Suburban 12 gallon water heater

[69Silvrbelle]

Hi everyone! I am interested in finding out if anyone is using a Suburban 12 gallon water heater in their Airstream. Being the bargain hunter (cheap, frugal) I am, I have found one and wondering if it is too much water heater. Roughly 16 3/8 x 16 3/8 x 22. My Overlander had a 10 gallon Atwood in it, and the opening is 16 3/8 x 15 1/2. Price is very fair, available because the owner has gone tankless. What do you think?

[HowieE]

The trend is smaller not larger. It would take you a 1/2 hour to heat it up or use a lot propane to keep it hot.

They are now installing small instant systems to reduce the propane use and size.

[J. Morgan]

I installed a Suburban 10 gallon in my 75. It was a little bit of work reshaping the stock size hole to fit the new heater, but it was no big deal.

I am about sure that the 10 and 12 gal use the same size hole.

The heater works fine.


1/2 Ton 4WD Truck, 72 Sovereign Hensley Arrow

[perryg114]

6 gallons seems fine for us. The water is so hot that it is probably 12 gallons of hot water. It recovers fast. Seems like you would waste a lot with a 12 unless you were stationary and liked to take long showers. If you are not hooked to sewer where you going to put all that water? I have never run out with the 6 gallon.

Perry

[69Silvrbelle]

Thanks for the words y'all. Been thinking hard on it. Price is less than a third of a new one. Mull, mull, mull.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by 69SlvrBelle

Thanks for the words y'all. Been thinking hard on it. Price is less than a third of a new one. Mull, mull, mull.

If you need 12 gallons of hot water to take a shower, then you need to reduce that amount big time.

It's been proven that a perfect healthy shower can be taken using 1 (one) gallon of water.

There is a formula as to how that's done.

Andy

[rmkrum]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

If you need 12 gallons of hot water to take a shower, then you need to reduce that amount big time.

It's been proven that a perfect healthy shower can be taken using 1 (one) gallon of water.

There is a formula as to how that's done.

Andy

Aw Andy, that's very true, but since I am no longer associated with the Navy, and wife also wants/needs long, hot showers, we had to overkill the original 6 gallon Atwood hot water system to suport our "hotel shower" bathing habits in the AS. Now we never run out of hot water, even with three long hot showers in close succession...

Besides, as I get old and more crunchy, lots of hot water on a cold morning helps get me moving. Best was when we hit the shower after a below-freezing night in West Texas last year, and it had no trouble keeping up. The old 6 gallon Atwood ran out at about mid-way through the third shower (fortunately after wife took hers!)--don't ask how I know this

A tankless was the way to go for us--I didn't want to carry 6 gallons of water on that side of the AS any longer. My concern with the 10 gallon would be sheer weight of the water inside--they get heavy in a hurry at about 7.5 pounds per gallon of water plus the tank and stuff... They also take longer to heat up and recover, plus are most likely more noisy--the 6 was loud when it came on in the middle of the night next to my head...the tankless is very quiet--barely hear the fan, and it does not run unless you are using hot water. There is a slight delay over the normal time it takes the hot water to get from the front of our AS to the rear wet bath, but we just let the water run into the lav sink until its hot, adjust to our liking, and then go for it! (Dont forget to put the toilet seat up to drain water off after you shower) The price was higher, but a happy wife is priceless, IMHO.

Consider most carefully.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

Aw Andy, that's very true, but since I am no longer associated with the Navy, and wife also wants/needs long, hot showers, we had to overkill the original 6 gallon Atwood hot water system to suport our "hotel shower" bathing habits in the AS. Now we never run out of hot water, even with three long hot showers in close succession...

