lylefikse Report post Posted October 1, 2015 What uses less propane, running your water heater all the time on propane or only warming it up once or twice a day when you need hot water? We leave ours on when hooked up to 50 amp electric but sometimes when on 30 amp service or dry camping we need to run the water heater on propane. That is when this question comes into play. Are we wasting propane letting it run all the time? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted October 1, 2015 You will use less propane by only running it on gas when you need hot water. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lylefikse Report post Posted October 1, 2015 Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted October 1, 2015 Lyle, Here is an example of Propane usage. We were with a group of friends in Hutchinson, Kansas. We had our evening hour of happiness between two coaches. One of the coaches had their Hot water heater on, on propane. That unit cycled about every 45 min. to an hour. and ran for about 5 minutes. Over the days that amounts to quite a high use of gas. As Brett said more propane is used by leaving the unit on all the time then just when you need hot water. It doesn't take much time to heat 10 gallons of water. When we are in an RV park hooked up the power I have paid for, I use their power to heat my water. Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dutchstar3812 Report post Posted October 2, 2015 I'm not sure there is yes or no answer to your question. I think it depends on how often you use hot water and how much you use at one time. If you use hot water frequently then it is probably more economical to leave it on, if you only use hot water once or twice a day then heating when you need it is probably more economical. I think the most economical is heating just the amount you want in a pan on the stove. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huffypuff Report post Posted October 2, 2015 My coach hot water works on both electric and propane. When we need hot water I turn on both and turbo heat the water in less than 20 minutes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted October 4, 2015 Dutchstar3812. Taking a shower from a pan of water is impossible (well, almost). I think they gave up washing the body or dishes, with a pan off hot water, a very long time ago!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rockylarson Report post Posted October 4, 2015 When the DW wants hot water, she wants it NOWWW... Only took a couple of yells "WHO TURNED OFF THE HOT WATER?! to decide which option I would take. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wayne77590 Report post Posted October 5, 2015 Dutchstar3812. Taking a shower from a pan of water is impossible (well, almost). I think they gave up washing the body or dishes, with a pan off hot water, a very long time ago!!! Well, 1968 is not that far back, for me, and you would be surprised at how much washing could be done with a helmet full of water. Might be that present day "warriors" still use that method. RV'ers, nah! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted October 5, 2015 "Are we wasting propane letting it run all the time?" I pretty much turn the hot water heater on when we leave and off when we get home. I don't waste propane I use propane. You use a lot more running the furnace, but that is a whole different thread. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
patwhite Report post Posted October 5, 2015 I begin heating the water when I leave home, and turn it off after the last shower on the last day. I have propane at the house and have trained my propane distributer to fill up the RV when servicing the two 500 gallon tanks for the house. I now save 75% on propane cost. Pat Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
calvip Report post Posted November 2, 2015 i can get hot water when i have the 12v switch on but when i flip on 120 volt supply by generator or hook on shore pwr but no hot water. i only been rving for abou 1 year. am i not leaving it on long enough for hot water on 120 volts or shore pwr, need u guys help Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nitehawk Report post Posted November 2, 2015 Really do not need hot water while we are sleeping so we turn it off after doing the supper dishes. There is still enough to wash up with, and if we have someone parked near the water heater side of the coach it will not cycle all night long--simple courtesy. First one up in the morning turns on the water heater propane ignition. Hot by the time we need it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted November 2, 2015 i can get hot water when i have the 12v switch on but when i flip on 120 volt supply by generator or hook on shore pwr but no hot water. i only been rving for abou 1 year. am i not leaving it on long enough for hot water on 120 volts or shore pwr, need u guys help Welcome to the forum. How long are you leaving it on? Have you checked for power where the hot water power supply plugs in? Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nitehawk Report post Posted November 2, 2015 Breaker tripped? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted November 2, 2015 Hawk, you may have an element that is shorted. If so, they aren't hard to change. Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
