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lhamblin View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Hot Water Tank Replacement
    Posted: 02 Jul 2019 at 4:38pm
I am considering replacing my 6 gallon hot water tank in my R-Pod 180 with a 10 gallon tank as I am tired of running out of water in the shower.  Has anyone done this type of replacement?  If so what tank brand did you install?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jul 2019 at 5:03pm
Have you tried running the electric and propane heaters at the same time? You can safely do that and it will greatly reduce recovery time.

Another option is a water-saving shower head such as an Oxygenics.

In either case, it's advisable to use a shower head with a cut-off so you can conserve hot water when you're not soaping up or rinsing.
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lostagain View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jul 2019 at 5:37pm
I just replaced our worn out 6 gal suburban with a duplicate.  It was a tight fit to get the new one in.  If you go to a bigger tank, be sure to check the dimensions and make sure it'll fit, both at the point where it is installed and passing it through the hole in the side of your trailer.  I took a look in Amazon at the hole dimensions needed to get a 10 gallon heater in and you're going to need about to add about 4" to the hole in the side of the trailer and a couple inches will be needed front to back.  Given the aluminum sidewall frame of the Pod, that may be a challenging mod.
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jul 2019 at 8:48pm
I would suggest a tankless water heater installation. Suburban makes one that I think will be a direct replacement for the 6 gallon tank one. It weighs less as well. Even if you could fit a 10 gallon one it would add a lot of weight. But, if you use that much more hot water then your next problem is going to be running out of propane and gray tank space.... 
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Richand Cindy View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jul 2019 at 3:43pm
I would first try the suggestions given here.  But after all that if you still want to replace your water heater,  a 10 gal will not fit.  I would go with the Truma AquaGo tankless water heater.  All the other tankless systems are junk compared to the Truma.  In fact, Lance puts them in their RV's.  One thing to note is that it is only efficient to use a tankless system if you are hooked up to water and sewer.  You will use more water which will quickly fill your waste tanks.  Boondocking and tankless water heat do not go hand in hand.  We were going to go tankless but after switching out the shower head and using both electric and propane to heat water at the same time we find that we never run out of hot water.  Amazing for a 6 gal tank especially since we run out at home with a 30 gal tank and had to go larger when the water heater needed replacing.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jul 2019 at 3:45pm
Also if you are at an RV show where Truma is presenting they will install the unit while you visit the show for a low price ($100 or $150 if can recall).  Can't beat that for service. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jul 2019 at 6:00am
Truma also makes an interesting combo space and water heating system, much quieter than the jet turbine that comes with our trailers.  They make some good stuff, although I would hesitate to go so far as to call the Suburban unit "junk".  I suggested it because i expect it would be an easier DIY project than the Truma would be, being designed as a direct replacement for their 6  gallon ones. 

I agree that a tankless system doesn't make sense without full hookups. If you're using up 6 gallons of hot water mixed down to a comfortable shower temperature you're probably consuming 8-10 gallons of water total. In an undeveloped campground that will use up about 1/3 of your total fresh water supply and gray water storage space at at time. 

In my opinion, this is an area where a change in behavior is more expedient than a change in equipment. You can take "Navy" showers while camping, still get nice and clean, and use only a gallon or two of water total in the process. Just my $0.02
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jul 2019 at 8:02am
I did alot of research on hot water heaters, maybe two years worth (I was a researcher by career, even before there was an internet).  Spoke to owners of hot water heaters.  Even before Truma came out I was told not to buy one.  But once Truma came to the US (they are German made) everyone got onboard Truma.  So maybe calling the rest junk is too much hyperbole, but if you go the tankless route there really is a huge difference in qualit.  Truma costs more but it is well worth it
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jul 2019 at 6:37pm
Greetings
The best way is to take a Navy shower, get wet, turn off water, soap, turn water back on to rinse.  You only have 35 gallons to start with.  Happy Poding

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jul 2019 at 7:30pm
30 usable gallons, the 6 in the water heater aren't accessible unless you remove the anode.
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