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RV-Dreams.com Home -> RV-Dreams Community Forum -> Researching RV Living -> Using Water Heater
Post Info TOPIC: Using Water Heater
arkypam


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Using Water Heater
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Hi Folks,

We are about to leave for our first major trip - 3 months.  This will be our first experience at paying a separate fee for electricity.  My question is how to most efficiently heat water.  Would it cost less to turn the electric water heater on in the morning for showers, then turn if off until evening for washing dishes, then off again for the night?  Or, is more cost effective to leave it on all the time?  Or, would using propane actually cost less?  Turn it on only when using it? 

We use electricity when it comes with the camp site but am wondering what approach you take when paying a separate fee for electricity.

Just wondering if anyone has thought or read about this.  I thank you in advance - you folks have been so helpful to me in the past!



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Bill and Linda


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I base the following on literally years and years of experience from my parents who were full timers.

 

Unless the electric is already included in the campsite cost, use LP for the water heater.  Turn it on and off as required but just make sure you give it about an hour to heat the water if the tank is full of cold water.  Turn it off just before you use the last hot water in the morning or evening.  This is the least expensive way.  However, if you just leave it on LP and “on” all the time that is still better than electric.  Just like in a home.  Gas is better than electric as far as water heaters go.

 

Bill



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Bill & Linda
bjoyce


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If you have a motorhome with a fixed propane tank and have to move the motorhome to get propane then use electricity. The cost of moving to get propane quickly eats up any propane savings if you are sitting still, but if moving every week or two you will be fine following Bill's advice. Electricity takes about 2 hours to heat the tank so it is not as fast to recover.
Normally the number to watch to compare propane and electric cost is if the propane per gallon cost is less than 22 times the kilowatt-hour rate for electricity, then propane is cheaper, otherwise electric is cheaper. This is the number of BTUs in each. Example one, propane is $3.00/gallon and electricity is 11c per kilowatt-hour then electric cost is $2.42 (22 times $0.11) for the same heating (BTUs) so use electric. Example two, propane is $2.00/gallon and electric is 14c per killowatt-hour, then the electric cost is $3.08, so use propane.

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Bill Joyce,
40' 2004 Dutch Star DP towing an AWD 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid
Journal at http://www.sacnoth.com
Full-timing since July 2003
arkypam


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Thank you both for the great responses!

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The Bear II


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We always switch the water heater to electric whether we have to pay for it or not. Our electric bills are very reasonable.

Here's an example:

We stayed for 9 weeks in the San Diego area during July, August and into September. The air conditioning stayed on 24 hours a day 7days a week for most of that time. Our water heater, refrigerator and stand alone ice maker were on electric the whole time as well. Our electric bill from the resort was right at $200 for the 9 weeks.



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arkypam


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Thank you.  That is reassuring.  I had no idea what to expect for charges since we have never before camped where electricity was not included.



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