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Old 06-13-2015, 03:33 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Donna D. View Post
It's an all electric Suburban Brian.
Ah, yes, the Scamp electric heater - not a typical RV unit at all, so configured quite differently. It's not in their online store, or in their features list, so they might not offer it any more. It looks like the Speed-O-Matic line was intended for mobile homes (small, but have electrical power).

Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
Donna,
Are you saying you do not have the propane option nor the removable anode rod on your Suburban water heater?
I was asking Donna about her Scamp's heater with a drain valve - which turns out to be electric, just like a tiny version of a common residential electric water heater. I assume Ten Forward has Escape's standard Suburban, complete with propane operation and anode rod (and perhaps electric element as well).
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Old 06-14-2015, 09:28 AM   #22
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We usually turn ours on. Electric if hooked up, LP if not. We are at the SKP park in Coarsegold this week, and have had several 100+ days. I have left it off.

If we want hot water, we use the cold, during the day there is enough very hot water in the hose and filter to wash your hands... If we want cool, we use the hot, the insulated tank keeps it nice and cool!
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Old 06-14-2015, 10:28 AM   #23
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If we want hot water, we use the cold, during the day there is enough very hot water in the hose and filter to wash your hands... If we want cool, we use the hot, the insulated tank keeps it nice and cool!

now that is ironic and funny...
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Old 06-14-2015, 04:37 PM   #24
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I never turn off my propane only hot water heater once camped. I can't believe it uses that much propane, certainly not compared to the frig or furnace. I would venture to guess that propane use for keeping the water hot is less than .10 cents a day, more if you use lots of hot water.

Our 20 lb propane tanks hold 4.72 gallons approx, at the current USD price of $2.39/gallon it should cost $11.28 to fill a tank, plus any local taxes. That is a pretty minor portion of our camping costs considering getting 15 miles per gallon is doing good and we all travel a great deal. How many tank fills do you need in a 12 month period?

Can someone refute my cost figures with hard facts, mine is a guess after all?

Now if the noise disturbs you that is a different matter.
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Old 06-14-2015, 04:41 PM   #25
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I do not think I have ever refilled any of my propane tanks, on any trailer.....yet...
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Old 06-14-2015, 04:48 PM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fudge_brownie View Post
I never turn off my propane only hot water heater once camped. I can't believe it uses that much propane, certainly not compared to the frig or furnace. I would venture to guess that propane use for keeping the water hot is less than .10 cents a day, more if you use lots of hot water.

Our 20 lb propane tanks hold 4.72 gallons approx, at the current USD price of $2.39/gallon it should cost $11.28 to fill a tank, plus any local taxes. That is a pretty minor portion of our camping costs considering getting 15 miles per gallon is doing good and we all travel a great deal. How many tank fills do you need in a 12 month period?

Can someone refute my cost figures with hard facts, mine is a guess after all?

Now if the noise disturbs you that is a different matter.
Last time here in California it cost us $20.00 to fill tank .Pat
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Old 06-14-2015, 05:11 PM   #27
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Just paid $27C for one tank fill here in BC. Ouch. Had been used to about us$13 at $3/g earlier.

Winter camping, furnace, water heater, no fridge -- 7 days to empty 20lb.

Summer camping, same water heater use plus fridge for part of time, 2.5 weeks to empty 20 lb.

As a complete guess, I would say 4 weeks to burn up 20lb using minimal water heater -- morning shower plus dinner dishes ie 2 heatling cycles per day. So.... A gallon a week maybe? Which might yield up 50 cents a day ballpark for water heating.

Your figures will definitely be different than mine.
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Old 06-14-2015, 05:34 PM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fudge_brownie View Post
I never turn off my propane only hot water heater once camped. I can't believe it uses that much propane, certainly not compared to the frig or furnace. I would venture to guess that propane use for keeping the water hot is less than .10 cents a day, more if you use lots of hot water.

Our 20 lb propane tanks hold 4.72 gallons approx, at the current USD price of $2.39/gallon it should cost $11.28 to fill a tank, plus any local taxes. That is a pretty minor portion of our camping costs considering getting 15 miles per gallon is doing good and we all travel a great deal. How many tank fills do you need in a 12 month period?

Can someone refute my cost figures with hard facts, mine is a guess after all?

