Gas or electric water heater

[tex_wardfan]

Which mode do all of you use. I can use both in my new trailer but I guess I was just wondering which to use and why. I used the gas heater on my last trip to save on watt usage but the people in the big trailer next to me which also had 30 amp usage says they always use the electric water heater.

[Oasisbob]

Propane when boondocking or we need quick recovery. Other times electric as it is already paid for

[Old-Biscuit]

I use BOTH at same time for fastest recovery rate

Pennies here ....pennies there.....it's RVng
DANG the costs :B

Unless someone has changed t-stats.......electric and propane are set for SAME temp control even when they use separate t-stats

Electric is slowest recovery rate
Propane is almost twice as fast recovery rate than electric
Electric/propane together is almost twice as fast recovery rate as propane

Regardless they control to same OEM water in tank Temp setting
Atwood......140*F (Except XT Models then it's 160*F with 130*F outlet temp)
Suburban ....130*F


It's 'self-contained' designed to run off propane with AC as back-up luxury source when available.

It's your RV so use it and the components like they are yours :B

[time2roll]

I use electric.
If not plugged in I use propane.
If I am using the air conditioner 24/7 I switch to propane.

[valhalla360]

Electric is first choice. So unless dry camping or if the electric is marginal, we are on electric.

Of course, if we are struggling with enough electric for the air/con we usually aren't needing a lot of hot water.

[BB_TX]

Depends.
-If on 50 amp hookup I use electric only.
-If on 30 amp hookup in hot weather and running the A/C I may use propane only if running other high current devices to avoid tripping park power.
-If cold weather and incoming water is cold I run it on both electric and propane at the same time to improve recovery rate so as to not run short of hot water in back to back showers or shower while running the washer/dryer.

[tex_wardfan]

Ok guys, that makes sense. Electric it will be for full hookups.

[Wishbone51]

I usually use propane, mostly because my propane switch is in the kitchen, while the electric is behind an outside panel, and I don't feel like going outside to turn it on. If there will be several back-to-back showers, I'll use both.

[MikeInOregon]

Electric when in a campground with electric hookup.
Propane when dry camping.

[wildtoad]

When I had a heater that had both, always used electric but mine was a low wattage add-on system. It would get the water really hot but took a longer time to get it there. When showering or otherwise need hot water faster, I'd use both. Never ever did we just run gas but we also always had electric available.

[Jack_Diane_Free]

We only use the water heater on gas when there is a power problem within the park (low voltage) or we have multiple other electrical devices running and using electric would trip the park breaker. We will occasionally run both gas and electric together if we need a faster recovery of hot water for multiple showers.

[2oldman]

I use electric if I only want sorta-hot water. Gas if I want it hot.

the bear II wrote:
besides have you seen the cost of propane lately....

Can't say it's changed much in a long time.

[the_bear_II]

Always use electric if electric is available. Doesn't make that much difference in the electric bill if charged extra for electric...and besides have you seen the cost of propane lately....

[wanderingbob]

There will be times that gas makes sense such as when the air cond. or micro-wave are in use , mostly elec at other times !

[downtheroad]

Use it or not, you are paying for the electricity at your site when you pay your fee...so why not use it rather than using up your propane?

[Pangaea_Ron]

TheSidwells wrote:
We have always have had it set to electric and propane as the backup. I figure its easier to pay for the electric then gas. We save our gas for the stove and heat.

x2

I also like to use the RV Park electrons, rather than my propane.