|
09-22-2007, 10:43 PM
|
#1
|
Streamline Imperial
Currently Looking...
Bellflower
, California
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 110
|
How long a shower with a 6 gal water heater?
I'm getting ready to install a new water heater, and I wanted to know how long of a shower you can get with a 6 gallon heater? Not that you have limitless water or anything, but it is lame to be "almost done" when the thing runs cold. I'm trying to decide if I should go with a 10 gallon instead. Tankless would be lovely, but I'm not doing that this time around.
Thanks,
-Silversausage
__________________
It seems I love the mountains and deserts more than my friends do. I sure miss them!
1971 Streamline Imperial project "Silver Snausage", 1985 Coleman tent trailer, 1964 Little Dipper, 1975 Northwest "Proto Toyhauler", 2004 Harbor Freight folding, still seeking my Airstream.
|
|
|
09-22-2007, 10:45 PM
|
#2
|
Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
Florissant
, USA
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 5,083
|
If you have the resources I would go 10 gallon if it were me.
My 6 gallon works just fine for me, but I take quick showers with the water saver feature while at camp.
Steve
|
|
|
09-22-2007, 10:45 PM
|
#3
|
Rivet Master
2005 25' International CCD
1954 22' Flying Cloud
1957 22' Flying Cloud
Simi Valley
, California
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,251
|
mr sausage,
are you boondocking or are you planning full hookups?
smell right
|
|
|
09-22-2007, 11:09 PM
|
#4
|
Streamline Imperial
Currently Looking...
Bellflower
, California
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 110
|
Boondocking mostly, which obviously limits the overall quantity of water. That limitation acknowleged, I'm still interested in longer rather than shorter. After a long day of quadding or prospecting, it sounds very good for the muscles. Also, a worthwhile shower might convince my girlfriend to go camping too once in awhile. I'm working with a smaller trailer, so every cubic inch is precious, which is why I'm asking about the 6 gallon ones.
Thanks again,
-SilverSausage
__________________
It seems I love the mountains and deserts more than my friends do. I sure miss them!
1971 Streamline Imperial project "Silver Snausage", 1985 Coleman tent trailer, 1964 Little Dipper, 1975 Northwest "Proto Toyhauler", 2004 Harbor Freight folding, still seeking my Airstream.
|
|
|
09-22-2007, 11:15 PM
|
#5
|
Rivet Master
2005 25' International CCD
1954 22' Flying Cloud
1957 22' Flying Cloud
Simi Valley
, California
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,251
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by SilvrSausage
Boondocking mostly,
\\ MASSIVE SNIP //
I'm working with a smaller trailer, so every cubic inch is precious, which is why I'm asking about the 6 gallon ones.
Thanks again,
-SilverSausage
|
mr sausage,
6 gallon.
yours,
in heat
|
|
|
09-22-2007, 11:24 PM
|
#6
|
Rivet Master
1963 16' Bambi
1962 22' Safari
Yreka
, California
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,937
|
With six gallons you have time to get wet, soap up, rinse off. Maybe wash your hair if very quick about it. To conserve turn the water on/off inbetween the soaping, rinsing, etc. Then, if any hot water is left you can enjoy it on a sore muscle for a minute. No luxury showers while boondocking it will use your fresh water up quickly!
I have often taken a camping shower, the kind that has a solarized plastic cover you hang in a tree and it gets warm in the summer and fall during the day while the sun hits it. It can be used to wash hair, etc. and then you can use your real shower for more "therapy". Or, if you are really saving water, you can wash your hair in a bucket of water and rinse... save the water and use it for the toilet. Sounds a bit icky, but the soapy water won't hurt your black tank, and it will save water when times are tight!
Good luck. If longer showers are most important, I would bite the bullet and go with an on-demand system.
Mrs. NorCal Bambi (traveling in S Tardis)
|
|
|
09-22-2007, 11:53 PM
|
#7
|
Rivet Master
1966 24' Tradewind
Placerville
, California
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,328
|
Our new 6 gallon Atwood is just fine for me. I don't like long showers anyway so our shower in our home is a hand-held one like in the Trade Wind so I am used to 'Navy' showers. Lynn hasn't found it problematic either, at least she hasn't complained. Plenty of hot water to wash hair too. I almost bought a 10 gal. but the old Bowen 6 gal. had a good heat recovery time so I figured the Atwood would be at least that good. It is even better. I bought the gas/electric so when we have hookups the water is heated electrically.
__________________
Neil and Lynn Holman
FreshAir #12407
Avatar;
Kirk Creek, Big Sur, Ca. coast.
1966 Trade Wind
1971 Buick Centurion convertible
455 cid
1969 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight
455 cid
|
|
|
09-23-2007, 07:04 AM
|
#8
|
3 Rivet Member
2003 25' Classic
Birmingham
, Alabama
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 121
|
I think our Airstream has the 6-gallon hot water tank. If we have full hook-ups I indulge in some lengthly hot showers. No problems whatsoever.
Plus, I suspect the 6-gallon tank might get hot a little faster than the 10-gallon?
