Who sold the conversion to electric water heater at Sarasota? I need one...

[lewster]

Thanks Dan,

If I were you, I would go one step further and add an RV-500 tankless water heater. I had one in my '98 Monaco Dynasty motor home (one of the first ones produced) and later in my '06 19CCD Bambi. Both worked flawlessly and in the Bambi, my 2 X 30 lb. propane tanks lasted for over 3 months of summer camping with me taking loooong showers every day (that's why I had a tankless unit ).

Of course, the price is a little steep, but at least you are not wasting LP keeping your tank hot all day for just occasional use.

[Myrtle lynn]

Originally Posted by rock60

it has a thermostat, read up on them, and safe, installed many of them. some of u guys go overboard sometimes.

Love my hot rod. Been using same one 2 yrs now in my 86 Mine has a thermostat built into it. I can plug into the campground gfci plug right on pole if I want. Love it! Recommend it. Camping world is where I got both of mine. Oh have it in my classic Moho too!

[wasagachris]

Originally Posted by TouringDan

I don't have any numbers, but I think the cost of heating hot water six gallons at a time using propane is not very much money- like maybe less than 25 cents per day. If propane costs 25 cents, then electricity will cost at least twice as much, just like a home water heater. Dan

Yeah but the people that want electric water heaters only want to use as much free electricity that they can from the campground and not spend the $0.25 of their precious propane. Same holds true for heat strips on A/C's and using electric space heaters too. Propane furnaces work quite well but any chance they can to screw the campground out of some free electricity they will take it.
BTW I own a campground and see the results all the time, tripped and worn out breakers, melted receptacles from over using the system and of course huge electricity bills which does get passed on to the consumer.
They wouldn't dare think of using electricity for heat and hot water in their homes as they are footing the bill.
Rant over now.
Lew I am another one who listens carefully to your posts and heeds the warnings and have learned from the master.

[BabyBoomers]

Originally Posted by lewster

YOU CAN NOT GO 'OVERBOARD' WHEN SAFETY IN IN QUESTION!!!!!

Look, it's your money and your life........do as you see fit. My advise comes from a professional view of RV components and safety. I have spent over a thousand hours in training and certification to get a Master RV Technician rating. How many courses have you taken?

Yes, a lot of things will work, but for how long and at what ultimate price? There are currently only 6 devices that are RVIA certified for hot water production for use in an RV. Atwood and Suburban water heaters, Precision Temp and Girard tankless water heaters and all of the products from Aqua-Hot Heating Systems and Oasis Thermal Systems.

And by the way, exactly what are your qualifications for installing an unrated heating element into a production water heater ("installed many of them")? If you are doing this for others, I sure hope you carry a very large amount of professional liability insurance.

NOTICE ANYTHING MISSING????????????

And some folks have been asking me why I don't post as often as I used to. I think the answer is quite obvious!!!!!!!!!!!

What he said ! Safety first, dollars don't count when it's something that should be rated and certified ! I want to wake in the morning, not wake up to fire or just not wake up after succumbing to CO2.

Or if your going to join the Friends of Darwin (new meaning for FOD!) make sure your life insurance is paid up so the Family is taken care of.

BabyBoomer

[BabyBoomers]

Originally Posted by rock60

bull hocky

Huh? Did you step in some? Cause certainly your not suggesting that this type of modification that de-rates a unit that has been built and tested to an industry standard is appropriate, are you?

Let's review: industries that establish and operate to credible standards and operate in a transparent way are left alone by the government to regulate themselves. Those that don't invite BigBrother to join them as their "partner" and tell them how it should be done in order to protect the population at large. You're included even if you don't want to be.

Those that think they know more than the knowledgeable folks who worked in the committees that establish, maintain and update the industry standards are soon to be FOD! (reference newly established meaning for this TLA in prior post).

Perhaps you may have a TT for sale with a system component that you modified, de-rated, created an unsafe condition, and will sell to me without declaring what you have done. And perhaps my new purchase burns to the ground or causes MollyDog to take a dirt nap (She likes to sleep on the floor). I know that there is a Lawyer on this board that would love to pursue you and perhaps c*z*c*a would like to help me keep track of the money! No liability insurance? That's OK, any equity in your house?

Wise up Dude. This place is all about doing the right thing and doing things right!

BabyBoomers

[rock60]

Originally Posted by Myrtle lynn

Love my hot rod. Been using same one 2 yrs now in my 86 Mine has a thermostat built into it. I can plug into the campground gfci plug right on pole if I want. Love it! Recommend it. Camping world is where I got both of mine. Oh have it in my classic Moho too!

i love mine too, been useing one for 20 years, saves on propane, campground power is included in campsite, use it. hot water heaters have a safety blowoff valve in case pressure ever get to high from over heating. i always replace that valve on a older water heater when i buy a older unit, that is a good thing to do on home water heaters if they are old ,can stick or leak. the temperature pressure relief valve is the only safe thing, if a fuse or breaker fail to work in a malfunction.

best to you, rock

[Bill M.]

My trailer came with some sort of add on electric water heater element by the PO. After dealing with it for a while I took it off and just run on propane. The add on over heated and seemed very poorly wired. We run the gas heater for about an hour in the morining and again in the evening and the water stays warm in between.

[rock60]

[QUOTE=Bill M.;984993]My trailer came with some sort of add on electric water heater element by the PO. After dealing with it for a while I took it off and just run on propane. The add on over heated and seemed very poorly wired. We run the gas heater for about an hour in the morining and again in the evening and the water stays warm in between.[/Q

if installed correct, they are the same setup as a home water heater with ajustable thermostat, yours might have been set to high.
rock

[Jammer]

OK gang some facts on the things.

