# Hot Water Heater



## kywoman (Feb 9, 2006)

Is it ok to use the electric and gas at the simultaneously for quicker heating?
When do you turn on the heating source? Is it possible to have hot water on demand? Or do you need to turn it on and let it heat up before each usage?


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## gone campin (Jan 29, 2006)

I just learned on this trip this weekend that we have 2 buttons: water heater electric and water heater gas, but the electric is for the electric start and the gas is for the gas to flow.

It does not take long for the water to flow hot. No longer than at home does. It gets very hot also.

Linda


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

On mine I can heat the water either by electric or gas
I have turn them both on when we have alot of water useage

Don


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## stapless (Feb 20, 2005)

I have used both to heat the water more quickly. I don't know







of any reason that you can't do that. It does take an hour or so to heat the water. if 'on demand' means an hour or so lead time, then that's fine. I generally turn it on when we get to the CG and off when we leave. I usually use both to get it heated up, the just the electric. it is not as quick to reheat, but I don't burn any more propane than I have to. If I'm using a lot of electricity and I'm worried about blowing a fuse, I will switch over to propane.

I'm sure everyone has there own way, and now you know mine.

scott
action


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## z-family (Oct 2, 2004)




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## gone campin (Jan 29, 2006)

stapless said:


> I have used both to heat the water more quickly. I don't know
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Does this mean I did not learn what I thought I did about the electric start being the Water Heater Electric button and the Water Heater Gas button being the propane flow button?







The electric start did not start until I turned on the water heater electric button.

Linda


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## stapless (Feb 20, 2005)

gone campin said:


> stapless said:
> 
> 
> > I have used both to heat the water more quickly.Â I don't knowÂ
> ...


not sure if your model year is different.

on mine, there is a switch to turn the electric heating element on or off, and another for turning the propane heat on and off. they can be set in any combination, and one has nothing to do with the other. if the propane is on, it works all by itself, and if the electric is on, it also works by itself. both 'on' will heat with electric element and propane. the propane does have an electric ignition which does not require the electric heating element to be turned on. I don't know if maybe OB has changed something in the last year (mine is a 2005)?

scott


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## 2500Ram (Oct 30, 2005)

Maybe I'm doing something wrong but run both all the time, electric switch is always on at the water heater. Wall switch is propane or both







, never really thought about it. We have hot watter withing minutes. While dry camping last year I would turn the wall switch on about 15 minutes before I wanted a shower and it was VERY hot you would hear the propane kick on.










Bill.


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## gone campin (Jan 29, 2006)

stapless said:


> gone campin said:
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> > stapless said:
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Mine is 2006 31 RQS

Linda


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## stapless (Feb 20, 2005)

Linda,

sorry, but I don't know if they have done something different in '06. maybe another '06 owner can chime in and help out.

scott


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

You can heat water 1 of 3 ways:

1) Gas Only

2) Electric Only

3) Gas & Electric (same time)

Gas is by far the fastest way to heat, but if you have power you might as well use both.


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## ee4308 (Aug 23, 2005)

My PDI guy said I could use both when I first got set up (if I needed hot water quickly) but turn the gas switch back off when it heated up to save on propane. I first make sure I have the water connected to the trailer, check the kitchen sink facuet to the left position and make sure I have water coming from the w/heater, then I turn on both w/heater switches till it heats up.


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## gone campin (Jan 29, 2006)

When I looked at it I thought it meant either electric or water. But the DH's friend that was with me said the electric one was for the electric start to work.









How about another 2006 31 RQS owner setting me straight on this please.

Thanks,
Linda


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## Katrina (Dec 16, 2004)

gone campin said:


> When I looked at it I thought it meant either electric or water. But the DH's friend that was with me said the electric one was for the electric start to work.
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Electric switch runs the electric.
Gas switch runs the gas.
Can use both with no problems.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

gone campin said:


> When I looked at it I thought it meant either electric or water. But the DH's friend that was with me said the electric one was for the electric start to work.
> 
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No need to have a 2006 31 rqs owner tell you. The gas switch supplies electricity to the propane controls and that includes the igniter. You only need 12 vdc (and propane) for it to work.

