Class B water heater question

[bobman]

I am going boon docking in either South Dakota or Kansas pheasant hunting for the next two to three weeks in my coachman class B.

Temps will range from low 30s to high 20's at night to 40-60's in the daytime.

It doesn't have a inside shower and thus I will not really need to use the water heater. I will however be using the cold water supply for watering my dogs washing my hands and taking "navy baths" LOL.

I purchased a Camco water heater bypass kit but after looking over everything I am reluctant to tamper with my tank connections with only a couple days left prior to leaving for my trip. There's very little room to work with and I don't want to be fighting with this project until I get back.

So here's my question.... can I just stuff some fiberglass insulation between the external water heater surface and the external door and not worry about the tank freezing?

I heat my camper with a wave 3 heater so the inside will be well above freezing at night.

Opinions welcome

thanks

Bob

[bobman]

mumkin your correct

I've been hunting the prairie in ND for the last 25 years and one day you're in a t shirt and the next day it will be freezeing the balls off a brass monkey

thanks for the warning though if I cant keep the camper warm I will be heading home. The drought and ethanol production corn has pretty much decimated the pheasant population anyway

[mumkin]

As someone who grew up in the Dakotas, you most certainly can't count on the temps staying in the mid-20s to 30s. When I passed through that area a few weeks back, the weather guessers insisted that the low was going to be 30... but when I arrived at the RV Park at 6:30 in the evening... right at the SD line, it was already 29... and it got down to 20. I did lose my water, but luckily the hoses did burst.

A cold front at this time of year can sneak in and keep the temps from getting even up to 30 for days on end... and you'd be in trouble. Personally I would winterize the rig and use jugs of water for everything... and have the pink stuff for toilet flushing if it gets really cold.

Kansas "might" be warmer...

[bobman]

I'll be boon docking for a few (3) weeks and use a wave 3 and a couple bird dogs under the covers to stay warm. I may try and find a campground with a shower once a week.

My range is propane so only it and the wave three will be using the propane between my dog trailer tank and my rig I'll have 40 gallons of water.

I plan to heat the water tank section of the dog trailer at night with a coleman single mantel propane lantern while the dogs are in the camper with me of course.

I left yesterday to head out and my new from autozone alternator failed so I had to return home and get that straitened out before I leave.

Auto zone gave me a full refund and a new battery. I bought a alternator from Oriellys and took it to a local alternator repair shop and had them open it inspect it and test it so hopefully I will be ok.

Autozone has always treated me well but if you read the reviews on rebuilt alternators apparently the quality is very hit and miss.

[Fastpaddler]

Chirpnchicks is about right. I find the hotwater heater uses very little propane and the biggest use is for our 16000btu furnace,if you have to use it. Cooking with propane shouldnt be a problem either. You wont be cooking outside presumably. We have Roots outdoor thermal sleeping bags which keep everything except your nose warm at night. I dont know how cold your rig gets. Our PW has insulation but no dual pane windows which defeats the purpose. Best wishes for your trip,
AL

[Old-Biscuit]

Horizon170 wrote:

candlback wrote:
mlts22: I donno the type of connections. An RV repair place in Eureka, CA put them in. There is no leak until the water heater is at max temperature and the pressure is so much that they leak a bit.
Now I keep an eye on it and turn the burner off when I think it is max. We only use the heater for onboard showers. Not the best, but it works for me.

Your water heater should have a sensor/adjustable thermostat you could turn down. I'm not familiar with all brands though.

Pilot light type...yes
Electronic light.......usually a pre-set t-stat
Atwood.....normal t-stat 140*F ECO t-stat 180*F
Suburban....normal t-stat 130*F ECO t-stat 170*F

Some lower preset normal t-stats 120*F and Atwood has an adjustable t-stat (110*-150*F) to replace normal t-stat

OP......Furnace is biggest propane hog
Just heat water when you want hot water..........takes about 20-30 mins on propane............little longer with really cold inlet water.

[Horizon170]

candlback wrote:
mlts22: I donno the type of connections. An RV repair place in Eureka, CA put them in. There is no leak until the water heater is at max temperature and the pressure is so much that they leak a bit.
Now I keep an eye on it and turn the burner off when I think it is max. We only use the heater for onboard showers. Not the best, but it works for me.

Your water heater should have a sensor/adjustable thermostat you could turn down. I'm not familiar with all brands though.

[candlback]

mlts22: I donno the type of connections. An RV repair place in Eureka, CA put them in. There is no leak until the water heater is at max temperature and the pressure is so much that they leak a bit.
Now I keep an eye on it and turn the burner off when I think it is max. We only use the heater for onboard showers. Not the best, but it works for me.

[mlts22]

candlback wrote:
I had a problem installing a hot water bypass. When the water temp goes up the hose connedtions have to be really GOOD or the pressure will cause them to leak.

What type of connections? I've seen some "sharkbite" PEX connections which are dependent on a single O-ring to keep them from leaking (and that ring will abrade), and I've seen other reusable fittings (like from Flair-It) which expand the PEX enough to maintain a decently leak-free connection and maintain active pressure on all sides of the pipe.

[hotbyte]

You could turn it off once day temps are above freezing to conserve propane.

[candlback]

I had a problem installing a hot water bypass. When the water temp goes up the hose connedtions have to be really GOOD or the pressure will cause them to leak.

[Chirpnchicks]

We have kept our water system operating down to 20F overnight numerous times over the past seven years. I don't feel the propane consumption to maintain hot water is noticeable compared to running the heater to keep the rig warm at night. We like to maintain about 60-62F overnight and use a small battery powered fan to help equalize the temp.
Jay

[bobman]

DO the water heaters use a lot of propane in a situation like this?

I am not going to install the bypass because its going to require a lot of piping mods due to the space I have to work with. Its very doable but I don't have the time prior to this trip.

I will be boon docking for 2-3 weeks

thanks for the answers so far

[Fastpaddler]

Old-biscuit and others have it right. For me, I see no problem, Those expected temperatures are not bad.

[Old-Biscuit]

Bypass it so no water goes in WH tank (and drain it)

OR

Use it like it was designed to be used.........making hot water.
The hot water won't freeze and you won't go burrrrrrrr when washing your face and privates :B

Save some tail feathers......stuff an empty shotgun shell full of them.
Now you have your own colorful lawn dart :C