Electric Water Heater - how well does it heat?

[ajmiller]

Hello all, a question from an RV newbie: we are about 1 month in with our 2018 Solitude 310GK, and I've noticed that the electric water heater doesn't really do anything. I know that it will not heat as well as the gas, but when we turn the gas off, the electric really doesn't heat at all. Is it meant to just keep it from freezing, or should it build some actual hot water over time? As it is right now, the electric does not generate anything hot.

Me and the wife thank any/all insight into this, hoping it is not broken already! We absolutely love the 310GK, so nice.

[TucsonJim]

Welcome to the forum! On both GD units I've owned, the electric water heater will heat it just as hot as gas. It just takes a little longer. Some models have two switches. One is on the control panel, and there is another switch that is hard to see on the water heater itself. Open the water heater panel on the outside of the rig, and look to see if you have a switch. If so, turn it on and leave it on. Then you can control the water heater from your main control panel when you want to use electric heating.

Jim

[ajmiller]

Jim, thank you! I showed your post to my wife, and that jostled her memory. Obviously, we should have taken better notes during the walk around, and I should have just cracked open the owners manual. But hey, you just proved to me the true value that is this forum! Thanks again, and so quickly!

[TucsonJim]

I'm glad I could help. Enjoy that new trailer, and if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask. And BTW, you can heat up the water much faster if you use both the gas and electric at the same time.


Jim

[Just Krusen]

As to how well the electric heats:

We have a 12 gallon water heater. My wife and I take back to back showers every morning. We have only run out of hot water once when I took a longer shower. Not bad for over a year of full timing. You can also run gas and electric together to get a faster recovery time if needed.

[Chiefblueman]

Even with our 6 gal water heater we can take back to back showers when running gas and electric together.

[bertschb]

We take back to back showers with just electric and our 6g water heater works fine. Granted, they aren't ten minute showers but we're very impressed with our electric water heater.

[JCZhome]

I'm glad I could help. Enjoy that new trailer, and if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask. And BTW, you can heat up the water much faster if you use both the gas and electric at the same time.


Jim

I turn them both on when we first arrive and set up at the next RV park. But I always forget that they're both on until I get ready to turn on some lights when it gets dark. To the OP, the electric heat gets it as hot as the propane.....just not as fast.

[Second Chance]

Back-to-back showers? Even with the size of the shower in the 337, we find it a bit crowded if we both try to get in at the same time...

Rob

[ClowcColorado]

Welcome to the forum! On both GD units I've owned, the electric water heater will heat it just as hot as gas. It just takes a little longer. Some models have two switches. One is on the control panel, and there is another switch that is hard to see on the water heater itself. Open the water heater panel on the outside of the rig, and look to see if you have a switch. If so, turn it on and leave it on. Then you can control the water heater from your main control panel when you want to use electric heating.

Jim

Thanks so much Jim you saved me a trip to the dealership, i thought the on and off switch was on the panel but your right if you open the water heater door and look around you can find the switch i believe the one on the control panel shuts it off also but want to make sure the main switch is on first or done camping turn it off....thanks again.