One manufacturer's web site: The Original Hott Rod

Similar products are or have been sold as "Hot Water Bandit" and "Hybrid Heat" by Camco.

You can get them for around $100 at any of the major RV supply places. AdventureRV, PPL, Tweety's.

Now, in principle I agree with Lewster that these things raise safety questions and lack the sort of agency certifications that we might like to see. My concerns in particular would regard the mounting of the thermostat (if it comes loose the element will run nonstop) and the attention to insulation, grounding, and leakage current. All these things are addressed by the agency certifications that these devices lack.

Potential buyers should also realize that these devices are around 400 watts, much less than the 1400 watt element present in an Atwood heater equipped from the factory for both gas and electric operation. So it will take maybe 5 hours to heat up a tank of cold water.

For most people the cost savings of using electric rather than propane when shore power is available will never pay for the initial cost. I don't believe there's really a fairness problem with campgrounds. They are free to set their charges as they see fit and some do meter the service or charge extra for electric heat or A/C.

[Smartstream]

Originally Posted by Jammer

OK gang some facts on the things.

One manufacturer's web site: The Original Hott Rod

Similar products are or have been sold as "Hot Water Bandit" and "Hybrid Heat" by Camco.

You can get them for around $100 at any of the major RV supply places. AdventureRV, PPL, Tweety's.

Now, in principle I agree with Lewster that these things raise safety questions and lack the sort of agency certifications that we might like to see. My concerns in particular would regard the mounting of the thermostat (if it comes loose the element will run nonstop) and the attention to insulation, grounding, and leakage current. All these things are addressed by the agency certifications that these devices lack.

Potential buyers should also realize that these devices are around 400 watts, much less than the 1400 watt element present in an Atwood heater equipped from the factory for both gas and electric operation. So it will take maybe 5 hours to heat up a tank of cold water.

For most people the cost savings of using electric rather than propane when shore power is available will never pay for the initial cost. I don't believe there's really a fairness problem with campgrounds. They are free to set their charges as they see fit and some do meter the service or charge extra for electric heat or A/C.

Interesting on your link it states that the Hott Rod is UL and CSA approved.

Cheers, Dan

[rock60]

Originally Posted by Jammer

OK gang some facts on the things.

One manufacturer's web site: The Original Hott Rod

Similar products are or have been sold as "Hot Water Bandit" and "Hybrid Heat" by Camco.

You can get them for around $100 at any of the major RV supply places. AdventureRV, PPL, Tweety's.

Now, in principle I agree with Lewster that these things raise safety questions and lack the sort of agency certifications that we might like to see. My concerns in particular would regard the mounting of the thermostat (if it comes loose the element will run nonstop) and the attention to insulation, grounding, and leakage current. All these things are addressed by the agency certifications that these devices lack.

Potential buyers should also realize that these devices are around 400 watts, much less than the 1400 watt element present in an Atwood heater equipped from the factory for both gas and electric operation. So it will take maybe 5 hours to heat up a tank of cold water.

For most people the cost savings of using electric rather than propane when shore power is available will never pay for the initial cost. I don't believe there's really a fairness problem with campgrounds. They are free to set their charges as they see fit and some do meter the service or charge extra for electric heat or A/C.

pretty easey to mount and it is ul and csa approved.
6gal kit 450 watts at 4amps, 10gal 650 watts at 6amps.
45 to 60 min to reach temp. from cold tank. save a lot on propane.

buy the way campgrounds only charge extra for electric on long term stays, monthly.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Smartstream

Interesting on your link it states that the Hott Rod is UL and CSA approved.

Cheers, Dan

The point Lewster makes is a valid one. Although the product itself may have a valid UL/CSA listing, once installed into the water heater the assembly as a whole does not. There are specific requirements for water heaters that are more stringent than for electric immersion heaters or for component parts, which are the two categories that I suspect the manufacturer might have used.

[Wsmith]

Originally Posted by Bill M.

My trailer came with some sort of add on electric water heater element by the PO. After dealing with it for a while I took it off and just run on propane. The add on over heated and seemed very poorly wired. We run the gas heater for about an hour in the morining and again in the evening and the water stays warm in between.

Yes and with overheating come overpressure.

Comments in general:
There are a lot of people that don't check their equipment until a failure. I sometimes get busy and am also guilty of no set maintenance schedule. I have a relied valve that I found a few weeks ago that has failed. It has calcium deposits up inside it so it had to leaking or stuck and water forced out as a drip. If I had not been setting close to the ground I would not have seen it.
Using electricity is not GREEN either you loose 30-40% efficiency going from a chemical energy then you loose again going to a thermal energy. Propane is direct from chemical energy to thermal energy.

Does it make sense to use something that is three (3) times more expensive to heat water to save a few bucks... Just turn it off when you are not using it. Its a quick recovery on propane not slow like electric.

So if you are a true tree huger you have just blown it by heating with electricity. So go Google it and see. Kinda like Al flying around everywhere and heating a few 8,000 sq ft houses.. and ripping me for driving a 17 MPG truck.. But I tried to offset that by planting several plants an year.

If you check out your equipment you don't have to worry about co2 or fire. The heaters are vented outside. That means the combustion air is never inside your trailer without being encased in a separate enclosed compartment. Buy a bottle of snoop and check your gas fittings a couple of times a year. Actually you should have a bottle of snoop handy for changing the propane bottles out.

[Dwight]

I bought a similar unit back in 2002 that was called "RV SUPER SAVER".

It also fit into the drain hole and had a thermostat and it plugged into a 120v source. The contact names on the "flyer" were Frank & Sharon Damron in Livingston TX....the 800-722-0734 number is out....