Wasting water waiting for hot water???

[Rbertalotto]

While waiting for hot water to reach the faucet, I seem to waste a lot of precious water when I'm boondocking. Has anyone installed an undersink, propane, on demand hot water heater?

Or some other way to return this unused water to the water tank?

[AnEv942]

Ya I don't know why simple 12v RV recirculator isn't offered. We added one to house, 35' run to bathroom sink, waiting waste was in gallons.

Camper maybe quart to 1/2 gal-but that's every time you'd like warm water. I get caught up in the details every time I think I'm going to address camper. Started a couple of times. Simplest is just another line back to tank. For some reason don't like the idea, though many do.
Id like to see recirc thru water heater via its cold inlet which involves 2-3 check valves. I actually picked up small pump but haven't pursued- mostly finding small check valves. Or tee with with 2 checked inlets.

What I do not know is if simply pumping hot to cold line at sink would work. Other wise seems small pump between with single check valve. Use thermal button (w/manual switched power)or simple momentary switch to control. I 'think' the flow would be loop side thru water heater and not involve main pump, not sure.

Hmmm I have flex lines on bath faucet now, lines are tee'd for shower valve. Simplify playing with it, 'least enough to see if this viable.... umm also have second water pump switch in bath, tap that to energize recirc pump switch...
Think Ill look at it tomorrow or at least think about it.

[Golden_HVAC]

I never worry about a few ounces of water lost while waiting on warm water. I have a 100 gallon fresh water tank, pair of 7.5 gallon tanks that I sometimes fill while out sightseeing.

As for 'conserving water' - what I will do while dry camping (if I really want to stay someplace more than 2 weeks) is scoop up some of the grey water from my tub (while showering) and put that into a 1 gallon jug to use as flush water, or if I am concerned about overfilling my limited 42 gallon grey tank, I can put more water into my 59 gallon black tank.

Many times while camped in the desert, away from other campers, is dig a hole, and let much of my grey water into that hole, so the local plants can get a drink. But never try this in a 'established campground', especially a state or federal campground.

Fred.

[Gjac]

What I do is turn the WH on 15 mins before I need to take a shower in summer and 25 mins in the late fall. I just use the hot water facet that way there is no adjusting to be done. I always run out of water before battery and try to conserve as best I can while dry camping.

[SteveAE]

I did something similar to smkettner, but without the extra pump.
At the galley sink (the furthest fixture from the water heater), I installed a solenoid valve that drains the hot water back into the fresh water tank (via the inlet hose of the water pump ... which just happens to be located under the galley sink). The valve is controlled by a switch that is connected to a simple timer (555) that maintains contact for a predetermined amount of time. When we want hot water, we just push the button (conveniently located right at the galley sink) and in about 20 seconds the water is hot. The timer opens the valve after about 45 seconds and the main water pump stops soon thereafter. Before a shower, we also push the button. The system can also be set to automatically run whenever the hot line temp (at the galley sink) drops below 95 degrees, but I seldom use this feature because I don't like leaving the water pump switch on...an advantage to smkettner's system.

[SteveAE]

double post

[azrving]

We capture about 1/2 a gallon before the water is hot at the shower. We then pour it into our Berkey traveler water filter.

[korbe]

We conserve water all the time. When getting in the shower, it's hot by the time I get in, and in the sink, it's hot by the time I rinse. Never lost anything.

[time2roll]

My circulating system

Better idea might be to install a valve to bleed hot water to the pump inlet on demand.

My install was primarily to avoid frozen pipes. Does work to have immediate warm to hot water.

[BFL13]

Yes, just run the water into a pot or sink insert till it is hot enough and save it for something else like toilet flushing. If you have a tub/shower, put the plug in the tub and save the shower water in the tub, bail it out into a bucket and use that for toilet flushing. If only a shower, stick the wand into a bucket till the water is hot enough. Kitchen sink dishwashing into a sink insert, dump into a bucket for toilet flushing.

[BTPO1]

Like said above capture as much as possible and use it for flushing. We do it in our S&B to conserve, it takes us about a gallon to get hot water in the S&B. JMO

[Big_Katuna]

We have an electric water boiler/teapot. Saves power and is fast. I run it into that and use it for dish washing or iced tea.

[summerhouse]

I sure understand your frustration with this one. We haven't installed anything. The only thing I have done is to attempt to "catch" as much of the water as I can and to reuse it in our front bathroom toilet as flushing water.