Do you keep your hot water on all the time?

[Hezbez]

Our Truma is set to come on for an hour in the morning just before we get up. Then we'll switch it back on again later in the day if needed.

What do others do - keep your hot water on permanently or just put it on intermittently, as/when required?

Pondering what the most energy efficient method is. And if it's left on all the time would it reduce the lifespan of the heater.

 

[Howard B]

If on hook-up I tend keep the hot water on ECO setting all the time . If on gas, I leave it off & set it to Boost 20 mins before I need it.

 

[steve69]

On hook-up, yes. On gas, no.

 

[tonyidle]

Alde and on all the time.

 

[JockandRita]

If using the Alde heating all the time, eg, in winter, there is constant hot water available.
In the summer, the water goes on for about an hour in the morning, and again around tea time.

Cheers,

Jock.

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[PB2019]

On hook-up, yes. On gas, no.

 

[jwells]

Our hot water goes on 5 minutes after she gets up, it's called the kettle! Exactly the right amount for the next required purpose.
She is from Yorkshire!!

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

Almost always off grid and water on eco as gas consumption compared to fridge is much lower.

 

[WESTY66]

If using the Alde heating all the time, eg, in winter, there is constant hot water available.
In the summer, the water goes on for about an hour in the morning, and again around tea time.

Cheers,

Jock.

This

 

[gus-lopez]

just put it on intermittently, as/when required?

This^^^^^^^first thing in morning for shower.That's it

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[Pausim]

No. Even on a hook up I try not to waste energy. Remember sites are run as businesses and we are paying for the electricity somewhere in the charges. Also worth remembering that the heating elements don’t last for ever and changing them costs money, why wear them out when you don’t need to. Another factor is the heat from the boiler, if the weather is hot why make your motorhome hotter than it needs to be.

 

[Just us on Tour]

Our Truma is set to come on for an hour in the morning just before we get up. Then we'll switch it back on again later in the day if needed.

What do others do - keep your hot water on permanently or just put it on intermittently, as/when required?

Pondering what the most energy efficient method is. And if it's left on all the time would it reduce the lifespan of the heater.

Mine is an Alde system and I tend to leave it on all the time if we are on site with EHU. I believe it switches off automatically once the water reaches temperature then switches back on once you start drawing water from it . If anybody knows if I am correct or not please let me know . Both the wife and I use the shower in our van so I alway pop it up to 3 kw when showering to ensure we don’t run out of hot water. We normally run it on the 2KW setting .
Hope this helps .

 

[hja]

Usually ours is turned on first thing in the morning when we make a cup of tea, gas or electric. Turned off about breakfast time. When it’s turned on again depends on when we have our main meal and how much washing up has been generated. If we only need a bit of hot water for a couple of plates we will just use the kettle.

 

[VXman]

on when needed - 30 mins before a shower basically. off grid use a kettle for all other purposes. on EHU might have it on a bit more for washing up.

 

[Jo-jo]

We turn ours on 20 mins before the first person showers, then goes off after the second one has showered. Leaves enough hot water to wash up breakfast things. We tend to boil a kettle to wash up after our tea. I've no idea of the energy use doing this V turning the water on for 20 mins.

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[Jonno1103]

On permanently. Secret to a boiler that works consistantly well is to ensure it's drained & flushed regularly. At home the heating is on in the cooler & colder months & the fridge is permanently on.

 

[Stoosal]

Only on when needed. Don’t like wasting energy keeping water hot all the time in a pretty poorly insulated cylinder. Only takes a short time to heat and if it’s just something like a few dishes we just boil the kettle.

 

[LostInSpace]

Kettle, if needed.

 

[HKF]

We have a Webasto diesel system. It's off most of the time and I just switch the hot water on when we need it.

 

[Ridgeway]

On all the time (Alde) unless it’s very hot, then as the boiler sits underneath the one of the bench seats we set it on a timer, morning/evening.

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[Flairy]

Never been off.alde system

 

[denisejoe]

Our water heating is gas only so just turned on when needed.

 

[Gaston aires]

TOP TIP. When touring we tend to fill up our two dark green 10ltr watering cans and leave them outside in the sun when we go out. I cover them in black bin sacks to keep the flies out. You will be amazed how hot the water gets and last year when our pump failed we had hot water for showers, washing up etc.
Phil upmewateringcan

 

[carolyn]

I don’t leave it on all the time when I’m at home so I don’t in the van. It’s wasteful of fuel regardless.

 

[rb62]

No! kettle for washing and washing up,Alde if showers are required,nearly always gas as we're seldom on hook up.

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[Mr porky]

We have it on all the time but turn off the gas option. This means when on electric it comes on but when nor on electric if we want a hot shower we just pop on the gas for 5 mins, we both shower then turn it off. Simples

 

[Go_buddy_go_]

Just use the boost option when we need hot water

 

[gus-lopez]

We haven't even got any hot water turned on in the house at present as it is so hot.

 

[PP Bear]

On EHU then yes, as needed on gas

 

[Landy Andy]

Whatever the power source I only heat just before requiring hotwater. Heating all the time is just a waste of power and will shorten the life of whichever part of the boiler is being used.