One for the brains trust.

[DEANO3528]

What is the current thinking with regard to water heaters?

Leave it on all the time or use it 'on demand'?

When our water heater used to work we fired it up, on arrival. However my mate alays turns his on when he needs the hot water and that's all.

What does the collective think?

Oh yes and would the same be applicable to mains operation?

Cheers in advance.

 

[JTQ]

On gas I put it on as and when needed , on EHU its left on.

The reasons for switching it off is that the insulation is not that good and it thus consumes gas when not needed, and it wakes me up at night as its under the bed.

On electrics its both quieter and has been paid for. Probably not "green" , but convenient.

 

[Jaydug]

On my Bailey I've cut the electric supply wire to the boiler and fitted a three pin socket on the live end and a three pin plug on the other. Into the socket goes a timer which is set to give us hot water when we need it. The main reason for fitting the timer was to avoid a hot bed locker in Mediterranean summer evenings, but additionally, why have the heater element working when it's not necessary?

 

[DEANO3528]

Thanks for the replies.

Gen consensus does lean toward 'on demand' then really.

 

[Dave_374330759]

what do you do at home?

 

[DEANO3528]

Always on mate, but I don't think the Bosch Greenstar combi-boiler will fit under the bunk

And the gas comes from an apparently never ending supply through a big pipe. ;o)

I have to say that it is no real problem to turn the water heater on when starting to prepare a meal so it's hot when it's time to wash up.

I assume it doesn't take long: Half hour or so?

 

[Cathryn1]

We use our water heater 'on demand', and because we have a problem with the water pump, we only switch that on when we need water though hopefully when we get the caravan serviced in January that will be fixed.

With the heater, it's on for about an hour in the morning and again in the evening. We don't shower in the van, as we tend to use the site's facilities. Handwashing - doesn't really matter if the water's cold, as often the job's done before the hot water has run through anyway (same at home really).

 

[Paul_5064559]

If we were "winter" vanners wd prob leave on all time if on ehu. But in summer usually put on in the morning at the same time as the kettle and off again later mainly because it inevitably adds another heat source in the van which in summer is not always welcome.