Your RV water heater provides scorching water to sinks and showers inside (and doubtlessly exterior) your RV. If you need a scorching bathe after a day of out of doors adventures, you’ll want your water heater to operate effectively and successfully. When it really works as designed, you in all probability gained’t spend a lot time questioning, “How do RV water heaters work?”
However when one thing goes incorrect, your data is your most vital troubleshooting software. Understanding how water heaters work in RVs will even provide help to use and preserve them correctly. So, let’s cowl the fundamentals of RV water heating programs.
Varieties of RV Scorching Water Heaters
There are a number of kinds of RV water heaters, largely distinguished by their energy supply. The most typical is a gasoline/electrical mannequin, adopted by electrical solely and gasoline solely. There are additionally tankless RV water heaters, often known as instantaneous or on-demand water heaters. Let’s take a look at every under.
Gasoline Solely
Gasoline-only fashions are powered by propane. They’re essentially the most cost-effective items to buy and run. Though you need to use them on the campground, they’re additionally nice for off-grid use the place electrical energy shouldn’t be as attainable. They’re obtainable with a guide or electrical pilot.
Electrical Solely
Electrical-only fashions are powered by 120VAC, so that you’ll must be hooked as much as shore energy or a generator to make use of them. Because you’ll be plugged into shore energy, these are nice for individuals who spend most of their time on the campground.
Gasoline/Electrical
Gasoline and electrical fashions are fueled by propane and 120VAC electrical energy. They’re additionally known as “hybrids”. Like RV fridges, these water heaters let you maximize your sources for the very best effectivity. When on shore energy, you possibly can swap to electrical. When boondocking, you need to use propane. It’s also possible to use each gasoline and electrical energy for higher effectivity.
RV Tankless Water Heater
Tankless water heaters have gotten more and more frequent on new RVs. Also referred to as “instantaneous” or “on-demand” water heaters, they warmth water because it passes by a coil. They are often gasoline or electrical, however gasoline is most typical for RV use. Though typically used, the time period “instantaneous” might be deceptive, as there may be nonetheless a 20 to 30-second delay in getting the water heated and thru the pipes to the tap.
Another excuse for the recognition of tankless water heaters is their dimension. In comparison with a normal RV water heater with a standard tank, they’re much extra compact, permitting for extra mounting choices. Along with dimension, switching to tankless will prevent a substantial quantity of weight.
The place to Discover Your RV Water Heater
The placement of your RV’s water heater will depend on the producer. Most place them on the off-camp facet, reverse the principle entry door. Nevertheless, your water heater’s location might be in the direction of the entrance or again of your RV in case you have a rear kitchen or entrance kitchen floorplan.
Right here’s an instance of what your water heater’s exterior entry panel might seem like:
Right here’s an instance of a water heater tank and plumbing strains from the within of an RV:
How Does a DSI RV Propane Water Heater Work?
Making certain the tank is full is step one in working any water heater earlier than turning the water heater on together with your RV’s management panel. If in case you have a gasoline/electrical mannequin, you possibly can warmth water within the tank with propane or the electrical factor. It’s also possible to make use of each for fast scorching water restoration.
Propane is the first heating supply for gasoline/electrical fashions. The propane is burned on the finish of the burner tube, and the flame enters the flue tube. Warmth and exhaust gasses are carried by to an exhaust vent on the high of the water heater.
Right here’s the sequence of operation when your water heater makes use of propane:
- The propane management swap is turned on.
- 12 VDC goes by the thermostat – a usually closed swap.
- The thermostat calls for warmth, and contacts shut, opening the propane valve.
- The spark ignites the gasoline within the burner tube.
- When a set temperature is attained (normally 140℉), the thermostat’s electrical contacts open, closing the gasoline valve.
How Does a Gasoline/Electrical RV Water Heater Work on Electrical?
Within the electrical mode, ample 120-volt AC (VAC) energy is required to warmth the electrical factor. This mode will solely be an choice when plugging into shore energy or utilizing an RV generator.
Technician Tip: The necessities for voltages, amperages, or wattages are on the information plate or in your proprietor’s guide.
Right here’s the sequence of operation when your water heater makes use of electrical energy:
- The electrical swap is turned on.
- 120 VAC goes by the thermostat – a usually closed swap.
- The thermostat calls for warmth and contacts shut.
- 120 VAC goes by the ECO (power cut-off) swap, usually closed.
- 120 VAC goes to the heating factor and heats water within the tank.
- When the set temperature is attained, the thermostat’s electrical contacts open, eradicating energy from the electrical heating factor.
Technician Tip: Steps 2 and 4 could also be reversed on sure fashions.
How Does a Tankless RV Water Heater Work?
Also referred to as on-demand, tankless RV water heaters present instantaneous scorching water. Whenever you open a scorching water fixture, it triggers the warmth exchanger.
Not like conventional RV water heaters, the burners are solely activated when the tap is opened. When the tap is turned off, energy is faraway from the water heater burner.
The water temperature might be adjusted on the management panel, however there may be additionally a redundant power cut-off (ECO) swap, or “excessive restrict swap,” that screens the warmth. These ECO switches shut off the warmth supply if the water temperature will get too excessive and switch again on when the temperature drops again into the set vary.
What Is an RV Scorching Water Heater Strain Aid Valve?
All water heaters have a strain reduction valve. This valve is designed to launch water and strain into the air if pressures or temperatures get too excessive, jeopardizing the heater’s structural integrity or posing a danger of burns to the person. The valve opens when strain/temperature rises above a set level and closes when it returns to protected ranges.
How A lot Propane Does an RV Water Heater Use?
The quantity of propane an RV water heater makes use of is affected by many elements, a very powerful of which is sort. Tankless water heaters eat much less propane than tank-style water heaters. It is because they solely warmth water when wanted, which makes them extra environment friendly.
One other issue, maybe the obvious, is utilization. If in case you have a household of 4 who every take a scorching bathe within the morning, you’ll use way more propane than a pair who use theirs sparingly.
It’s tough to estimate the quantity of utilization primarily based on these elements, however on common, most RV water heaters will run on a 20-pound cylinder for a number of days. That mentioned, this determine will go down should you use your propane for different home equipment.
If that you must prolong the quantity of scorching water you get out of a single cylinder, there are some issues you are able to do. The primary is popping your faucet temperature all the way down to the bottom comfy stage. The following can be to make use of a bigger or probably retrofit a second propane cylinder. Switching from tank-style to tankless will even let you preserve extra propane.
Hopefully, this has clarified how RV water heaters work. Listed here are a number of extra sources that can assist you use and preserve your RV water heater:
What questions do you may have about how RV water heaters work? Tell us within the feedback under.