Hot Water Heater

[Lauren]

Have a friend with a motor home who said one should not turn the hot water heater on until you are ready to use hot water and then turn it off afterward.

Never heard of such a thing. They are newer RVers and we have been doing this part time for 16 years.

Any thoughts?

Just curious.

[pappcam]

Turning the water heater on and then off right away after using it seems like completely unreasonable OCD behaviour but to each their own.

[jocat54]

In south Texas in the summer the water heater is heating hot water(a little hotter) so, a hot water heater.:)

[Sprink-Fitter]

TXiceman wrote:

Oh and it is a water heater. Why would you want to heat water that is already hot.

Ken

I have always wondered that also, why heat hot water?

[wa8yxm]

I read many posts by people who, for want of a better term are "Propane-phobic"

I grew up with propane heated hot water in the house, that water heater ran 24x7 for many years with out significant attention.. Eventually it wore out and a new one was put in.

We also cooked with Gas.. Only had a problem once.. Parents got a new stove to replace the one we first had, This one was an advanced model, the oven was controlled by an electric thermostat and solenoid.

A near miss lightening strike exceeded the insulation on the solenoid and my sister came running into the living room "THERE IS A FIRE IN THE STOVE".. (Think about this, There is SUPPOSED to be a fire in the stove) Well, I gathered that it was not a normal fire. Grabbed a box of baking soda and on the second try hit the flaming solenoid square.. Fire out.

[mowermech]

JohnnyG73 wrote:
I'm not sure why but I tend to not trust RV water heaters unattended. Call me paranoid if you want but I fear returning from a day of fishing to a trailer that burnt to the ground.

This fear may be unfounded and I may be too cautious but I just feel more comfortable when I switch it off when away or not using it.

When we were full timing, we always stayed in one place for 13 or 26 weeks.
I turned the water heater on when we set up, and off before we left. No troubles. We used both the propane and electric at the same time all the time. Considering one or two showers per day, one or two loads of clothes in the washer/dryer nearly every day, and doing dishes twice a day, having the water hot when needed was nearly a must!
However, when the weather was cool enough to need the furnace, THAT thing is a fuel hog! In 35 to 40 degree weather, I was filling a 7 gallon bottle of propane every week to ten days!

[jalichty]

We turn ours on when getting up in the morning for dishes and washing hands, etc. Then, because we usually stay out of the FW for hours at a time, we turn it off, as well as the pump. When we get back to the FW, we turn the pump and water heater on. Then, when we get ready to go to bed, we turn the heater off but leave the pump on for unexpected trips to the bathroom during the night. I don't have a remote pump switch in the bathroom. Don't do it to save money as the propane use is very minimal, but just don't feel comfortable leaving it unattended for a long period of time.

[alfresco]

My heater is only propane. I light it when I arrive at a campsite and turn it off when I leave. The propane it uses is minimal as my propane tankful will last over two years.

[2oldman]

All I see on RV parts sites or The Home Depot site is 'water heater.'

[CavemanCharlie]

I leave mine on full time. If your not using the hot water it does not need to cycle on to heat it. Sure, there is a little loss do to the fact that RV water heaters are not insulated very well. But, it's minimal. In fact with my old style pilot light type water heater the pilot keeps the water warm when it's not in use. It never cycles on unless I use the water.

[Lauren]

You have to understand Veebyes that - and not being picky back at you - but in Arizona we have pretty hot water ALL the time; the hot water heater just makes it hotter!

These people are in a nice moho and in FHU parks. Propane not an issue.

Interesting, we leave ours on but it is electric. And we are FHU so it heats only when we are hooked up.

[Veebyes]

happybooker1 wrote:
I just wish I could turn my HOUSE water heater off & on so easily as in flipping a switch!

The simple method is to install a timer on the supply side of the water heater.

Two 12 gsl heaters in my house. One for the kitchen. One for the bathrooms. Both set to be on from about 5PM to 11PM daily. Water remains hot for a long time, house or RV. 12 hours after shutting off the water is plenty hot & more than enough for a couple of showers. There is no need to have the thing on 24/7 especially if you live someplace where power is very expensive.

Boondocking 15 min to 30 min before requireing for showers is more than hot enough & plentyful enough for 2. Turn it off before the second person goes in.

[noplace2]

happybooker1 wrote:
I just wish I could turn my HOUSE water heater off & on so easily as in flipping a switch!

You can do it one of 2 ways:

1) Install an inline switch at the heater. It is not difficult.

2) Just flip its' breaker.

Have done one or the other in every home I've owned.

[Lauren]

OMG - I misspoke. Glad I made your day though.

P. S. Life is too short for this picky stuff.

[JohnnyG73]

I'm not sure why but I tend to not trust RV water heaters unattended. Call me paranoid if you want but I fear returning from a day of fishing to a trailer that burnt to the ground.

This fear may be unfounded and I may be too cautious but I just feel more comfortable when I switch it off when away or not using it.