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Instant hot vs standard


Fisher2

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we are putting our new Elite ll order together, and debating the two types of hot water sources. Can owners of each type write about how you reached your decision, and if you would reach another decision if you could do it again.

 

i am not computer savvy and can't figure out how to thank for a reply, or respond.

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We had the standard 6 gal tank on last two trailers. Replaced the one on trailer two with an Atwood endless water heater, it was just OK.  We have the Truma in Ollie. It is spectacular. I actually enjoy getting to take a hot shower in trailer instead of campground shower or waiting for my 6 gallon allotment to heat up. Although we normally stay in full hook up campgrounds, I tested it a couple of times showering in water saving mood (aka spit bath) as if we were off grid. Truma worked great.

Scott&Ricki

2017 Legacy Elite II Twin, Hull 225, The Bus 
2007 Tundra 
Prev: 2003 Casita, 2009 Weekend Warrior 

 

 

 

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Fisher,

 

Look at your post and see the black line right above it.  Look to the right and see   REPLY THANKS  QUOTE.

 

Just click on one of those to respond.

 

 

 

I have the 6 gallon water heater and I like it.  Runs on propane and probably uses less water.  But I've never tried the tankless.

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John


"I only exaggerate enough to compensate for being taken with a grain of salt."


LE2 #92 (sold),   Black Series HQ19   

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Which water heater you choose has a bit to do with your camping style. My pro and cons list

Original 6 gallon heater.. cons: haul six gallons of extra water, 48 lbs, that you can never really access, except emergency outside drain. Have to bypass and blow out to winterize. Has anode to be inspected and replaced. Have to heat six gallons at a time to use. (Wasteful). Runs out of hot water at most inconvenient times, due to small volume. Manual changeover from gas to electric outside the trailer.

Pros: cheaper, by far. Standard oem for most rvs, easy to find parts. Works on electric only if you ( unlike me) camp with power most of the time, so you don't use lp...

Pros: Our Girard instantaneous runs on gas only. And, very seldom. Nice stream of hot water, endless, when you want it. Easy to winterize. No extra 6 gallon of water weight. For us, economical use. Gas only is fine, as we always ran the old six gallon on gas.. almost never have had electric hookups when camping. Works like our home instantaneous water heater.

 

Cons: much pricier.

 

If you camp primarily with hookups, you can probably just bank the extra money for camping days.if you dry camp a lot, shower in the trailer, you may find the instantaneous to be the ticket.

 

Or, you can start with the standard, and change it up when/if the six gallon burns out someday, as we did. We changed up because our inexpensive lp ecotemp lp5 outdoor shower at our property gave us awesome continuous showers with zero hassle or maintenance, other than replacement of the d cell battery every few years. Our home instantaneous is also great.

 

Bottom line, depends on how you camp, and how you use hot water. If most of the time you use cg facilities to shower, either one is fine.

Sherry

2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

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My pro and cons list Original 6 gallon heater.. cons: haul six gallons of extra water, 48 lbs, that you can never really access, except emergency outside drain.

 

With how small the tanks are on the Ollie, I actually see this as a pro...

Randy


One Life Live It Enjoyably


2017 F350 6.7L SRW CC LB


2015 Oliver Elite II Hull #69

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Fisher2 - I simply thought that the instant hot water heater was too expensive for what it did.  Certainly I can remember to turn the standard water heater on ten minutes prior to when I will need hot water and if I don't remember then I remind myself that I'm camping and relaxing so I certainly can wait another 10 minutes.  There is enough hot water with the six gallons for at least two people.  First, one does not use all hot water when showering - unless they have different skin than I do - and the water continues to heat as you use it.  We have never run out of hot water and my wife does have long hair.  Yes, maintenance is different on the standard as compared to the instant on but I do not see it as that much different.  Yes, one does continually haul around 50 more pounds that you simply can not easily get rid of with the standard heater but I wasn't too worried about that when I compared it to all the other "junk" I usually take camping and when compared to the 5,000 pounds I'm towing anyway it really doesn't make that much difference.

 

Bottom line - I agree with Sherry - take a hard look at how you normally camp, how impatient you are, and how much money you have.