Now if the noise disturbs you that is a different matter.
I'm with you Bruce. I've seen tons of discussions about why it makes sense to get the electric option for the hot water heater. My calculations worked out to about 400+ nights of camping or more to break even for the option. Plus with the propane only, there is nothing to change over and no chance of burning out the electric element. (Which would push the break even point even further out!)
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Old 06-14-2015, 05:57 PM   #29
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Originally Posted by kstock11 View Post
I'm with you Bruce. I've seen tons of discussions about why it makes sense to get the electric option for the hot water heater. My calculations worked out to about 400+ nights of camping or more to break even for the option. Plus with the propane only, there is nothing to change over and no chance of burning out the electric element. (Which would push the break even point even further out!)
I like being able to use the electricity I paid for in my site rental for as much as possible, since I paid for it whether I use it or not. That being said, we bought our trailer used and it came with the dual h20 heater so there really is no break even point.
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Old 06-15-2015, 08:33 AM   #30
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Try costco for propane, they are usually much cheaper.
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Old 06-15-2015, 09:09 AM   #31
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Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
I do not think I have ever refilled any of my propane tanks, on any trailer.....yet...
What?! If I look a propane tank cross-eyed it empties right out.

I left home on my current trip on March 15 with one filled tank and an unknown amount in the second one. Since then I have refilled seven times, for a total cost of $96.22, or $13.75 per fill. I'm sure I have an empty tank right now, so I'll fill it today.

My number of refills is more than it should be, since I have problems telling when a tank is actually empty and will sometimes take one to be refilled when it has a gallon or two left in it. Doesn't affect the total cost, though.

This was not the case in Arco, Idaho, when I managed to empty both tanks and thus spent another cold night in the trailer with no heat. Arrgh.
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Old 06-15-2015, 09:20 AM   #32
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Jim could have reworded it... Haven't owned a trailer long enough to empty a propane tank.

I used to be able to get through a season on a 30 lb'er, no such luck with the 20's.
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Old 06-15-2015, 09:23 AM   #33
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My number of refills is more than it should be, since I have problems telling when a tank is actually empty and will sometimes take one to be refilled when it has a gallon or two left in it.
I think you must mean pounds left in the tank. Assuming propane weighs the same as water or 10 pounds +- per gallon.
It's easy to weigh an empty tank and a full tank and get an idea of whats in a questionable tank.
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Old 06-15-2015, 10:00 AM   #34
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You should be able to ID an empty tank with the automatic switch-over indicator. See your instruction manual.
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Old 06-15-2015, 10:14 AM   #35
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we weigh those small green propane tanks that we use for our 2 burner Coleman stove and coffee pot with some success by using a luggage scale.
http://www.amazon.ca/Ecloud-ShopCA-S...+digital+scale
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Old 06-15-2015, 12:00 PM   #36
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Originally Posted by kvermeulen View Post
Try costco for propane, they are usually much cheaper.
That doesn't always work. The one in Pharr TX does not carry propane but we did find a propane place $12 for 20lb. I think we filled three there as we had a lot of cool nights in the Rio Grande Valley the 5.5 weeks we were there last winter, but figure that was cheaper than the pricy hydro in our park. We ran the water heater on hydro though, but also cooked a lot.

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Old 06-15-2015, 12:45 PM   #37
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As you are all aware, never do a tank exchange to get a refill. This is the propane industry dirty little secret. Propane sold at locations doing an exchange have you and your welfare in mind. To keep you from lifting too much the exchange tanks are only filled with 15 pounds of propane, rather than the capacity of 20 pounds.

If you have some doubts use your search engine for "propane tank exchange".
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Old 06-15-2015, 01:30 PM   #38
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For safety reasons that's as full as I want a propane tank. Fill a tank in rainy Vancouver 22 degrees, drive to Osoyoose where its 36 degrees and you may wish your tank was only 80 percent filled due to expansion.
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Old 06-15-2015, 01:59 PM   #39
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You should be able to ID an empty tank with the automatic switch-over indicator. See your instruction manual.
That thing doesn't work very well, or at least mine doesn't. It will show half-green half-red sometimes, and since I don't know what that means I will move the lever to the other tank when the first one still has propane in it. It has fooled me more than once.
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Old 06-15-2015, 02:05 PM   #40
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That's why I said to refer to your instruction manual. I have to keep reminding myself what means what. Half red / half green indicates that one tank is empty. The lever is used to allow you to remove the empty tank.
Read the manual.
I did manage to empty both tanks once, by not paying attention. You do have to check the indicator to see that you have gas.
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