Of course if you are boondocking, that's a different story altogether. "Navy showers" are a must, mainly due to grey water capacity.
|
|
|
09-23-2007, 07:39 AM
|
#9
|
Rivet Master
1971 27' Overlander
Central
, Ohio
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,365
|
Silversausage,
What size is in it now. We just put a 10 gallon in - had a 10 gallon before. If you have a 10 you'll have to skin the trailer to go to a 6. Conversely, you'll need to cut the body out to go up from a 6.
|
|
|
09-23-2007, 08:34 AM
|
#10
|
Moderator
2004 30' Classic Slideout
Fenton
, Missouri
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 10,410
|
A lot depends on the temperature of the incoming water. Spring and late season showers using campground water supplies tend to run the tank out faster due to the colder water coming into the heater. Another way to lengthen the hot water supply is to have a dual moded tank. One that works on both electric and gas. I have one of those tanks and when at a site with electric, I use electric only to heat the water. At shower time I flip on the gas switch and we are now running both sources of heat, thus elongating the amount of hot water available and recovering the tank much faster.
Jack
__________________
Jack Canavera
STL Mo.
AIR #56 S/OS#15
'04 Classic 30' S.O.,'03 GMC Savana 2500
|
|
|
10-06-2007, 02:16 PM
|
#11
|
Rivet Master
1972 25' Tradewind
North Vancouver
, British Columbia
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,421
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by FreshAir
Our new 6 gallon Atwood is just fine for me. I don't like long showers anyway so our shower in our home is a hand-held one like in the Trade Wind so I am used to 'Navy' showers. Lynn hasn't found it problematic either, at least she hasn't complained. Plenty of hot water to wash hair too. I almost bought a 10 gal. but the old Bowen 6 gal. had a good heat recovery time so I figured the Atwood would be at least that good. It is even better. I bought the gas/electric so when we have hookups the water is heated electrically.
|
Was switching out the old Bowen for the new Atwood an easy thing to do? I want to replace my old Bowen with an Atwood with electronic ignition so that I can turn it on off from inside the trailer. Have you tried using the electric heating with yours? How well does it work? Thanks!
__________________
Cameron & the Labradors, Kai & Samm
North Vancouver, BC
Live! Life's a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death! - Mame Dennis
|
|
|
10-06-2007, 03:03 PM
|
#12
|
Rivet Master
1984 31' Airstream310
Dunsmuir
, California
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 1,336
|
We've never run out of hot water with our six gallon even when we have full hookups and are not trying to conserve.
Of course we're not TRYING to run it out of hot water either.
__________________
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.
If you want to be happy, practice compassion - The Dalai Lama
1984 310 Limited Motorhome
Courtesy Parking (W/S/E/Wi-Fi) on I-5 in Northern California, 70 miles from Oregon border
|
|
|
10-06-2007, 03:15 PM
|
#13
|
Moderator
2015 25' FB Flying Cloud
2012 23' FB Flying Cloud
2005 25' Safari
Santa Rosa Beach
, Florida
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,159
|
We have a 6 gallon water heater, and have found that you can shower pretty much as long as you want because the unit recycles really fast. The only times that we have found this not to be true is when we have camped very easly or very late in the season up north, and the water coming out of the ground was near freezing.
__________________
SuEllyn & Brian McCabe
WBCCI #3628 -- AIR #14872 -- TAC #FL-7
2015 FC 25' FB (Lucy) with ProPride
2020 Silverado 2500 (Vivian)
2023 Rivian R1T (Opal)
|
|
|
10-06-2007, 08:14 PM
|
#14
|
Rivet Master
1966 24' Tradewind
Placerville
, California
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,328
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by cameront120
Was switching out the old Bowen for the new Atwood an easy thing to do? I want to replace my old Bowen with an Atwood with electronic ignition so that I can turn it on off from inside the trailer. Have you tried using the electric heating with yours? How well does it work? Thanks!
|
We like our 6 gal. Switching it out was not too bad. Yes you can switch it on from in the bathroom and it heats up pronto. I will post that photo with the photos of the project which I planned to create a thread with. So I better get to it. Right at this mnute our grand sons are here and my daughter and I are about to go out the door to retrieve the Chinese dinner we ordered. I will post that thread ASAP. Promise. I will PM an alert to you.
__________________
Neil and Lynn Holman
FreshAir #12407
Avatar;
Kirk Creek, Big Sur, Ca. coast.
1966 Trade Wind
1971 Buick Centurion convertible
455 cid
1969 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight
455 cid
|
|
|
10-06-2007, 11:06 PM
|
#16
|
Rivet Master
1956 22' Flying Cloud
Venice
, California
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 672
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by hamradio
|
there is only one tankless hot water heater manufacturer that is approved for rv installation PrecisionTemp.com: For Recreational Vehicles and Boats.
__________________
david
*by asking the above question,
i verify that i have already used
the search feature to the best of my ability...
|
|
|
10-07-2007, 06:02 AM
|
#17
|
3 Rivet Member
2010 28' Flying Cloud
Escondido
, California
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 196
|
Be careful, the new Atwoods with DSI are deeper than the old Bowden. I had a furnace duct clearence problem in my 23' 1976 Safari.
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|