The two most common brands of standard RV water heaters have long come from Atwood/Dometic and Suburban. Our rig came with quite a large bi-fuel Suburban model, actually - 12 gallons! That’s incredibly luxurious in an RV! Atwood/DometicĪtwood, now a part of the Dometic family, has been making water heaters and furnaces for recreational vehicles and mobile homes since 1964. Suburban is one of the most common brands of water heaters found in RVs. Suburban, a top manufacturer of RV water heaters, furnaces, ranges, and induction cooktops for more than 70 years, is owned by Airxcel. That’s right, we can use the propane and electric side simultaneously to heat water more quickly (as long as you have shore or generator power available). * PRO TIP: When we had a standard 2-way unit, and wanted hot water as quickly as possible after arriving at a campground, we used BOTH modes. Most commonly, standard RV water heaters have been supplied to RV manufacturers by one of two companies. Tanked RV water heaters generally have a 6 to 10-gallon capacity. What Is a Standard Water Heater In an RV?Īs noted above, a standard heater in an RV is typically a “tank” style that runs on either gas, electricity, or both *. The only exception to that is if our 7.5 kW onboard generator is already in use, we heat water on electric while that power is flowing anyway. When hooked up to shore power, the 120AC element heats the water. This is the type of unit we had for most of our 20+ years on the road, and they do a perfectly fine job. But they’re so common, they’re often simply referred to as “RV water heaters.” That’s how ubiquitous they are. These are sometimes referred to as 2-way heaters. Your RV water heater may also work on either gas or electricity to provide the supply of hot water. When you press the button to begin the heating process, it can take about 10-30 minutes for the water temperature to rise to the recommended safe-water temperature, typically about 120 degrees Fahrenheit. So, the pilot light ignites the gas at the burner, resulting in combustion, which heats the water in the tank. With a standard gas water heater, a switch on a panel inside the RV ignites the pilot light to begin heating. But there’s no electricity at all required to heat the water. They simply need a small amount of 12V power to ignite and control them. That spark, along with the thermostat that controls the heater, is why gas units use “virtually” no electricity (but not zero). With an LP gas water heater, a small spark is produced from a 12-volt power source that ignites the burner. Propane-powered water heaters are great for boondocking as they use virtually no electricity. The element heats the water in conjunction with input from an electric thermostat.Įlectric water heaters use a lot of power, so RVers with all-electric water heaters generally need to be connected to shore power or run a generator to use them. In an RV, this means you need access to 120V AC to power the electric element. ElectricĮlectric water heaters use an electric heating element to heat the water in the tank. However, the appliance itself functions very much the same as those in a fixed-location home.īut there are a few different ways in which various types heat the water in the tank, depending on the type of water heater you have. So, while a home may have a 40- or 50-gallon capacity, for example, a water heater in an RV generally has a 6 to 10-gallon tank. The main difference is that a home water heater is much larger than an RV’s. 8) Free RVing Tips, Tricks, Reviews, Giveaways & MoreĪ standard RV water heater functions very much like one you’d find in a sticks & bricks house.7) Troubleshooting Common RV Water Heater Issues.6.4) Clean and Descale Your RV Water Heater.6.3) Replace the Anode Rod (Suburban Water Heaters).5) How Long Should an RV Water Heater Last?.4) Can I Run My RV’s Water Heater on Gas and Electric at the Same Time?.3) Are There Other Types of RV Water Heaters?.2) What Is a Standard Water Heater In an RV?.
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