Golden_HVAC
Fulltime, CA, USA
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Joined: 08/19/2003
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Actually if you compare 22 KW to what one gallon of propane will cost, because the propane burner will have some of it's heat go up the flue, while the electric is almost 100% efficient, other than hot air losing some heat.
So when I was paying 9 cents per KW, then the cost of electric was much less than buying propane at $2.95 per gallon. 9C X 22 KW = 1.98.
Beside the electric is delivered much easier than propane is to refill.
Fred.
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sowego
northwestern corner of the Nebraska panhandle
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Joined: 03/14/2006
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As others have suggested it will all depend on how much the RV park charges for power and how much it will cost to refill your propane. Multiply all that by the length of your stay and you should be able to figure which will please you. The water heater and refrigerator have other options but if the weather is hot the AC units are what will use all the electricity!
If I were in your situation I'd use the RV park's shower house, shut off the water heater, run the frig off electric and run the AC as needed.
You can also shut off the water heater when not needed since it does warm up quite quickly.
However as others have stated...it could be the cost difference may be minimal. The convenience of having everything working the way you need it versus having to try to economize drastically might be more "costly" frustration wise!
2002 Tiffin Phaeton
2005 Malibu Maxx toad
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paulcardoza
Southeastern Massachusetts
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Joined: 01/15/2010
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I hate having to fill the propane tank and would love to have an all-electric coach. The refrigerator uses so little power that either choice is inconsequential. As pointed out above, using all electric will be a small additional cost compared to everything else spent on our lifestyle!
I would leave everything on electric and enjoy myself.........
Paul & Sandra
New Bedford, MA
2003 Monaco Executive M43 DS2
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RCMAN46
NorthWest
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Joined: 02/24/2008
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Turning off hot water heater will save money??
I did a test using the electric to heat the water. This was done as I used a wattmeter to measure the energy usage. After a week of testing and not using any hot water as it was in storage. My results it took about $.25 more electricity a day to keep the water hot all the time vs turning it off each night and back on in the morning. Turning it off subjects the heater to greater thermal stress each morning and could possibly result in a shorter tank life. Also with water cooling each night may allow bateria growth.
I leave mine on as $2.00 a week is not worth having to wait to take a shower because I forgot to turn the heater back on. I made the assumption propane and electricity would be about the same cost to heat water. That is my 2 cent input.
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gotsmart
Aberdeen, WA
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Joined: 02/20/2012
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paulcardoza wrote:I hate having to fill the propane tank and would love to have an all-electric coach. The refrigerator uses so little power that either choice is inconsequential. As pointed out above, using all electric will be a small additional cost compared to everything else spent on our lifestyle!
I would leave everything on electric and enjoy myself.........
I agree. I don't have an electric option on my water heater and the RV repair shop that I use tells me that they won't install conversion kits in the clean-out because it voids the water heater mfg's warranty. So I turn on the water heater about 15 minutes or so before I need hot water and I turn it off after I'm done needing it.
I don't like having to drive the MH to get it's onboard propane tank filled. It's a PITA, so I installed a Stay-A-While adapter and use a 20 lb (4.7 gallon) external bottle as my primary propane source. I chose the 20 lb gas grill bottle because I don't want to be lifting anything heavier, plus I can weigh it with a Grill Gauge to find out exactly how emtpty/full the bottle is. It can last me a good week or so. I disconnect it, cut over to the onboard tank, put the bottle in the toad and take it to be refilled, then I reconnect it and switch back to it. I FT in my MH. I topped of my onboard tank last September and won't worry about it until next September.
If your RV isn't plumbed for external propane, I suggest buying and adapter to let you run off of an external source.
2005 Cruise America 28R (Four Winds 28R) on a 2004 Ford E450 SD 6.8L V10 4R100
2009 smart fortwo Passion with Roadmaster "Falcon 2" towbar & tail light kit - pictures
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Ole B
Wilson,Wi/USA
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I have done a study on this very question. The figures I came up with are, if you can purchase propane for less than $3.50 a gallon use propane. This is an average. Keep in mind taking a shower in hot or cold water is a non issue. How many of you know a national law exists stating a campground CANNOT charge more for electricity than is charged by the provider!!
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Bounder Billy
Colorado
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Joined: 10/24/2005
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Many parks will not allow you to fill the rv propane tank on site, so unless you have an auxilliary propane tank that you can get filled, you may run out of propane and have to use electric. As others said you need to find out the local cost of propane and what the park charges for electricity, and do some calculation. If the difference is small, if may not be worth worrying about.
2008 Expedition 38F
2002 Jeep Liberty Sport
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Clay L
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
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Ole B wrote:I have done a study on this very question. The figures I came up with are, if you can purchase propane for less than $3.50 a gallon use propane. This is an average. Keep in mind taking a shower in hot or cold water is a non issue. How many of you know a national law exists stating a campground CANNOT charge more for electricity than is charged by the provider!!
Sorry but someone gave you some bum info. That is controlled by state law not federal law.
Some states prohibit the practice of charging more than the campground pays and some do not.
For example AZ allows a campground to charge more if the stay is less than 180 consecutive days. If the stay is longer they can only charge the same as they pay but are allowed to charge a fee for reading the meter.
The AZ law can be seen HERE Scroll down to 33-2107.
Then HERE is the revision that allows RV parks an out.
Clay (WA5NMR), Lee (Wife), Katie (cat).
Full Timing in a 2004 Winnebago Sightseer 35N, Workhorse chassis, Honda Accord toad
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royST
ann arbor
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Joined: 03/17/2011
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paulcardoza wrote:I hate having to fill the propane tank and would love to have an all-electric coach. The refrigerator uses so little power that either choice is inconsequential. As pointed out above, using all electric will be a small additional cost compared to everything else spent on our lifestyle!
I would leave everything on electric and enjoy myself.........
X2 here. Considering that the price difference is very minimal, the added inconvenience of having to refill the propane tank just to get things going does make going on electric the better option.
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Dave From AK
On the road since 2002
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Joined: 06/15/2003
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Here's a heating fuel cost calculator provided by the Department of Energy: Heating Cost Spreadsheet
Dave Rudisill
2004 Beaver Monterey
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