Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Keystone RV Forums > Keystone Tech Forums > Modifications and Upgrades
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 05-17-2020, 10:10 AM   #1
Schmackpappy
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 14
Going Tankless

One of the upgrades that I'm considering is a tankless water heater to replace my 6 gal Atwood. My current one works well enough but the family would like longer showers. I'd like opinions on them. The one concern that I have is that, with the huge increase in BTUs that my propane piping would be insufficient to feed the water heater fast enough. Has anyone run into this issue? Also, brand and model recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks,

D
Schmackpappy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2020, 10:15 AM   #2
chuckster57
Site Team
 
chuckster57's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,237
All of the RV's I have seen with on demand water heaters, the "standard" plumbing has been fine. I can say from a tech view, stay away from Girard. I like Truma but you wont like the price.
__________________

2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.

Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
chuckster57 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2020, 12:47 PM   #3
levic900rr
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Northern
Posts: 77
Im a huge Traveling Robert fan, he seems to love the Truma as well
levic900rr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-20-2020, 10:08 AM   #4
notanlines
Senior Member
 
notanlines's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Germantown, TN
Posts: 6,308
Duane, I can't help but believe you are asking for trouble here. You will be required to leave your grey tank open to the sewer, your propane usage will go where no man has ever gone before, your kids will end up in only two places; in front of the smart phone or standing in the shower doing nothing constructive. And you're out hundreds of dollars.
Your call.
__________________
Jim in Memphis, Wife of 51 years is Brenda
2019 F450 6.7 Powerstroke
2018 Mobile Suites 40RSSA
2021 40' Jayco Eagle
2001 Road king w/matching Harley sidecar
2021 Yamaha X2 Wolverine 1000
notanlines is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2020, 02:57 PM   #5
RoamingwiththeRamsays
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Columbia Falls
Posts: 4
Tankless Water Heater Junk

I bought a brand new 2020 Alpine 3850RD and at first I loved the on demand system. Took the first real trip with it and woke up to water pouring out of the side of the trailer. After three weeks talking with the dealer and Keystone I ended up with another new tankless water heater installed. Here I am two weeks later waking up with no hot water and water coming out of the side of the trailer again. So this will now be two tankless water heaters that have failed in less than 6 months. Not to mention the unknow water damage. Not a happy camper right now.
__________________
Gordon Ramsay
2018 Ram 6.7L Cummins
2020 Keystone Alpine 3850RD
RoamingwiththeRamsays is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2020, 03:21 PM   #6
JRTJH
Site Team
 
JRTJH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,846
If you boondock or dry camp, the 6 gallon water heater is a "motivator to not waste water"... With only 40-60 gallons of fresh water and similar storage for gray water, a "demand water heater" will not improve showers for anyone (after the first person is finished) because there will be no water left for anyone else....

Sounds like a "short-sighted response" but unless you're planning to always have full hookups and an unlimited propane supply, a demand water heater is not really a "good investment"....

There's a reason the Montana front bathroom with a soaking tub and a demand water heater was only offered for one year before that model was discontinued... Keystone is "trying to reintroduce demand water heaters" in other models, but they are not achieving the "great success and public acceptance" that Keystone hoped they'd achieve...
__________________
John



2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
JRTJH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2020, 06:51 PM   #7
ChuckS
Senior Member
 
ChuckS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mountain Home, Idaho
Posts: 2,977
Personally the tried and true Suburban 10 or 12 gal water heater is hard to beat and fairly easy to maintain and work on...

We find ours in the electric mode supplies ample hot water. If wife washes hair I wait about 30 minutes before I take a shower... I could flip on the propane mode to supplement recovery time but I’d rather save my propane

I am not impressed at all with the IW60 series on demand water heater
__________________


2007 GMC Classic club cab 4x4 Duramax LBZ
2014 Alpine 3010 RE. 34 foot fifth wheel
ChuckS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2020, 11:29 AM   #8
Mic
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Romeo
Posts: 142
darn


I thought the topic was going topless



__________________
2018 Cougar 359MBI
Mic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2020, 11:33 AM   #9
Javi
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Waco, Tx
Posts: 5,456
Yeah... no
__________________
2015 Ford F350 DRW 6.7 Diesel XL
2020 Avalanche 313 RS
Javi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2020, 01:45 PM   #10
LHaven
Senior Member
 
LHaven's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Wickenburg
Posts: 3,271
We renovated a small house and went tankless because it sounded attractive and gave us back closet space for a stacked washer/dryer. The heater was a maintenance headache, always needed the sensor turbine disassembled and lubed. When it was working, you could set it to deliver either a lot of warm water fast, or a little hot water slowly. And it was a Bosch, which was supposedly a high-end product. We'd never do it again.
__________________
2019 Cougar 26RBSWE
2019 Ford F-250
LHaven is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2020, 08:59 AM   #11
LewisB
Senior Member
 
LewisB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Tucson
Posts: 822
Quote:
Originally Posted by Schmackpappy View Post
One of the upgrades that I'm considering is a tankless water heater to replace my 6 gal Atwood. My current one works well enough but the family would like longer showers. I'd like opinions on them. The one concern that I have is that, with the huge increase in BTUs that my propane piping would be insufficient to feed the water heater fast enough. Has anyone run into this issue? Also, brand and model recommendations would be appreciated.
I agree with the other comments. As an alternative, you can run your existing water heater with BOTH the electric and propane elements operating. This would significantly increase the amount of hot water and the recovery time with your existing equipment. You will, of course, need shore power or a generator to use the electric side as well as an extended source of water and wastewater management.

How about using this as a training tool with the family? Take them backpacking for a week - where they have to carry all their gear and ration the food & water. Might increase their appreciation for the warm dry RV with a real shower! JMHO
__________________
Brad & Penny (50 years!)
2017 F350 DRW CC 4x4 Payload=5560
2018 Raptor 353TS
2019 Can Am Maverick Sport XRC - the "Blue Goose"

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjc...yZ_w7jyofaPLVQ
LewisB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-20-2021, 03:33 PM   #12
danoinvt
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: LYNDONVILLE
Posts: 5
Thanks

Great to read some real-life experiences with tankless. I need to replace my older Atwood and think I'll stick with a tank.
danoinvt is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
tank

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates in any way. Keystone RV® is a registered trademark of the Keystone RV Company.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 11:12 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.