 

Bill

2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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I'll never go back to the 6 gallon. The main reason is if you need a gallon to wash dishes, you just heat one gallon of water, you don't need to wait for it to heat up the 5 other gallons that will just sit there and cool back down. There's no comparing the instant to the 6 gallon, the 6 gallon is old school and costs a lot more to run because you always need to heat up 6 gallons even if you just need enough to wash a plate and silverware. I use a lot less propane now with the instant because it's not cycling on all the time to keep 6 gallons hot when your not using it anyway.

 

 

 

Happy Camping,


null


Reed & Karen Lukens with Riffles our Miniature Poodle


2017 Oliver Legacy Elite II  Standard, Hull #200 / 2017 Silverado High Country 1500 Short Bed 4x4


Past TV - 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 4Matic BlueTEC Diesel


Click on our avatar pic above to find the videos on our Oliver Legacy Elite II


 

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Reed & Karen - I beg to differ.  While its true what you say about the dishes (I just heat what I need for this on the stove), there is no need to keep the heater "on" all the time.  Just as soon as there is enough water heated for me to take a shower I turn that thing off.  Perhaps you do have a point in that you do have to remember to turn it off - certainly that alone takes a bit of energy.

 

Bill

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2023 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5EB FX4 Max Towing, Max Payload, 2016 Oliver Elite II - Hull #117 "Twist"

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We just placed our order for a new Elite II also and I am having a hard time seeing the payback. Although the Truma is very cool we have had the six gallon on several campers and never had a problem running out of hot water. At $1300.00 that's a lot of propane refills that would need to happen to get the payback. We have a instantaneous in our home and I understand not heating 50 gallons of water but for 6 gallons I just don't think I see the payback.

ABNBNSPEALARCOCTDEFLGAIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMDMAMSMOMTNENHNMNYNCOHOKPARISCSDTNTXUTVTVAWVWYmed.jpg

 

Tom & Cheryl 

LE II #305

2018 GMC 2500HD SLT Duramax

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We didn't have the instant option when we ordered. The tank has been just fine. If we're hooked up to electricity, which is the majority of the time, we have plenty of hot water. If not, the tank heats up pretty fast on propane and stays hot for quite a while.  I'm not sure what the price difference is but if it's a lot more for the instant and I was ordering for us, I'd get the tank.  Mike

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Texas Hill Country | 2016 Elite II #135 | 2020 Ram 2500 6.7L

ALAZARCACOFLGAIDILKSKYLAMDMSMOMTNENVNMNYNCNDOHOKSCSDTNTXUTVAWVWYsm.jpgALAZARCACOCTDEFLGAIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMDMAMS

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Reed & Karen –  Perhaps you do have a point in that you do have to remember to turn it off – certainly that alone takes a bit of energy. Bill

 

Remembering to turn it off for me always came when I heard it come on at night under the bed... You don't need to remember to turn off the Truma, just leave it on and it only starts after hot water flow is detected. To save even more $ we leave it on Eco mode, turn the water on for a sec, listen for the gas valve & flame, shut it off again while it heats it up to 120° and 30 seconds later you have hot water until you shut it off again. I used to just shower with the pilot light heating the water in one of our old tanks but that was when I was single for a time :) Women like their hot water, especially Karen and for her it makes a huge difference not ever running out :)

Happy Camping,


null


Reed & Karen Lukens with Riffles our Miniature Poodle


2017 Oliver Legacy Elite II  Standard, Hull #200 / 2017 Silverado High Country 1500 Short Bed 4x4


Past TV - 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 4Matic BlueTEC Diesel


Click on our avatar pic above to find the videos on our Oliver Legacy Elite II


 

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We just placed our order for a new Elite II also and I am having a hard time seeing the payback. Although the Truma is very cool we have had the six gallon on several campers and never had a problem running out of hot water. At $1300.00 that’s a lot of propane refills that would need to happen to get the payback. We have a instantaneous in our home and I understand not heating 50 gallons of water but for 6 gallons I just don’t think I see the payback.

