Water Heaters

Oakland Mike · 10-20-2005, 11:11 PM

Hi,

Has anyone installed one of the 12v with gas RV type water heaters? I have one that was pulled from a wrecked travel trailer. I am trying to find out how the venting works for the gas portion of the water heater. There does not seem to be a vent pipe anywhere. Could it be that one is not needed? I would think there could be carbon monoxide from it. I did not pull the water heater out so I don't know what it was like installed.

As usual, any help or guidance is appreciated.

Mike

Oakland Mike · 10-21-2005, 07:03 AM

Nevermind, I figured it out. I found a manual I had from a previously owned RV. The thing sits sideways in the RV with the bottom facing out thru a cutout. Its called a direct vent water heater.

Mike

KAYE RIVERCITY · 10-21-2005, 11:06 PM

.....go electric from Home Depot....220vac 20 gallons[173#] and all the hot water you can stand...no vents just plug and play....$139.00 out the door.....blowoff outside the bottom of the trailer hook up with regular garden hose made for hot water.....I keep mine on 100 degrees and I don't add any cold water so I use one side for showering only....if I need cold to fill a bucket or shower in Fla. I use the cold side if I'm hooked to an exterior supply.....otherwise shower temp always 100 degrees....20 gallons is enough for 4 persons if they use the shut off-or one person to soak in comfort....refill- re heat and use compressed air to move water in system...no pumps no battery no noise no system failures....you always got compressed air on the truck or with a small compressor[35#psi max].....geofkaye

Wick · 10-22-2005, 06:54 AM

Geof,
You keep pushing the all electric coach and that is fine for some, but, This past week we were in the middle of nowhere and our generator quit. 3 days without electric was saved by the inverter and the gas/electric water heater. We never missed a beat. I used the truck engine to recharge the house batteries once a day. If we had been all electric then the lack of hot water would have ended the trip. The wife and kids won't stand for a cold shower!
Just my thoughts,
Wick

WERA · 10-22-2005, 06:57 AM

Personally no way I'd ever go with Geoffs ideas on the all electric setup. I'm also not going to empty and manually refill the water heater. I'm too damned lazy and a like how much heat a propane furnace pushes out quickley.

Gary Atsma · 10-22-2005, 03:13 PM

Actually an electric water heater isn't a bad idea. Get it cooking while in transit thru the inverter, and you'll have plenty of hot water upon arrival, and will continue to do so if you have a quick recovery unit. Geof is not far off the mark in his desire for all-electric power. Why carry two different fuels (three for those, uh, individuals who have a GAS genset in their Diesel-powered rig), especially when one of them(propane) carries a HUGE hazard potential. Just because 95% of all RV's use propane appliances does not minimize this hazard. It's hard to kill a habit that has existed for as long as RV's have existed. All-electric power is not only feasible, it's surprisingly easy to do. I have to say, though, that the jury is still out on the Incinolet, even though I know that Geof feels it's a pretty hot item. ;-)

Gary

KAYE RIVERCITY · 10-22-2005, 11:34 PM

...Sean....you only open one valve to refill the HWH and the air pressure by-pass- if you are using a extra water tank.If you are on city water there is no refilling at all...same as at home. Withthe extra tank on the back of the Volvo I can carry 260-500 gallons of water for whatever purpose I need it for.....outside shower-hot tub-truck washing-whatever- boondocking- beachin' or hunting in the fall....If you buy a good generator and keep it serviced you aren't going to have any problems....just like your truck or car....the system is simple and very cost effective....On the issue of an electric toilets-It takes only 3 minuites a week to clean the ash tray....and no danger of disease/odor/bacteria/virus/ infections. A whole group of people can use it one after another....cleaning is quicker than at home-just use Windex and a rag inside and out.....change doesn't come easy to some-that's where are still people burning propane-COpoisioning diarrhea from their on fecal matter[called travelers diarrhea].....just wait till the HEP starts in campgrounds.....geofkaye

Wick · 10-23-2005, 06:35 AM

Geof,
I understand your position, but we do have a good generator and it had only 95 hours when if had a failure. That is why we have warranty. I just like the convenience to go either way.
I am not sure what size of inverter that it would take to run a hot water heater, but I am sure it can be done. Looks like it would be a big job for the inverter.
Wick

KAYE RIVERCITY · 10-23-2005, 09:51 PM

......Wick ....warrranty issues happen...but you could get buy with another generator[4000watts -for 1 hour] or even borrow one for an hour to heat water.....there an ODD as hell issue around campgrounds-that I really don't understand.....when something goes wrong with your equipment-out come a whole group of guys wanting to help you fix or lend you tools and equipment to get her repaired....a lot of those guys seem to have a lot of experience with repairing or rebuilding mechanical equipment....it's like they kinda look forward to giving a guy a heping hand.....No where else have I found this kind of droping what you are doing-to help another guy repair his rig.....amazing.....just amazing!......geofkaye[course they drank all my beer and scotch but they sure enjoyed themselves......

Oakland Mike · 10-24-2005, 09:07 AM

Well Geoff. I have kind of taken your suggestion.

Since there was already an electric water heater in the trailer, I have decided to put in two systems (it was actually easier to do this than to switch to gas).
When I am at a place that provides hookups, the system will use the electric water heater since I presumably will have electric. And it will also work when the generator is on.

If the generator does crap out or I dont' feel like running it (maybe boondocking in a quiet place), I can use the gas water heater. I have plenty of room so that is not an issue. And I have put one-way valves in so one system will not backfeed the other.

Mike

KAYE RIVERCITY · 10-25-2005, 11:27 PM

.....I'm of the idea that one should have several backup systems to be self contained:...Electric-water- heat and A/C....A guy I used to teach with had a HWH that ran off the heat in the Radiator cooling system of the Motorhome......He had an 80 gallon foam insulated tank of 110 degree water for whatever he wanted to use if for....never and I mean Never ran out of hot water -his main source was engine heat and electric cal-rod unites in the HWH...If he couldn't get enough electricity he just took a drive for a hour..He pluged it in the canpgrounds or ran the generator or both but he had all hot water.....he taught me to drink bottled water-he was an over the road truck driver and Never drank any water unless it was in a bottle....he'd use engine heat if the electric heaters were broken leaving the coach on high Idle all nite and if it was really bad he'd use both electric and engine heat and a heating blanket....His A/C was the same engine A/C and one over head if he had electric or use a 30 inch fan directed on himself if all else failed with the engine fast idleing or using the generator....His feeling was that If he had a major beak down in some system it wouldn't ruin his vacation or weekend trip.....Tom traveled all over till he died of cancer of the liver.......geofkaye

You may also like: