Running out of hot water.

[Brantlyj]

So, since we were hooked up to city water I let the shower run a little longer. Water was getting a little colder so I shut it off while I soaped up hopping it would heat up quickly. Unfortunately not. I was running the hot water tank on electric. Does gas heat it up quicker? Could I run gas and electric together during showers to hopefully keep the water hot longer?

[chuckster57]

The gas side will heat quicker and yes you can and should run both when hooked up to shore power. If your tank is the standard 6 gallons, your shower will still get cold, it will recover faster but don’t count on it working that way while your running the shower.

[sourdough]

If you have the ability to run it on electric, kick on the propane too. That's what we do and neither of us ever run out of hot water. Don't take really long, bask in the hot water type of shower, but we don't take the quick navy type of thing we used to before we could run both electric and LP. We have plenty of time - we just don't do two showers back to back and recovery is much quicker with both running.

[flybouy]

Most folks run gas & electric simultaneously and it will recover much faster. It doesn't use that much gas for a "reasonable" shower. With that said, it can't compete with a 40+ gal water heater in a house or the "limitless hot water in a hotel.

[NH_Bulldog]

I agree with all of the above. Gas and electric at the same time keeps the water hotter longer. Never had sn issue foing it this way

[JRTJH]

A 6 gallon water heater will provide 6 gallons of hot water.

If you use the electric element (1100 watts at 120VAC) you'll add about 4 gallons the first hour, for a total of around 10 gallons of hot water the first hour.

If you use the gas heating system you'll add about 8 gallons of hot water the first hour for around 14 gallons the first hour.

If you use both the gas and electric heating systems, you'll add about 12 gallons of hot water the first hour for a total of around 18 gallons. Quite a bit more using both. In fact, with a "water saving showerhead" it's usually enough to actually take a "warm" (not hot) shower and rinse off with warm (not cold) water.

When you consider that a "water saving showerhead" flows about 2 gallons per minute, if you mix 50% hot with 50% cold, you'll be using a gallon of hot water per minute. It doesn't take long for the initial 6 gallons to be used, usually just long enough to get your hair shampooed and partially rinsed before you're shivering. Take advantage of all the BTU's of heat you can put into the water heater or you'll be cold faster than you deserve.

[Barbie]

The first 2 showers hubby and I took ended up being cold ones.:lol:

Now we barely turn on the hot water tap when first adjusting and find it lasts longer.

[Brantlyj]

The first 2 showers hubby and I took ended up being cold ones.:lol:

Now we barely turn on the hot water tap when first adjusting and find it lasts longer.

Maybe take them separately next time? :whistling:

[Barbie]

Maybe take them separately next time? :whistling:

:lol: :angel:

[Steveo57]

Here's some quick numbers I ran for the typical six gallon suburban water heater. Numbers are based on an assumed efficiency of about 90% for electric and 60% for gas.

In a six gallon water heater the electric element is good for around 4500 BTU/hr. The gas is good for about 7500 BTU/hr. So the gas is good for about 1.6x what the electric will do. So flip on the gas when you are taking a shower and it will help out quite a bit.

[sourdough]

Our trailer has a 6 gal. water heater. It also has the DSI so it can heat electric/LP or both. We don't take showers one after the other so we have never ran out of hot water for a shower - unlike all those years with other types of water heaters. Pull the hot water flow down to something less than full flow, add the cold and adjust to comfortable with an acceptable flow (not full flow); I usually run as warm as I like, not steaming, which I don't like. Take a shower as normal (no, I don't lollygag just "hanging out") and be done with it. DW has never had an issue in this unit and she tries to deal with long blonde hair. :D It's just a matter of adjusting.