Just wanted to know how everyone else manages their hot water system?
We were told by the dealer to leave the gas system on all the time - that way it just keeps topping up the system keeping the water hot all the time and probably uses less gas than heating up the entire tank every time you need to wash up for example.
I tend to switch it off at night and fire it up again in the morning as we wake up - I then leave it on all day.
Are we doing the right thing?
What does everyone else do?
(BTW We do have a electric option for the hot water but we don't tend to use it).
We tend to fill the hot water system and prime it all through, then leave the electric water heater on.
Never really use the gas unless we've forgot to switch the electric one on and we're in a hurry for the water to heat up, With the Electric it takes about roughly an hour, with gas about 15 minutes,
We turn the water heater off if we're out during the day as it seems pointless leaving it on.However I can't see it doing any harm leaving it on., If your on EHU it makes more sense to use that to heat the water than using your own gas? Just flick the switch on when you get in from your day out,
By the way on your Geist have you got a spinflo oven? Mine keeps going out after about 20 minutes and you have to re-light it, Also I can't seem to regulate the temperature very well the flame doesn't seem to differ no matter whether I turn it up or down
------------- Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
I found that the water never really got hot enough on the electric and ran out too soon whereas the gas was boiling!
But, I will try it again this weekend - I may not have left it long enough last time - Mrs Impatience!
(I also turn off if I am going out for the whole day - agree that it's pointless to leave it on).
Yes - mine has a spinflo oven and so far it has been fab. No probs with the oven at all - the grill is a little on the slow side - takes forever to make toast but I have even made fairy cakes in the oven!
Perhaps our oven is being a bit temperamental! Will keep trying it.
I would say with the electric heater you have to make sure you have fully filled the tank before putting it on or it doesn't like it very much so just ensure all the water is running freely through the hot taps before switching it on.
All three of us had showers on after the other last time we we're away and still had hot water left. That was just on electric,
------------- Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
If on EHU we leave it on, if using gas we only use it as required. You will find that the dealers statement about using it all the time on gas and using less gas because of this is complete rubbish used that way you will use an awful lot of gas.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
You will find the water temperature cuts out at the same point set if on gas or electric, therfore the gas cuts out and only comes back on if the water is used or the temperature drops therfore you only use the gas when its calle for
Sorry, the dealer has got to be wrong. We all know how hot the side cupboard gets when the water heater is on. That is waste heat. The heat loss will be greater the hotter the tank is. Therefore turning the gas on only when necessary will save gas, and these days it is not cheap.
When on EHU, I do tend to leave it on during the day (unless it is metered!!!), and never use the gas. Why pay for and use the gas when you are already paying for the electricity?
You will find the water temperature cuts out at the same point set if on gas or electric, therfore the gas cuts out and only comes back on if the water is used or the temperature drops therfore you only use the gas when its calle for
Danny
But over a short time with no run off of the water the temperature will drop and the gass come back on to reheat the water, if it is doing this all day long you use a lot of gas, I've tried it and I can assure you that I could use a 13kg bottle of propane in a fortnight that way and in normal use it lasts me 12 months.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
Hi, up until now, when we are non ehu sites, I have been firing up the water heater on gas when i need it, typically three to four times a day, but having read your post, decided to read the manual for my heater and it gives you the consumption data. We have an old Cascade GE2 model. The consumption states it uses 87 grams per hour when firing, approx 140 grms per day to supply 23 litres of hot water. It takes approximately 30 mins to heat our tank on gas, therefore we are using at least 44 grms of gas if not more, to get one tank of water.
So now armed with this information, i figure it will be just as economical, if not better, to turn the water heater on and leave on all day and have hot water when needed, rather than forgetting to switch the heater on and boiling a kettle when i want to wash up etc.
Quote: Originally posted by gazmister123 on 29/7/2009
Never really use the gas unless we've forgot to switch the electric one on and we're in a hurry for the water to heat up, With the Electric it takes about roughly an hour, with gas about 15 minutes,
Does your electric really take that long to heat up as we nearly always use electric and can take a shower in 20 minutes max after switching it on.
only have the gas option and I turn my gas on on arrivan and turn it off on departure
lots of people are talking about the steep increase of gas from caravan supplies or petrol stations ive just bought a 13kg bottle of flow gas from a supplier without exchange bottle for £16. i rapidly paid only to be told how sorry the seller was for the price increase until recently it was £9.99 this was from a roof supply merchant so if he can do it at this price why carnt they all??
Quote: Originally posted by JackieandSteve on 29/7/2009
Quote: Originally posted by gazmister123 on 29/7/2009
Never really use the gas unless we've forgot to switch the electric one on and we're in a hurry for the water to heat up, With the Electric it takes about roughly an hour, with gas about 15 minutes,
Does your electric really take that long to heat up as we nearly always use electric and can take a shower in 20 minutes max after switching it on.
Could be less, I always thought it was roughly an hour, Never timed it but that was what I remember being told with our last van. Not really timed this one yet as I just flick the switch once I've got all the water through then go and do other jobs! Will check next time we're out though! LOL
------------- Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Thanks everyone for the replies - good point batt! Hadn't thought of that.
Will be trying the electric element again this weekend as everyone else seems to manage fine with just using EHU. Just need a little more patience and a bit of forward planning!
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Topic: How do you run your hot water?
