Travel Days with Tankless Water Heater?

[reubenray]

In my past two motorhomes I very seldom turned on the propane. I don't travel when I need the heat, I do my cooking outside (most of the time) and I had the electric/propane water heater set on electric. Now that I have a propane tankless water heater I have a question (maybe more).

Do you turn off the propane on travel days?

 

[DougW9876]

No, I leave the propane on unless required to turn it off for a tunnel or something of that sort. I have never left the water heater on for travel days anyway, we don’t need hot water while driving and the tankless heater takes so long to get hot water to the faucet that I am done washing my hands before the water gets warm.

 

[Second Chance]

We leave the propane on except for tunnels where it has to be turned off. Our water heater is a 12-gallon tank style but we use it on electric-only anyway. If it's cold enough that the furnace may cycle, I turn off the thermostat. The fridge is a 120VAC residential unit, so it runs off the battery bank and inverter while on the road or during power outages.

Rob

 

[Soundsailor]

As with others, I leave the propane on for travel days. Since no one is using the hot water, I don't think the TWH uses propane, occasionally the furnace has kicked in though.

 

[reubenray]

The main reason I asked I did not know if the pilot light would get blown out while traveling.

 

[Second Chance]

The main reason I asked I did not know if the pilot light would get blown out while traveling.

The LP appliances in modern RVs don't have pilot lights - they are DSI (direct spark ignition).

Rob

 

[KIMandALLEN1988]

In my past two motorhomes I very seldom turned on the propane. I don't travel when I need the heat, I do my cooking outside (most of the time) and I had the electric/propane water heater set on electric. Now that I have a propane tankless water heater I have a question (maybe more).

Do you turn off the propane on travel days?

I don't know what model TWH you have, but ours is a - Furrion Tankless Gas Water Heater with Antifreeze Protection- 2.4GPM, White #FWH09AFA-AM. We just got home from a multi-month trip out west. We traveled on a number of days in below freezing weather. My interpretation of the manual was to drive in freezing weather with the propane on and the TWH on. We also had the tank pads on and the furnace on and set to a low temp. This resulted in a great trip, no problems with the TWH, no problems with the furnace and really no problems with the rig whatsoever after driving through some very challenging conditions. Good luck. AP

 

[kb0zke]

Our dealer told us that the tankless water heaters only come on when there is a demand for hot water, so they will never come on while driving. The furnace, though, could come on if it got cold enough, and that could result in flame going where it shouldn't. Accordingly, we turn the furnace off on winter travel days. We had one day a few weeks ago when the trailer was in the mid 50's when we landed. Turned the furnace on, turned the fireplace on, and turned on the small electric space heater in the bedroom. Fifteen minutes later it was back to normal.

 

[llr2800]

I don't know what model TWH you have, but ours is a - Furrion Tankless Gas Water Heater with Antifreeze Protection- 2.4GPM, White #FWH09AFA-AM. We just got home from a multi-month trip out west. We traveled on a number of days in below freezing weather. My interpretation of the manual was to drive in freezing weather with the propane on and the TWH on. We also had the tank pads on and the furnace on and set to a low temp. This resulted in a great trip, no problems with the TWH, no problems with the furnace and really no problems with the rig whatsoever after driving through some very challenging conditions. Good luck. AP

This is the only case I can think of where you would want it on. In other cases on or off doesn't really matter.

 

[ajg617]

Wondering why folks would leave the propane on during travel if nothing is using propane?

 

[llr2800]

Wondering why folks would leave the propane on during travel if nothing is using propane?

I always have left it on, in all campers so far it runs the fridge. Also the fewer steps in setup and tear down the better I like it, there's enough to do anyway.

 

[Second Chance]

Wondering why folks would leave the propane on during travel if nothing is using propane?

I'm remembering a travel day in Wyoming one spring where we pulled into our one-night stay location with the temp in the upper 20s and the winds at 40 gusting to 65 (the truck averaged 6-7 MPG pulling into a headwind that day). It was so windy, we didn't even put the kitchen and bedroom slides out (on the windward side) for fear of loosing the slide toppers on that side. After getting inside and turning on the thermostat, I would have hated to discover that I'd forgotten to turn the propane on and had to go back outside (which happened a couple of times in less sever conditions when I did turn the propane off). On subfreezing travel days, I'll also switch our tank-style water heater to LP to keep the water hot and help keep that corner of the basement a little warmer.

Rob

 

[RoscoeTX]

There is no pilot light, the gas burner ignites only when the controller is turned on and heat is needed. You only have to turn off the gas in tunnels, when stored etc. Never really checked, but they really don't seem to use that much gas, probably no more than a normal 6 gallon water heater. I don't care for it but the wife likes it. As long as she is happy, then I must like it also or else.

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Wondering why folks would leave the propane on during travel if nothing is using propane?

Well...when we go on a trip I turn on the propane a couple days before we leave. Check all the gas appliances...it gets turned off when we get home weeks or months later.
I have an absorption fridge so the propane is in use while travelling though.

To the OP, propane on or off is really up to you. I would leave it on, but if you feel safer with it off, turn it off. I don't really think there is a right or wrong here. Just personal preference.

 

[reubenray]

Well...when we go on a trip I turn on the propane a couple days before we leave. Check all the gas appliances...it gets turned off when we get home weeks or months later.
I have an absorption fridge so the propane is in use while travelling though.

To the OP, propane on or off is really up to you. I would leave it on, but if you feel safer with it off, turn it off. I don't really think there is a right or wrong here. Just personal preference.

Your routine will most likely be my routine.

 

[finz04]

When we had our 295 fifth wheel I would leave the propane on for travel for the two way fridge. We seldom, if ever needed hot water while on the road.

Now with the smaller Imagine TT I leave the propane off for travel. The fridge is 12 volt running off the battery and backed up by solar so no need there. Still no need for HW while traveling, but with the on demand water heater I could easily turn on the gas if needed. With a smaller rig we’re not waiting much more than a few seconds for HW to reach a faucet.

In addition to tunnels, I needed to remember to shut the propane down before pulling in to refuel