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Old 12-27-2020, 09:56 PM   #1
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Question New to electric water heater - Question

Hi, we recently traded in our 2017 Class-C (Winnebago/Itasca Spirit 25B) which had a Suburban 6 gal LP water heater, to a Winnebago Micro Minnie 2405RL (small fifth wheel) which has an Atwood 6 gal electric/LP water heater.

Question to the masses with a similar type of water heater:
When you're in a full hookup campsite, do you run the electric switch for the water heater continuously, or just prior to taking a shower, etc.?

With the LP water heater, we wanted to conserve propane, hence, only used it for 30 minutes before shower, but with electric water heater and full hookup campsite - we're not paying for electricity. I tend to think it's a bad idea to leave it on (electric power to the heater) continuously, but can anyone add any insight?

Thank you!
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Old 12-27-2020, 10:30 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rockelino View Post
Question to the masses with a similar type of water heater:
When you're in a full hookup campsite, do you run the electric switch for the water heater continuously, or just prior to taking a shower, etc.?
Continuously.

You also can turn on LP and electric at the same time. The electric will keep the water hot and not use propane because it’s not needed. And then when someone showers the LP will kick in to speed the time needed to reheat the water for another shower. Once the water reachers temperature the LP will kick off and the electric will hold the temp.
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Old 12-27-2020, 10:46 PM   #3
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Continuously.

You also can turn on LP and electric at the same time. The electric will keep the water hot and not use propane because it’s not needed. And then when someone showers the LP will kick in to speed the time needed to reheat the water for another shower. Once the water reachers temperature the LP will kick off and the electric will hold the temp.
Yep, I knew I can turn both electric and LP at the same time in order to speed it up, just wasn't sure if running electric continuously might damage anything in the system.
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Old 12-28-2020, 04:10 AM   #4
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I keep the electric on all the time, its just like the electric heaters in a house they are on all the time. I do however when plugged into 30 amp instead of 50 look at my meter to make sure I have enough power to run the electric side of the water heater. If power is border line I will run propane, just something to watch for.
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Old 12-28-2020, 07:53 AM   #5
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Although this isn't a direct answer to your question, it is related. Just like a home water heater, the RV heater is subject to corrosion and, depending on the manufacturer, has a replaceable, sacrificial, anode rod that needs periodic replacement:

https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/...-water-heater/

https://www.thervgeeks.com/update-rv...er-anode-rods/

Suburban water heaters have anode rods, Atwood water heaters do not since they have aluminum tanks.
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Old 12-28-2020, 10:49 AM   #6
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I checked the parts catalog for my 2002 35U and it has an Atwood water heater. You can check yours out here:

https://catalog3d.winnebagoind.com/menu/Parts.htm

Do a word search on "water heater" and sort through the results until you find the heater itself. Mine didn't have the Atwood name attached so I had to Google the model number.
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Old 12-28-2020, 11:02 AM   #7
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Atwood WHs don't require an Anode Rod, but Suburban WHs do.

I have seem some folks add an Anode rod to an Atwood WH even though it's not required/needed. But this creates a problem. Atwood has an aluminum tank and it doesn't need an Anode rod, but they do use a plastic drain plug for this reason. When you replace the plastic drain plug with a metal Anode rod you are introducing a corrosion problem with dissimilar metals that wasn't there to begin with.
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Old 01-05-2021, 07:59 PM   #8
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If hooked up to shore power just leave it on. Once water is heated to max set temp it will automatically shut off - until you use hot water and more heat is required.

During summer when hot, and we are taking a shower every day, I just leave the heater on full time - even when boondocking and on propane.

I think it is actually easier on heaters to be left on full time as they will automatically cycle on when needed (heating very warm water to hot water again). If you only turn on for special occasions then the heater has to work much harder to heat up a full tank of cold water. Then if you turn off it all cools off again. A lot of thermal cycling.
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