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furpod View Drop Down
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Joined: 25 Jul 2011
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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Water heater switch
    Posted: 15 Aug 2019 at 3:08pm
Originally posted by GlueGuy

Forgot about the bypass. We live in a zone where we actually have never needed the bypass.


Yeah, my dad lives just north of Sacramento.. in 50 years he has never winterized.. LOL
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Posts: 2629 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Aug 2019 at 1:38pm
Forgot about the bypass. We live in a zone where we actually have never needed the bypass.
bp
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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Aug 2019 at 11:23am
Originally posted by GlueGuy

Originally posted by Kenlw

I assume keeping the fresh water tank filled will satisfy the hot water tank.
Thank you Bum!! [
Not exactly. You do need to get the water into the hot water tank. So if your source is the FWT, then run the pump, and open the kitchen faucet until it stops sputtering. Then you know you have water in the water heater. Alternatively, of you are hooked up to a fresh water source, just run the kitchen hot water faucet until the sputtering stops.


Actually.. No.

If the WH is in bypass.. and empty, and you pressurize the system in either manner, just because the water flows freely from the hot tap, does not mean the WH has any water in it.

To insure the WH has water in it, pressurize the system, and open the emergency blow valve on the WH. If the WH is in bypass mode, there will be no pressure or flow. If there IS pressure at that valve, then you KNOW the WH has water in it.

Many a WH element dies every spring because of this misunderstanding.


.
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Posts: 2629 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Aug 2019 at 11:07am
Originally posted by Kenlw

I assume keeping the fresh water tank filled will satisfy the hot water tank.
Thank you Bum!! [
Not exactly. You do need to get the water into the hot water tank. So if your source is the FWT, then run the pump, and open the kitchen faucet until it stops sputtering. Then you know you have water in the water heater. Alternatively, of you are hooked up to a fresh water source, just run the kitchen hot water faucet until the sputtering stops.
bp
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Posts: 17 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Aug 2019 at 9:09am
I assume keeping the fresh water tank filled will satisfy the hot water tank.
Thank you Bum!! [
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Posts: 17 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Aug 2019 at 9:05am
Thank you for your response, Harrypodder!!
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Aug 2019 at 5:38am
There are actually 3 switches for the water heater, one on the wall for the propane heating source, one on the tank for the electric, and a third dedicated circuit breaker in the panel for the electric. Since the outside switch is inconvenient, I leave mine on and just use the breaker to turn the electric heating element on and off. If you're worried about switching the wrong breaker on or off accidentally, just mark it with a stick on color dot or piece of colored tape. 

If you will not be using hot water for a few hours or longer and you're on propane, then by all means shut it off. You will always be ahead in energy use if you don't try to maintain a high water temp when you're not using it. It only takes at most about 30 minutes to heat the tank on propane, it has 12000 BTU per hour capacity. 

The electric element is only about 5000 btu per hour so takes longer to heat up, so I'd leave that on if you have hookups. Besides, you've already paid in advance for that electricity when you rented the campsite. Tongue
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Posts: 1014 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Aug 2019 at 3:13pm
I'm not one that typically has a electric site, yet if I do, yes it stays on.

I don't know if shutting down after use and re-firing for showers/dishwashing takes less propane/electric than leaving it on and staying at temp. It makes sense to me that if in a warm climate consumption would be on par. If in a cold climate.. I'd think turning it off would be better. We're not at the trailer typically during the day.

For the most part for us, we turn it on in the am for showers then shut off. Mostly warm water for our needs through out the day (unless in cold climate). 

How you do it, is up to how you camp. Love to hear how you decide and how it works out for you! 
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Posts: 17 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Aug 2019 at 11:51am
Thanks Furpod!
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Posts: 1407 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Aug 2019 at 10:38am
Having water in the water heater tank isn't as critical for propane as it is for electric. Still, it's a good habit to get into.
Alan
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