Can we put in a larger water heater?

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Jim1970

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Joined
Aug 28, 2012
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Hello,

New to full-time RV living.  So far, it's been an adventure.  We have learned that the shower situation is ... interesting.  We have changed the way we shower, now turning off the water while lathering, shaving, etc.  While this has helped, we are wondering if a larger water heater can be installed in our 2000 Alpha Ideal?

Thanks in advance,

Jim
 
We have a 6 gallon propane only water heater and have never run out of hot water.  The wife and I each take about a 3-4 minute shower, sometimes one right after another.  We don't shut off the water while we lather up:we just keep the flow fairly low.  Been doing it this way for 11 years and 78,000 miles.  The two cats don't use too much hot water either as they each take about a .00000005 nanosecond shower.
 
wackymac said:
We have a 6 gallon propane only water heater and have never run out of hot water.  The wife and I each take about a 3-4 minute shower, sometimes one right after another.  We don't shut off the water while we lather up:we just keep the flow fairly low.  Been doing it this way for 11 years and 78,000 miles.  The two cats don't use too much hot water either as they each take about a .00000005 nanosecond shower.
Click to expand...

I too have more H/W than I need, well I don't run out anyway, and I'm not too frugal w/the usage..I have a full head, pony-tail and a beard half way down my chest so you know it takes a goodly amount of water to rinse out the shampoo...
It's an 18 year old gas heater and knock on wood it will out last me..

George
 
Hi Jim, the answer is yes. Maybe.  If a larger size WH will fit into the space, then yes it is just a matter of getting it installed.  We have a 10 gallon WH with an electric element, and both the DW and I can shower without turning the tap off.  And she washes her hair sometimes, which takes a lot more water. 

Atwood as one set up where the water heater has a hotter thermostat, 140 degrees I think.  But at the back of the heater is a "water mixing valve" which adds cold water to the hot coming out of the tank. The result is about 16 gallons of continuous hot water.  That would be an extreme alternative. 

How big is the WH that you currently have installed? 
 
Having both been experienced in boating, my wife and I have always taken "Navy" showers, in the RV and even when we owned houses.  We have never run out of hot water with our 10 gallon water heater and wouldn't even if it were only 6 gallons.  Today water conservation is even more important with much of the country in drought.
 
We have used the Atwood XT which holds 10 gallons but provides 16 gallons with the cold water mixer valve in our last motorhome and our new one. Never an issue with running out of hot water with two people and dishes, even taking full showers. Our models were both electric and propane capable so there would not be an issue if we had to dry camp.

To Ned's point, though, we could all do a better job of water conservation.
 
You can probably substitute an Atwood XT model for your existing Atwood heater without major changes. There is a XT 16 that replaces a standard Atwood 10 gallon heater and an XT 10 that replaces a standard 6 gallon Atwood. If yopu now have a Suburban heater, it may be more challenging than that.

But replacing a standard 6 gallon with a standard 10 gallon is a major deal, requiring that the opening in the side of the RV be enlarged to accommodate the physically larger unit. I watched one being done at the factory and it was an all day job.

http://www.atwoodmobile.com/water-heaters/atwood-water-heaters-brochure.asp
 
Wow!  These great responses are very, very encouraging!  Thank you to everyone for your input.

I'm just now learning the lingo, so please pardon me if I say something poorly as I describe what I see.

When I open one of our very large side panels, I can see the water tank.  I have no idea what size it is, but I know it hardly puts out any hot water.  It appears to be about 15" in diameter, and there is a TON of room for something longer and larger. 

My hunch is that I have to buy the larger tank from an RV store, right?  This isn't the kind of thing that I can buy at a Home Depot and install myself, right?

Thank you again for all the input.

Jim
 
You will buy it from an RV supply place, but you would easily be able to put it in yourself with minimal hand tools.  You would buy the whole heater, not just the tank.  But make sure you ask what features are on the model you are buying. IE electric heat element, propane, electronic start, water mixing valve, ect.  There are a lot of different models so get the right one the first time.
 
When I open one of our very large side panels, I can see the water tank.
Click to expand...

Are you sure you are looking at the water heater?  The water heater normally has a cutout in the sidewall of the RV, to provide a exhaust for the propane burner and a path to drain water outside when needed. And it doesn't look much like a "tank" - just a metal wall with valves and wiring.

It's the cutout in the sidewall that makes increasing the size difficult.

You may have a problem with the heater plumbing if you aren't getting much heat. I would not assume right away that the heater needs upgrading or replacement. Can you describe the problem better?
 
How about no tank at all?!  I have a PrecisionTemp RV-500 tankless heater and I love it.  It heats the water going through a heat exchanger and you never run out of hot water.  The BTU input is higher but it doesn't have a tank of water to get and keep hot.  I don't know about you young guys, but I love all that hot water warming my old bones.  It does require the same space as a 10 gallon heater but I didn't find it to be that much trouble opening the 6 gallon hole in my Tioga.

- Steven
 
I think there might be a problem with your existing hot water heater. 

I have the usual 6 gallon heater, I have mine set on the highest setting which is dangerous but I am careful because I know it is HOT. 

Hence I put in a single handle faucet in the kitchen and would love to have one in the shower one of these days.  I have only run out of hot water once when I was sick. I sat on a stool in the shower until the hot water ran out completely.  This took a very long time because it was so super hot, I only had to turn it on a teeny bit to mix with the cold, I think I was in there for an hour.

Normally I am pretty fast in the shower, having lived in the Caribbean umpteen years where water wasting is not done unless you are fabulously rich and care nothing for the environment. But still I stay long enough to get plenty clean and rinse out my long hair when it needs washing. Having lived in about 13 countries, I find that Americans tend to use the most water possible.

I mostly use the electric hybrid kit I installed and only use the propane when I am boondocking.  I too wanted plenty of hot water because I do a mountain of dishes daily and I like them super clean.
 
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