Showering with 10 gallon water heater

[rblake39]

We are buying a fifth wheel to full time in. My GF just asked me to time her shower at our house to see how long it took her. 8 minutes. She's concerned she wont get a fully hot shower in the RV for a full 8 minutes. Is 10 gallons enough? I noticed she really doesn't care if I have enough hot water after her though...lol. I just explained to her she may have to turn it off then lather up, then wet her hair and turn it off etc.

[Lynnmor]

I think this is a great test. If the girlfriend wastes that much water, you can't afford her.

[navegator]

The shower heads that come with most RV's have a turn off lever, I purchased an additional valve with a sliding button at Home Despot that goes between the shower head and the hose, it is easier to push a button than trying to turn a lever with soapy hands.

Turn hot water on then regulate with cold, send water to turned off shower head get in and close the curtain or door, turn water on get wet, turn water off, shampoo hair turn water on rinse hair, turn water off lather body thoroughly turn water on rinse soap completely, you are now clean and probably only used 4 to 5 gallons of water, the wife showers first and I shower after her with just 6 gallons.

navegator

[2oldman]

8 minutes should be fine.

[the_bear_II]

Your GF needs to learn to take Navy type showers when in the RV. Otherwise you'll run out of holding tank and fresh water quickly when boondocking.

[BB_TX]

I also turn on both electric and propane for the water heater. Have never run out of hot water. I have never timed myself to see how long it takes, but I don't hurry either.

An Oxygenics shower head helps also.

[pulsar]

I don't take 8-minute showers in the RV, but Sarah and I will both take full showers without noticing a temperature change. We have a 10-gallon water heater. We only take "navy" showers when we don't have a sewer connection.

Tom

[amandasgramma]

Get a shower head that has a 'turn off" valve. I get in, wet myself down, click that button (water is off at the nozzle, not the valves) and soap up, then turn water on and rinse off. Two of us take showers in tandem, have never run out of water. I've even gone in to do dishes almost immediately after showering. 🙂 🙂

[Bobbo]

A: Turn on both the electric heating element and the gas burner. It makes for a faster recovery than either one alone.

B: Take Navy showers. The shower head has a knob/lever/dial that turns off the water AT THE SHOWER HEAD. That keeps the water temperature from being affected. Wet the hair and body, turn off the water. Shampoo, turn on the water, rinse the hair, turn off the water. Wash the body, turn on the water, rinse, and you are done. But, be careful, when you turn off the water that way, the very first spray of water when you turn it back on can be blindingly hot or blindingly cold. Point the shower at the wall for 1 or 2 seconds to let the water temperature equilibrate again.

DW and I have been showering this way now for 8 years in our RV, with a 6 gallon water heater, not even a 10 gallon one, and neither one of us has ever run out of hot water.

OH, yes, a very important point:

C: Before the GF turns on her hair dryer - TURN OFF THE ELECTRIC WATER HEATER ELEMENT, TURN OFF THE AIR CONDITIONER, TURN OFF THE MICROWAVE.

Trying to run a hair dryer with any of those other items running is GUARANTEED to blow a breaker. It took DW over a year to learn that. And she still sometimes forgets. (This last item is for a 30 amp RV. I don't know if a 50 amp RV has the same restriction.)

[tropical_ron]

We leave our 10 gallon water heater on electric constantly. Before taking a shower we turn on propane in addition to a/c power. You can take as long a shower as you wish; we have never run out of hot water. We wait for propane, which heats faster, to shutdown before the next person showers. This has worked for us for a number of years in two different motorhomes with 10 gallon water heaters.

[paulcardoza]

Should be fine. RV heaters heat the water hotter in general, so you use less hot water mix.