 

Looking for payback? Congratulations on ordering a Legacy Elite II , the best of the best, that's the reason we ordered the Truma. Looking for payback never entered my mind because to me payback is not why I ordered an Oliver. The payback comes in the ease of use. I don't have to change an anode rod or even need to pull it to drain it in the winter. I don't need to worry about it freezing in the winter because the Truma gives you 2 choices in sub-freezing temps, Comfort mode which keeps it at 113° while circulating the water, or winter mode, which circulates the water and keeps it above 37°. This was a big selling point for us because we are out year round, using it daily and we don't need to worry about it freezing up or having the wind blowing the fumes back into the trailer like we did with the Suburban, setting off the CO2 alarm all of the time like it did in our Casita Liberty Delux. Plus I don't have to remember to shut it off to save gas because it shuts off on it's own. I ran on 6 gallon heaters for years also and they're fine, they heat the water, but... There is no comparison between the 2 other then that and until you own one, you will never be able to feel the difference. Hot water is instantly at the tap, I don't need to remember to turn it on, let alone ever have a need to turn it off. It takes care of itself and is a true Legacy Elite option that gives you the best of the best. We bought the Truma because we didn't want to just settle for another run of the mill standard 6 gallon water heater like we've used for the last 4 generations. We bought the Legacy Elite of water heaters in my own personal oppinion :)

 

Reed

Happy Camping,


null


Reed & Karen Lukens with Riffles our Miniature Poodle


2017 Oliver Legacy Elite II  Standard, Hull #200 / 2017 Silverado High Country 1500 Short Bed 4x4


Past TV - 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 4Matic BlueTEC Diesel


Click on our avatar pic above to find the videos on our Oliver Legacy Elite II


 

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When I went to the factory I was also debating which way to go and the tour operator whom I can't remember his name without even asking stated that one of the few items that he highly recommended was to go with the insta hot. The ease of use plus the instant hot water really made sense. I agree with Reed, at his point in my life I don't buy things with a payback time. I buy for convenience and ease of use. I might not live long enough to get the payback time so I just enjoy things when I can!

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Guess I am just used to anode rods, heating elements, and propane and comfortable being able to get parts for the standard if needed. I would be concerned who could work on a Truma if it failed. Once the standard is warmed up water is there just as fast. We have never ran out of hot water and unless you are hooked up to full hook ups, showers are limited time and water anyway. If you are hooked to electric you can run on both propane and electric at the same time for fast recovery or run on the campgrounds electric for free.

 

Like Sherry said its all in how you camp. That's why they are listed as options I guess. Just my opinion which is what the OP asked for.

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ABNBNSPEALARCOCTDEFLGAIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMDMAMSMOMTNENHNMNYNCOHOKPARISCSDTNTXUTVTVAWVWYmed.jpg

 

Tom & Cheryl 

LE II #305

2018 GMC 2500HD SLT Duramax

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I used to run its big big brother, so working on it is pretty basic to me... It's a simple yet small water tube boiler, so as long as you keep the tube nest clean or free of scale in the pipes, not much can shut it down. Most people will only need to clean it every year or so, but it has a light to tell you when it's time. There's not much difference in the master controls between the 2, they have the same sensors and basically run the same. One just heats a big tank of water with a small flame, while the Truma heats a small amount with a lot more flame going between the tubes. It's a basic design that has been used for over 100 years, just not in this nice small package. It's a Smart boiler that is set up to tell you what is wrong with it when it has a problem.

 

If you don't plan on using your trailer in the winter, then the Truma really is not needed anymore then the 4 season trailer itself. But for those of us who use our Oliver's to the extent that they are built for, then the Truma is a must for below freezing relaxation :)

 

IMG_20170904_001313.thumb.jpg.ba38dfc09f92bfcd25b451ac5b68e39d.jpg

 

 

 

 

Happy Camping,


null


Reed & Karen Lukens with Riffles our Miniature Poodle


2017 Oliver Legacy Elite II  Standard, Hull #200 / 2017 Silverado High Country 1500 Short Bed 4x4


Past TV - 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 4Matic BlueTEC Diesel


Click on our avatar pic above to find the videos on our Oliver Legacy Elite II


 

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