For the electric switch to work you must be connected to shore power.


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## j1mfrog (Jun 6, 2004)

Everytime DW mentions Hot Water Heater in conversation, I enjoy telling her that it's a water heater, not a hot water heater. If the water was already hot, there would be no need to heat it.

DW really doesn't have a good appreciation for this little statement of fact.


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## ee4308 (Aug 23, 2005)

j1mfrog said:


> Everytime DW mentions Hot Water Heater in conversation, I enjoy telling her that it's a water heater, not a hot water heater. If the water was already hot, there would be no need to heat it.
> 
> DW really doesn't have a good appreciation for this little statement of fact.
> 
> ...


Jim,

Good point there. sunny I learned long ago from an old "plumber" that it was not a "Hot Water Heater", and if plumbing is done correctly, hot is always one the left and cold on the right. Never forgot it.


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

We always turn on both gas and electric when we first set up. This gets us up to temp very quickly (less than 15 minutes). Then, I turn the gas off, and let the electric maintain the temperature.

Usually, the only time I turn the gas back on, is for showering. If you are careful, the gas heater can maintain a comfortable shower temperature for about as long as you care to stay in. And I likes me, my long showers!









Happy Trails,
Doug


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## Moosegut (Sep 24, 2005)

The manual for the water heater states that use of gas AND electric is preferable when you want to heat the water quickly. After the water is at temp, switch to electric to save on propane. Make sure there is water in the water heater before you turn on either or you will burn out the element.

When running on propane, if you ever see a small red light at the lower right side of the lighted red wall switch for propane heating, it means the propane is not lit. Turn the switch off and then on again. If the little light comes back on three consecutive times, you have to go outside and reset the switch at the heater panel. They call it a switch but it is a wire you have to pull off and then put back on.

Scott


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Oregon_Camper said:


> You can heat water 1 of 3 ways:
> 
> 1) Gas Only
> 
> ...


Ditto.

I switch to elect. once hot.

Thor


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## stapless (Feb 20, 2005)

j1mfrog said:


> Everytime DW mentions Hot Water Heater in conversation, I enjoy telling her that it's a water heater, not a hot water heater. If the water was already hot, there would be no need to heat it.
> 
> DW really doesn't have a good appreciation for this little statement of fact.
> 
> ...


My DW always says 'would you like me to 'unthaw' something for dinner?' I reply that I would prefer not to eat frozen food, she doesn't think its very funny. maybe that's a midwest thing to say unthaw.

scott


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

j1mfrog said:


> Everytime DW mentions Hot Water Heater in conversation, I enjoy telling her that it's a water heater, not a hot water heater. If the water was already hot, there would be no need to heat it.
> 
> DW really doesn't have a good appreciation for this little statement of fact.
> 
> ...


We could play a whole topic line on word games.









John


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## kjdj (Sep 14, 2004)

j1mfrog said:


> Everytime DW mentions Hot Water Heater in conversation, I enjoy telling her that it's a water heater, not a hot water heater. If the water was already hot, there would be no need to heat it.
> 
> DW really doesn't have a good appreciation for this little statement of fact.
> 
> ...


So thats why cold water gets hotter faster than already hot water.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

stapless said:


> j1mfrog said:
> 
> 
> > Everytime DW mentions Hot Water Heater in conversation, I enjoy telling her that it's a water heater, not a hot water heater. If the water was already hot, there would be no need to heat it.
> ...


Comments like that usually get a follow-up from the DW like "Well, then maybe you'd like to cook dinner then"?







I tend to just keep these comments to myself and have a nice internal chuckle.


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## stapless (Feb 20, 2005)

Oregon_Camper said:


> stapless said:
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> > j1mfrog said:
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yea, I learned that pretty quickly myself. "I ain't very smart, but I is edjucable"

scott


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