electric when possible because it is silent. Both will heat the water just about as fast as the other one so that is not a factor for us. Barney

On 30 Amp, gas. On 50 Amp, electric. Because on 30 Amp, if I use things like A/C and/or microwave I may trip the breaker and it is a pain to reset it. On 50 Amp, I don't have that problem. Exception: if it is the perfect temp outside and I know I won't need heat or a/c.

milkman41 wrote:When in an rv "resort", do you tend to use electric or gas for your water heater and why?My heater will work with both on, so if we know we'll need lots of hot water, I'll turn both on.Lyle

For us, even if electric is more expensive than gas, we'll use electric. You have to factor in the PITA factor of removing the propane tank and getting it refilled.

No "resorts" here... but State and Private parks with electric hook up? Water heater on Electric! Electric comes with the paid campsite, why pay double (cost of my own propane).At home, we keep the camper running 24x7 until temps get below freezing in the day time, I run the water heater on propane. Why? It heats faster and seems to costs less than running electric at home. Plus, to run the camper at home requires some of my available AMP's from the house and garage go to the camper. My house is 100% electric for everything ... including water pump on a well. With 200 amps available for the house and garage, 30 amps needs to be in reserve for the camper. I've never blown the main 200 amp breaker. But running the clothes dryer, dishwasher, 2 electric water heaters, 2 air-conditioner and each room in 2800 square foot of house has it's own electric heat system, water pump, lights, ... and all the appliances in the house, I'll run the 6 gallon water heater on gas at home.Bottom line ... if YOU are paying for the electric, gas is probably cheaper. If the electric comes with the camp site... use electric!

Gas or electric | Good Sam Community

Aridon
Explorer
Oct 31, 2016
Electric because it is a PIA to pull the tank and go fill it completely eating away the tiny savings here.
RockyMt
Explorer II
Oct 31, 2016
Both- because I can.
Oaklevel
Explorer
Oct 31, 2016
Gas....... it uses so little gas that with a 30A trailer it makes sense. Last year we only used one 30lb cylinder for 2 months of camping.
aruba5er
Explorer
Oct 29, 2016
At a metered site where I pay the electric I will use gas.At 24 cents a kilowatt (after they add to the cost of electric) gas is about the 3rd of the cost of electric. If electric is included in the daily cost of the campsite I use electric. Why pay twice?
bpounds
Nomad
Oct 29, 2016
We use propane only.
Lantley
Nomad
Oct 29, 2016
RAS43 wrote:
jnharley wrote:
We use electric only unless we are dry camping and then obviously, we use propane. We have no issues with recovery with back to back showers just on electric. I do not think we ever have run out of hot water and I only turn on the hot water when I shower.

X2 Also never had an issue with running out of hot water. And only once did the breaker trip when running the heater, A/C, and converter and that occurred when my wife turned on the microwave. We have 30 amp service.

When using the HWH on electric on a 30 amp site the issue is not running out of hot water but more with running out of electric! You run the risk of tripping the breaker if someone makes the wrong electrical usage move.

Really no big deal but switching HWH to LP will reduce overall electric comsumption without compromising water usage.
You will still need to use energy management technique but putting HWH on gas will give you a bit more freedom to use microwave, hair dryer or whatever without issue
RAS43
Explorer III
Oct 29, 2016
jnharley wrote:
We use electric only unless we are dry camping and then obviously, we use propane. We have no issues with recovery with back to back showers just on electric. I do not think we ever have run out of hot water and I only turn on the hot water when I shower.

X2 Also never had an issue with running out of hot water. And only once did the breaker trip when running the heater, A/C, and converter and that occurred when my wife turned on the microwave. We have 30 amp service.
Valkyriebush
Explorer II
Oct 29, 2016
Always electric.
jnharley
Explorer
Oct 29, 2016
We use electric only unless we are dry camping and then obviously, we use propane. We have no issues with recovery with back to back showers just on electric. I do not think we ever have run out of hot water and I only turn on the hot water when I shower.
mhardin
Explorer
Oct 28, 2016
Old-Biscuit wrote:
IF electric power is available I use both at same time for the fastest recovery and both are ON the whole time we are set up

I like HOT water when I want to use HOT water and do NOT like having to remember to turn WH on and wait for HOT water.

Propane/electric are cheap commodities and I don't mind paying for them due to benefit I get from use of them.
In the RV world they are towards the bottom of my worry list.

Same here, except I only turn on the Propane during shower time for the faster recovery. Why use my Propane all day if the electric is part of my site fee?

Mike