mockturtle
Northwest
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Joined: 05/31/2005
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I agree with the above posts that you can get a decent shower from a 6-gallon water heater. However, I also agree with you that you don't need one if you're content to use the campground facilities. Personally, I would get tired of heating water on the stove to wash dishes, but maybe you don't. On an RV that old, I wouldn't want to invest much.
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Veronica
Virginia
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Joined: 07/04/2003
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That's my thinking, mockturtle. It's an older camper - I've camped for years and never had a water heater (tent and popup) so I'm used to it. If the one in the Nomad worked, that would be a bonus. I just don't see putting a lot of money into it.
Thanks for the Craigslist links. We'd already called the rv salvage guy. He doesn't have any the size that will fit my camper. I'll measure, but I think the opening in my camper is smaller than the 18X18 one. That's the problem we're having - if it's any bigger than the original, we run into framing issues and would have to move gas lines. Not worth it in my book.
If I could find an affordable tankless one, I'd go that route - but no luck on that front.
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DocP
Brunswick, Ohio
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I guess it really comes down to your comfort level when camping. Our 6-gallon tank gets us through 2 back-to-back showers (using the Oxygenics water-saving shower head), and (for me), I wouldn't want to be heating water up on the stove when dishes needed to be done. That being said, it's really about how YOU prefer to do things when you camp.
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skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
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Joined: 12/17/2003
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Veronica wrote:The water heater in my '73 Nomad is toast. My boyfriend has been trying his hardest to find an affordable one the same size to fit in the opening for the old one. I told him not to bother. It's a 6-gallon water heater. That will give me what, a 2-minute navy shower? If I can't use the campground's facilities, I see no reason I can't take a quickie cold shower or heat water on the stove for an old-fashioned sponge bath. If I need hot water to cook, I'll heat it on the stove as well.
Am I overlooking anything here?
Apparently there has been something wrong with your water heater for some time if all you can do is take a two minute shower. It SHOULD be heating water hot enough to allow for a 50/50 mix for showering which should give you closer to a 5 minute shower if you don't turn it off while soaping. You might just be SURPRISED how well it will work when it's right.
In ANY case it's your decision and you know what you need. We travel for months at a time and USUALLY to places that don't HAVE shower facilities (don't have FACILITIES EVEN) so we have a completely different need.
Good luck / skip
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curveballer98
Hancock, MI
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i have no troubles taking a hot shower in our camper. i've been in ours as long as 10 minutes without turning the water off and it was just as warm at the end as the begining. i usually turn on the propane when we use it as well, so it's got both the electric and gas heat going. recovers much faster. for cooking purposes it wouldn't matter if you had hot water as you heat on the stove anyway, but it's nice having hot water for doing dishes, but again that could get heated on the stove too.
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Veronica
Virginia
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Joined: 07/04/2003
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skipnchar - I've never used the water heater. I traded my Apache (without water heater) for this Nomad and the water heater was toast when I got it. I guess I was wrong in my estimation about shower time. I was just judging by many posts I'd read on here about taking fast navy showers.
I just don't see sinking a ton of money into something I think of as a luxury. I've been camping for years and have never had a water heater. I'm rather pleased with holding tanks, a bed off the ground, and being able to stand upright.
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colliehauler
Mc Pherson KS USA
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Joined: 01/27/2004
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Veronica I would keep an eye on Craigslist for a WH and make do untill you run across one. Some times people will part out an old trailer and you can pick one up for around $25.
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Pauljdav
Everett, Wa
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Joined: 12/01/2008
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My 6 gallon water heater lets my DW take a full shower without running out. In 15 minutes I can take my full shower. They work very well.
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Billyj571
Marysville,WA
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Thats a good price for a 10 gal,
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Goldstalker
CA
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Joined: 07/06/2009
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Check Ebay I picked up a brand new Atwood 6-gal for $200.
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