mister_d
Southeast, MI - hardly qualified to be a
Senior Member
Joined: 09/17/2006
View Profile
|
We have the option of using either gas or electric to heat the water. Which do you use more often. Is there any benefit or detriment to have both on (does one trump the other if they're both on)? Is one better or more cost efficient? Which ever you do use, do you leave it on continuously or just turn it on before needing the hot water?
(edited to add the last question)
* This post was
edited 05/24/09 11:05pm by mister_d *
2007 Rockwood Roo 23ss
Me '77
DW '78
DD '04
DS '07
Maximus (slobbering camping buddy)
|
Chuck&Gail
In the Colorado Mountains
Senior Member
Joined: 06/16/2004
View Profile
|
If you camp with hookups, electric is usually free. Propane costs money. So we use electric. Turn it on maybe half an hour or less before needed. Turn off when done.
If showering we turn both on, as we get longer showers using both.
Chuck
Wonderful Wife
Lovely German Shepherd.
1999 Mercedes ML320 TV
2003 Wanderer 187TB Toybox (3620# UVW, 4800# loaded)
Not yet camped in Hawaii, 2 Canada Provinces, & 2 Territories.
I can't be lost because I don't care where this lovely road is going
|
skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/17/2003
View Profile
|
I rarely see anyone who's "ran out" of electricity while at an electric campground  IF you're paying for the electricity on an "as used" basis it would depend on the PRICE of both electricity and LP Gas where you're camping but you can spend a LOT of time fussing over trying to save a couple of pennies.
Good luck / Skip
2004 F-250 SCREW Long Bed (new)
OR 2004 F-150 HD (85,000 towing miles)
Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
We have enough YOUTH...how about a fountain of SMART
|
steelpony5555
Copperas Cove Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 10/26/2007
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
 Offline
|
Electric if you got it for free or both if your trying to get a shower. Somewhere in your pamplets on the water heater it should have a chart of how fast the recovery is on electric, gas and with both on. Electric is the slowest and with both on it recovers alot faster.,
03 Alpenlite Valhalla
07 Dodge 2500 Lone Star Edition 5.9 diesel
07 Honda Goldwing Burnt orange of course! (My new Baby)
06 Chrysler 300 Touring
Margarita machine---nothing better then sittin in the shade on a hot day sippin a Margie!
|
bldrbuck
Boulder, Colorado
Senior Member
Joined: 02/11/2001
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
|
We pay for the electric and turn on both. It takes too much planning to only have the heater on when needed. It is insulated well enough so it doesn't use that much energy.
|
|
|
H & E
North Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 10/05/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
I leave the electric on all the time as we have had only one night without an electrical hook up. I have not run the gas in a long time except to check to see if it works correctly when getting the TT out of storage. With just the two of us we have never run out of hot water.
|
John3872
Iowa
Senior Member
Joined: 08/18/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
90% of the time I run off electric. Every place that we camp, electric is included. You will want to make sure that the hot water heater has water in it before you turn the electric element on. Otherwise, you will burn it up immediately.
2001 GMC 2500 6.0L
2006 Rockwood 8281SS
Reese 16K Fifth Wheel Slider
Yamaha ef2400is
DrawTite Brake Controller
.JPG)
|
Billy Big Rig
Smack Dab in the Middle
New Member
Joined: 05/26/2009
View Profile
Offline
|
Okay. Here's a newbie question.
I know my water heater is capable of both LP and Electric operation. However, I don't know how to switch it!
I bought my RV used and have not researched the option of switching it beyond seeing this thread.
|
Godsey97
Dayton,Ohio
Senior Member
Joined: 06/04/2008
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
Offline
|
We use electric because the DW refuses to camp without FULL hookups. In our old unit with a larger bathroom/shower I would switch it to gas when we were taking showers because it seemed to heat the water faster and not let it get cold when several of us take showers. IT may have been my imagination though.
|
CamperTech
Seacoast, NH
Senior Member
Joined: 01/05/2005
View Profile
|
Most campsites include electricity, so it's in your best interest to use the electric as the main source of maintaining your hot water. As someone else stated, turn on the gas portion (while leaving the electric on) when showering or maybe while doing dishes. This allowes for faster recovery of the hot water and therefor a longer shower.
BILLY BIG....if it's a Suburban water heater, the electric switch is outside the camper where the water heater access door is. Open the door and look down low and to the left on the water heater face. There is a black rocker switch with a clevis pin thru it. Pull the pin and turn the switch to ON.
If it's a newer Atwood heater, the switch will be on a faceplate inside the camper and says WATER HEATER.
If it's an older Atwood heater, the switch is on the backside of the water heater (inside the camper and behind a cabinet door or access door). You will see the control box mounted on the back of the tank...at the top, mounted in the orizontal surface, is a toggle switch for the 120v.
Happy Campin'
W
|
|
|
