Lets get that water warm

[rex_1_mn]

How do we all do it???

I was seaching topics and havent seen any lately on things like tha marey tankless heaters.

If a bus has 30 s amp service and propane available what do you think is the the best way to heat water for a shower and sinks?


Of course this is a skoolie forum so for me and most others the 1000$ systems are out.

Thanks
Tony

[lornaschinske]

We fulltime, so this is from a fulltimer who stays in campgrounds on full hookups.

With tankless water heaters, the water faucet or shower is USUALLY either turned on full blast or it's off. There are some exceptions to this statement I'm sure.

RV LP water heaters (tank) are pricey for what they are.

AC/LP RV water heaters are more flexible but are pricey. We had the AC/LP type in the Class C. When the old 6 gallon Bowen AC/LP water heater developed a leak, we replaced with another similar water heater with no pilot light (Atwood.... the company who acquired Bowen). From 2007 - 2010 we never used the LP side, just the 1400watt electric heating element.

AC only water heaters. We put a 10 gallon electric water heater in the bus. I wanted a 20 gallon but didn't have the room. Takes about 20 minutes to heat the water up. I can take a really hot shower that lasts a little over 10 minutes. Downside... this water heater is sucking up almost 2KW per hour. So we have been unplugging until we need hot water. This explains the massive jump our 30 amp electric did in the month we installed the heater (our site includes $60 electric allowance... I have to add on an additional $100 to our next rent bill for electric bill overage). We need to pick up a switch and wire it into the water heater line. Kinda silly and wasteful to heat water while we sleep anyway. I can turn the water heater on for 20 minutes, take a 10 minute shower in the early evening (before 7PM), turn off the water heater and I still have warm water the next morning when I get up (3AM). The cold water is numbingly cold. This is a well insulated water heater and it sits under the kitchen sink... directly on the floor to clear the sink drains.

I bought a Killawatt EZ but can't use it on the water heater (2000watt heating element pulls too much electric). But I can use it on the electric space heaters. They are not the problem. It's the water heater. Maybe at some point we might replace the heating element with a lower wattage one. By that time, we will most likely be accustomed to switching the water heater off and will continue doing that even if we do change out the element.

[dirtygoat]

Originally Posted by GlennC

First, we full time - 4 people. We have a 16 gal propane/electric Suburban RV water heater. Does a great job, hasn't run out of hot water on longish showers in cold weather. We use it in the propane mode mostly. With all of our cooking, baking dishwashing, etc. and the water heater, we use 1 20lb. cylinder a month on average. Usually about $12 to $15 to get filled.

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-w ... heater.htm

GlennC

You're not using propane for heat???

[lornaschinske]

We have the L5 in our food cart. I would not want it in the bus. Go with the L12 if you really want one. We have our L5 vented out the side of the cart. The L5s are a little picky about altitude. And it's full on or nothing. David has had to turn off then turn right back on to get the burner to kick on at times. Since he was the one who used it all the time, he had the the most weight to the opinion that the tankless water heaters would not suit us for our needs.

[rex_1_mn]

I am thinking of getting this one right now. I know it needs to be pluged in but with the money I save I just paid for 1/3 of a new honda quite generator. I also like this one as compared to the rest of the small heaters I have seen because it actually has a drain in the bottom of it...

http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-SOMS-...e+water+heater

What do you guys think?