Besides, as I get old and more crunchy, lots of hot water on a cold morning helps get me moving. Best was when we hit the shower after a below-freezing night in West Texas last year, and it had no trouble keeping up. The old 6 gallon Atwood ran out at about mid-way through the third shower (fortunately after wife took hers!)--don't ask how I know this

A tankless was the way to go for us--I didn't want to carry 6 gallons of water on that side of the AS any longer. My concern with the 10 gallon would be sheer weight of the water inside--they get heavy in a hurry at about 7.5 pounds per gallon of water plus the tank and stuff... They also take longer to heat up and recover, plus are most likely more noisy--the 6 was loud when it came on in the middle of the night next to my head...the tankless is very quiet--barely hear the fan, and it does not run unless you are using hot water. There is a slight delay over the normal time it takes the hot water to get from the front of our AS to the rear wet bath, but we just let the water run into the lav sink until its hot, adjust to our liking, and then go for it! (Dont forget to put the toilet seat up to drain water off after you shower) The price was higher, but a happy wife is priceless, IMHO.

Consider most carefully.

The Navy trains people, very well, especially how and not how to take a shower. Fresh water on a sea going ship is as precious as the fuel.

But, when it comes to making "mama" happy, especially in an Airstream, there is an entirely different library.

Did the Navy put that shower formula in writing, or just verbal?

Andy

[rmkrum]

They modified shower systems to save a lot of water, and also did some training. Their usual method of saving water on my ship was to simply turn off the shower water supply during certain hours of the day. Since toilets were flushed with salt water this was not a sanitary issue. You learned to take very quick showers when water was available and folks were standing in line to get one.

The 'Hotel Shower' is a reference to what a sailor would take when staying in a hotel off the ship--long, hot, and very relaxing. Best was in traditional hotels in Japan--ending with a soak in very hot water in a deep tub. Wonderful during a cold, snowy winter in Sasebo, Japan.


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[69Silvrbelle]

So, if you would please, give me a bit of information on what you are using for a tankless water heater. I have thought about one but I am finding all of them very expensive. What do you like?

[rmkrum]

I installed a Precision Temp 550 series unit. Atwood makes a similar one, but the 550 can be had with an unpainted aluminum door, has built in freeze protection, and it just seemed to be a better design. Atwood makes lots of water heaters, but I don't see much design improvement in them over the years...


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[rmkrum]

Yes, it's expensive at first, by my wife needs/wants long hot showers to be comfortable in cold weather, so it was the only way to go. We also have installed one at home for the same reason.


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[lewster]

I put a Precision Temp RV-500 in my '06 19CCD soon after purchase. When you are connected to city water and sewer, there is nothing like a loooooong, HOT shower to sooth the body after a hard day's work. Never had the unit even burp! Ran perfectly during the entire time I owned it.

Atwoods are simply a licensed clone of Precision Temp. Why buy a copy when you can still get the original??

[J. Morgan]

I used a $500 residential tankless.

Six GPM, a hot shower can last as long as the water and propane last.




1/2 Ton 4WD Truck, 72 Sovereign Hensley Arrow

[perryg114]

The propane powered tankless looks like the ticket if you need lots of hot water. I looked at electric ones for the house and they would have required me to put in more power to the house.

Perry

[69Silvrbelle]

Thank you all for your advice. I think I will look at tankless. Now, what to do with the big square hole in the side of Belle!

[rmkrum]

Compare the measurements of the hole with the specified mount hole for the tankless. May need a tidy patch...sigh.

The 6 gallon Atwood is about an inch shorter that the Precision Temp 550 series.

Sometimes a patch is needed




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[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by 69SlvrBelle

Thank you all for your advice. I think I will look at tankless. Now, what to do with the big square hole in the side of Belle!

Install the tankless.

Then reinstall the old water heater door, which makes the trailer look like all the others.

Only you know that the door goes to nothing.

Andy

[rmkrum]

That would work even better if you reuse the frame of the 12 gallon. Just be sure the power vent exhaust and intake is unobstructed...

Choose the tankless to work with whatever's left of the old one.

Darn good idea, Andy!


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