Best all electric hot water heater..

[Danny]

Hey all,

Need information on a good all electric hot water heater for the bus.  What are some ideas and contacts?

Thanks - as always,

Danny

[pvcces]

Unless you are always going to be using your coach in an RV park, Those are a bad deal.

I'm sure you have your reasons, but 3 gallons of heated water will take about 1 kwh of power. A golf cart battery probably ought to heat only two gallons before recharging. One golf cart battery equals maybe 3 ounces of propane for energy storage.

For what it's worth.

Tom Caffrey
Suncatcher
Ketchikan, Alaska

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Danny,

Either you can purchace a marine type that has a hydronic coil as preheat [maybe you plan a aquahot] or a stright electric unit in which case

you can buy it at any H.D. or Lowes.  I'm all electric and the H2O never seems to be a problem. I usually preheat it before I leave for a trip

and stays hot for a very long time. I have a 12 gal. electric and have it set a 145 F. I then installed a mixing valve to mix it back down to

120 F. I calculated that the valve increased my capacity to 17 gal. of H2O an increase of +5. 2 showers back to back....no problem!

Good Luck
Nick-

[Dave Siegel]

Hi Danny,
         We have a 1948 "Silversides" and our space is very limited, plus our coach is all electric, so I chose a 6 gallon stainless steel marine water heater for the shower and bath. (Our shower is a mini neo angle bath tub also, never used it, but it's there.) I turn the water heater on when we get up in the morning, it takes about 15 minutes to heat up, and both Jan and I can take back to back showers "No Problem". I also have a 1 1/2 gallon hot water heater under the kitchen sink. I turn that little one on at meal times and we then have hot water heated for our dish washing, without heating the bigger tank. That one heats in a couple of minutes.
         Rememeber there is only two of us, (I don't know how many your family is) and we shower at least once a day, every day and have found our supply system to work very well for us. (I got the water heater at a marine surplus store.)

Lots of luck,
Dave Siegel

[JackConrad]

Don't know if ours is "the best", but we purchased a 10 gallon at HD almost 7 years ago.  It is still working great. We re-adjusted the thermostat to the hightest setting. Since we take our showers in the evening before going to bed, when dry camping, we start our generator just before supper and run for about 2 hours to top off the batteries. We have hot water in about 45 minutes. This gives us enough hot water for our showers, do the dishes, do dishes next morning and still have warmj water for lunch dishes the next day.  YMMV,  Jack

[Buffalo SpaceShip]

We have an 6 gallon RV-style Suburban unit on our bus that runs on propane OR 120v. It also has a coil running through it for engine coolant to circulate through it, but I haven't hooked it up yet. I do like the idea of free heat!

Seems very flexible to have all of these options, though. It heats up and recovers very fast. Here's their models: http://www.rvcomfort.com/suburban/products/water/specs.php

Just another idea for 'ya,
Brian

[busboy]

We have an all electric Eagle 10.  We have a 19 gallon electric water heater that you can buy at Lowe's or the Depot.  It has worked great for us.  We either have the genny on or are plugged into a campground.  It also holds the heat fairly well...I can turn the water heater off before going to bed and still have hot water in the morning.
Happy Trails,
Brent

[BJ]

As to the statement about electric hot water heaters over propane I say hog wash. In 13 years I went through very expensive (I think) 12 gal heaters (propane) I finally said to H--- with it and purchased a 12 gal elec heater 15 years later I am still using it. I set it up on a timer to come on at 6am. I have hot water for a shower and morning dishes at 10am the times goes off till 6pm then off again at 8pm. Saves energy, works great.

[Hartley]

Why would you want to heat water that's already HOT???

I had an Atwood RV style 6 gallon and it was OK for one shower and wait 10 minutes.

My MC9 has a 12 gallon 120 volt ( 1,200 ) watt and have never run out of heated water ( unless I turned it off )...

[Ace]

Go to Lowes and get yourself a Little Titan water heater for under counter or wet bar applications. Very small, Very Hot, and easy to hook up.

Mine has worked great since installing it!

Ace

[Kristinsgrandpa]

   Ace I'm glad you posted. An employee at Lowe's suggested one, and I was wondering how  well they work.

I believe the standard 110V water heaters are 1500 W and the Titan is 1300 W and heats a smaller amount of water. Am I right?

Ed

[Ace]

Yes everything they said and more!

Like I said earlier, mine works like a champ and I was turned on to it from another bus nut who liked thiers. I haven't talked to themin a while and don't know if they still have it but wthe last time I DID talk to them it was working fine and by the way, they are full timers!

Ace

[TomC]

Point of use water heaters sound fine on paper, but you have to have electricity to feed them.  I would find that inconvenient.

I have two 10gal 120v water heaters that I puchased from Home Depot 12 years ago with zero problems.  They are plumbed with the cold going into one then the hot going into the next with the last water heater powered through the inverter to have water on the road during the day, or at the end of the day.  We take our showers in the morning, so when dry camping, just start the gen to make breakfast and heat the water.  Since I have two, 20gal will be heated in about 45 minutes, and have never run out, even with the temp on the low side (less calcification).  If the heating element goes out (hasn't yet) just stop at any Home Depot, Lowes, etc for a $25 element.  What could be cheaper?  Good Luck, TomC