# Help - Left Water Heater On



## Markh1 (Sep 11, 2005)

Left the ranch and the Outback in a hurry this morning. When I got home, I remembered that I did not turn off electric water heater. I turned off water and opened faucets to drain, but from my experience, this does not drain the water in the heater. I did not open the low point drains nor drain the heater.

I can call the rancher and ask him to unplug the trailer, but then I lose all the food in the frig (or all the gas in the LP tanks).

I'll be back to ranch by Friday afternoon. Has anyone else left their electric heater on for an extended period? I'm I just going to have really hot water next weekend, or is my trailer in danger of burning down? I would suspect that fuse woul blow first.

As usual, would appreciate feedback from the group.

P.S. For you deer hunters out there, opening weekend in Texas was a grand success for many of the hunters on our ranch. Harvested three deer in excees of 150 B&C and three in the 145-150 range. One bow hunter took a 140 class buck, a real accomplishment. All deer excess of 5 1/2 years old (The "secret" of growing big bucks? Let them get old)

Yours truly did not fire a shot, as is my custom on opening weekend. Saw two 160-170 class bucks this morning. Will be putting clients on them next Saturday. I'll try to figure out how to post pictures.


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

Is your fridge set to Auto? If so, and your LP tanks are full, I would have the rancher unplug the TT and let the fridge switch over to LP gas. If at least one of your tanks are full, it will easily make it until Friday.

I'm sure someone else will chime in here soon and give you a better scenario...


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## egregg57 (Feb 13, 2006)

Excellent advice skipper. Unplug the TT. As long as you have a good battery. you're all set! Now worries!

Eric


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## ED_RN (Jun 25, 2006)

As long as there is water in it it should be ok. We ran ours for 4 days straight without a problem. If your concerned and nothing else is on that will kill your battery unplug it. If the frig is on it should switch to propane. The frig uses very little propane and will run for weeks on one tank.


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## bentpixel (Sep 2, 2006)

Markh1,

I see nothing wrong with leaving it plugged into AC, imho. The heater is on a thermostat just like your hot water heater at home won't over temp or burn you down. However, in my research for dry camping I called Dometic tech support to find out the 12 volt draw on the batteries. Gas or electric mode it still uses 12 volts ( they said .41 amps ) for the controller curcuit board. Also, the LP detector is drawing power: about .21 amps. I figure the daily battery draw to be near 17 amps. If you pull the plug you'll drain some 85 amps out of the batteries by Friday. If your batteries can deal.. no worries.

Just my $.02
Scott


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## Markh1 (Sep 11, 2005)

Thanks for all the good advice.

It is so nice to have friends to turn to when you don't know what to do.

Thanks again.


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Mark,

I agree with Dawn on this one. Have the rancher pull the plug on the trailer, and let the refrigerator run on propane for the week. You might have the rancher verfity that your tanks are open!









I don't think you will burn your trailer down, but you could burn out the element in the water heater.

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## nynethead (Sep 23, 2005)

When I go camping I never shut off the electric heater, even when i spend 8 days at the beach, I will often use the gas in conjuction so my DW doesn't run out of hot water. I say your fine.


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

The only way you would have to worry would be if you took the water heater drain plug out to drain it. You did not so there is water in there. It will work normal with no worries. I also leave mine electric water heater on all the time when camping especially if its all week.

John


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## GlenninTexas (Aug 11, 2004)

Agree with John, I leave mine on all the time. As long as there's water in the tank your ok.

Regards, Glenn

P.S. I sat in my Outback yesterday watching two bucks go after each other for 5-10 minutes, until one finally decided to leave for greener pastures. Pretty cool to watch.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Leave it plugged in and you will be fine.


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## out4fun (Aug 22, 2006)

Hi Markh1









I think I would have the rancher pull the plug and make sure lp valves are open, and hope you have the switch to auto. If I read correctly you still have faucets open and if the water is hot it could evaporate out the open faucets leaving the tank low enough to do damage the element in the heater. I think it would be cheaper to replace the food in the fridge than replace the element in the tank.







That's just my way of thinking.

Angelo


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## Sluggo54 (Jun 15, 2005)

Depending on how handy your rancher is, how about having him unplug the trailer, open the outside door to the WH, pull and tape the wires, then plug it back in? Easy enough to do when you get there, and no chance of burning out the element.

Sluggo


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Sounds like you have some solid advise already...so I will just wish you good luck on your hunting trip!


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