hot water elec switch

[illapah]

I usually just leave the electric hot water heater switch set to on when at a campsite. I have seen where others have relocated a remote switch inside.
What is the downside of leaving switch on all the time? I understand the need to have water in the unit before turning on.

[bncinwv]

There is none that I know of, I do as you do leaving it on. I think others move it inside for convenience, so they don't have to walk around the rig to turn the hot water heater on and off.
Bingo

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Downside

IF you are paying your own electric bill, that is the downside.

This year in the RGV, we have been playing with this hot water heater and settings. We saved a bucket load of cash AND propane and more cash by:

1.) turning on both electric and propane WHEN we want to do back to back showers, or get the water hot in a hurry.

2.) Turn on propane if I want to do dishes and there is NO hot water.

3.) When we are done with the showers or the dishes, turn BOTH electic and propane heater OFF. Leave OFF till we are OUT of hot water.

Surprise, surprise, the water ONCE hot, stays that way for a number of hours, so, we can still wash hands and do dishes 5 to 12 hours AFTER we turn off BOTH the electric and gas power to the hot water heater.

We saved about $20 to 40 a month in electric and we saved probably $20 to 30 a month in propane by NOT leaving the hot water heater on 24/7.

We were amazed and our wallets happy and a bit more full at the end of 3 months. And it really does not take that long to get enough water hot to do the dishes, etc. So it is not that inconvenient, not in relation to the savings.

Ozz put in a timer, think it turns on 3 times a day. Another good way, bet he saved a bucket load of $$ too.

[bncinwv]

I stand corrected. Thanks Carol. I have never been in a situation where the electric costs extra (yet!!).
Bingo

[OntMont]

Looked through a new Montana today, and noticed that there are now separate switches on the level gauge for gas and electric hot water heat, unfortunately, it is the same ineffective level gauge.

[richfaa]

We do what Carol does and it is very effective. We also use the breaker in the panel to turn the hot water tank on and off. We do pay our own electric here at this Rv park (that is sort of the norm for long stays) We keep the fridge on electric as it pulls very low amps.We have used less than one tank of propane per month here since December 1st and our electric had averaged 70.00 per month most of that in A/C use.Like right now it is 8:17PM and the A/C is running..It get hot fast here in South Central Florida.