There are a few options to help your factory water heater improve heat recovery time. You can install what is called a hot rod, which is an electric heating element that replaces the anode rod in your water heater. This wand uses 400 watts of AC power to heat the element and helps the gas portion of the heater with recovery. This is a somewhat viable option for extending hot water supply time, but some water heater manufacturers disapprove of its use and claim that it may void the warranty because the arrester no longer provides the corrosion protection that the standard anode offers. However, you still won’t get the hot shower of your dreams with this option.
This is where the tankless water heater comes in. There are two types of tankless water heaters: electric and gas. The first type works similar to the hot rod in that an electric heating element heats the water. But that’s where their similarities end. Instead of filling a tank with water and then heating it, the electric tankless heater senses the flow of water through it, activates the electric heating circuit, and the water is instantly heated. It is 100% automated. As soon as you turn off the water flow, the heater turns off. The temperature of the water is regulated by the pressure of the water. Less water pressure means more heat and more water pressure equals less heat.
The gas type works very similar to the electric heater in terms of sensing the flow of water and instantly heating it up. But in this case, a propane burner heats the water. And you don’t need high demands for electrical power as with the electric heater. Both can provide a constant flow of hot water almost indefinitely, but the type of gas will be able to better meet the demand and adapt more easily within a typical RV environment.
The easiest way to modify your RV with a tankless water heater and get that sensational endless shower is to use an inline device that replaces the shower head. This type of heater uses a powerful electric heating element to instantly heat incoming water just before it exits the shower head. It can increase the water temperature up to 50 ° F at a flow rate of one gallon per minute. This should be enough to supplement the factory water heater, so while it recovers, you are still getting reasonably hot water. The only downside is that the unit draws a lot of current, over 20 amps. You will need to dedicate a circuit breaker and receptacle for this unit in case you decide to go this route.
If you’re boondooing, or off-hook camping, consider making this mod with a custom installed gas tankless water heater. These units do an excellent job of providing instant and sustained hot water and can be used to supplement or completely replace your standard RV water heater. However, there are a couple of very important things to consider before making the mod. The first is the ventilation requirements. Like the heater in your RV, the tankless heater emits CO2 when the burner is on, and the CO2 must be vented out of the RV. Three-inch pipe is a minimum and must be evacuated through the roof or side wall with the proper pipe and vent cap.
You must also consider where the unit is mounted. The area must be free of anything that could come into contact with the unit. Also, the unit should have some ventilation or fresh air supply. This is not critical, but the burner needs oxygen to function. Most standard RV cabinet doors don’t seal very well to begin with, so there needs to be enough air supply to provide adequate performance when the unit is mounted in areas like this. In either case, follow the manufacturer’s recommended installation procedures if you are unsure. This includes connecting the gas and water supply, and any electrical requirements necessary to power the unit’s circuit board.
Finally, and of course the most expensive of all options, is to completely replace the factory water heater with a replacement tankless heater made specifically for RVs, the RV500. This is by far the easiest way to have endless hot water. Replacing your standard water heater with the RV500 is surprisingly simple. Start by turning off the propane and draining your water heater. Remove the gas supply line and water lines. And disconnect any electrical wiring. Unscrew the set screws on the outer frame of the heater and the unit should slide out.
To install the RV500, reverse the steps used to remove the factory water heater. Most likely, the gas supply pipe and the water inlet and outlet pipe do not require any modification and are connected directly. The heater requires a 12 volt power supply for the circuit board to function and control the unit. It’s a very low current so it should be able to connect to just about any 12 volt source nearby. Once installed, just turn on any hot water faucet and the unit will turn on automatically. Closing the hot water tap turns the heater off. It is quiet and will keep up with any demand. Now you can take your time to shower, but you may need to modify your RV with larger holding tanks!
