44 replies to this topic

[Boonie]

Before I rule out a hot water heater from my project build, I thought I would ask the FWC community for feedback. Do you have one? If not, do you wish you had one? If no, what do you do for hot water? Do you get by fine without one using available campground facilities or other onboard heat methods?

 

In my build weight is a constant consideration. Carrying around 85 pounds and 2 cuft. of anything must meet a real and constant need. Even when in my Class A motorhome with a 10 gal hot water heater, we shut it off and only turn it on when showering or are doing laundry. Residual heat usually keeps the water temp sufficient for face and hand washing. My wife uses the microwave to heat a cup of water or a washcloth. 

 

In the project build, I am thinking a tea kettle on the stove will do me fine, but there are those days a hot shower feels so good. What are your thoughts and experiences? Thanks.

 

Boonie

 

[Boonie]

This Shelter at Home has halted everything. Used it in DVNP & Alabama Hills in February for the first time. It was great to take a shower. Though, my solar shower did not heat up sufficiently during the daytime with such cold nights, Alabama Hills was a pretty crisp shower. Yes, also a good outdoor loo #2 facility.

 

Yup, my experience with solar showers.

[Wandering Sagebrush]

In my opinion, water heaters are a waste of space.  We have one in the camper, and one in the trailer.  Both are kept in bypass.  Hot water in the kettle is our preferred method. 

[rando]

Certainly not necessary, but definitely convenient.    I was on the fence about getting a water heater in our Fleet, but am glad we did.   Besides the obvious hot water for washing and hot showers, there are a couple of other advantages: 

 

First, an extra 6 gallons of built in pressurized water storage, and empty it is < 20lbs so not a huge weight penalty.   

 

Second, thermal ballast for winter or shoulder system camping.   This is a big one for us.  The water heater is in the same cabinet as all the rest of the plumbing, if you heat it up in the evening, or before you leave the camper for the day it provides enough thermal ballast that you know your water system won't freeze.   If it is going to be really cold, you can heat it up, dump it back into your water tank to make that warm, then leave it on.  It uses much less power than the furnace to keep the water system warm. 

[captainphx]

We have a hot water heater. And yes, we do take hot showers outside. To us it makes a big difference. We were just out for 9 days and we took one hot shower half way thru. Makes us feel human again. I wouldn't be without.

[craig333]

Its a luxury but who doesn't like luxuries? Depends on your platform also. For me the weight isn't a consideration. On a smaller truck it might be. Could I use that space for storing other stuff? Sure but if I had double the storage I'd carry twice as much stuff. On shorter trips I can get by without a shower but the longer I"m gone the more I want one. Also depends on my day trips. A casual hike in the Coast redwoods and I may not need a shower. A strenuous dusty hike and thats another thing. A wash rag or wipes help but they're no substitute for a real shower. 

[pvstoy]

We use heated water on the stove for sponge baths but also use the water heater for showers when we need a shower.  Seems that we only use it for outside showers.  But Rando brings up a good point for keeping water system from freezing.

 

If I had a choice and it was not hard to do, I would like to try a on-demand water heater.  The existing tank takes 20-25 minuted to heat up.

 

Or on of those combination heater / water heater that saves space.

 

Using the camper for front country camps for trail work I do like the shower as I get pretty dirty.  A shower gets all the dirt and sweat off and makes for better sleeping.

[Wallowa]

Certainly not necessary, but definitely convenient.    I was on the fence about getting a water heater in our Fleet, but am glad we did.   Besides the obvious hot water for washing and hot showers, there are a couple of other advantages: 

 

First, an extra 6 gallons of built in pressurized water storage, and empty it is < 20lbs so not a huge weight penalty.   

 

Second, thermal ballast for winter or shoulder system camping.   This is a big one for us.  The water heater is in the same cabinet as all the rest of the plumbing, if you heat it up in the evening, or before you leave the camper for the day it provides enough thermal ballast that you know your water system won't freeze.   If it is going to be really cold, you can heat it up, dump it back into your water tank to make that warm, then leave it on.  It uses much less power than the furnace to keep the water system warm. 

 

 

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Our experience also....gives 26 gallons water [can drain the 6, actually only about 5 as about a gallon remains in heater, gallons back into main tank when and if needed] and a valuable hedge on cold nights to keep plumbing inside cabinets from freezing...rarely used but appreciated when needed...yes, we have an outside shower but it also is seldom used..  '16 Hawk.

 

Phil

Edited by Wallowa, 24 April 2020 - 02:09 PM.

[Cayuse]

No hot water heater in the Grandby and pretty content.  Like others I heat water on the stovetop for dishes.  Showers are of the solar variety or baby wipes, occasionally I'll grab a state park CG where there are showers if I'm feeling really crusty.

[windy]

It really is a personal choice. Surfing the Pacific Northwest made it a “necessity” for me because there were plenty of days I don’t think I would have gone if I couldn’t fill my wetsuit before I went out and then again when I was done. FWIW the only reason I knew it would be a necessity for our build is that we were coming from a travel trailer that had one and and outside shower. The old sayings are very true: “If you never had it, you never know what your you missing and everything is great”, or after you get it “how did I ever live without it?”

Technically nothing is a necessity except food/water. Everything else could be considered a “luxury” but they sure make life A LOT easier and much more comfortable The level of luxury you choose for yourself is a very personal decision.