Posted 2009-07-21 9:06 PM (#108330) Subject: 6 Gallon Water Heater
Member
Posts: 14
Location: Ohio
Looking to move up to a 4 horse from a 3 horse trailer and looking at used trailers. I have found several I like, but they have 6 gallon water heaters. Our present trailer has a 12 gallon heater. There are only 2 of us. Will that be enough water for 2 showers?
Posted 2009-07-21 10:23 PM (#108337 - in reply to #108330) Subject: RE: 6 Gallon Water Heater
Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA
With the Suburban 6 gal gas heaters, you can take a four or five minute shower. It's capable but you can't dawdle. It takes about 10 minutes to reheat a tank of water for a second shower.
Posted 2009-07-22 8:36 AM (#108351 - in reply to #108330) Subject: RE: 6 Gallon Water Heater
Veteran
Posts: 233
Location: Tennessee
Gard -
I'm gonna have to live off my 35 gal fresh water tank for a weekend. Have you got any idea how many gallons total one of those 4 to 5 minute showers would take?
Posted 2009-07-22 9:29 AM (#108357 - in reply to #108330) Subject: RE: 6 Gallon Water Heater
Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA
Your water pump probably puts out ~3 gal/min, and depending on the flow rate of your shower head, the length and interior diameter of your plumbing, you could conceivably use a maximum of 15 gallons in five minutes. Most faucets and shower heads have restrictors, and even when fully open, will use less water than your pump's capacity. This is the reason your pump will often cycle on and off, or run at variable speeds when it's being used; otherwise it would run continuously.
So my answer would be something less than your pump's capacity, times the number of minutes it's being used. Sorry I can't be more specific. There are many variables that would effect the outcome.
You can save almost half of your shower water by getting wet, and turn off the water while you apply the soap. Then you turn the water back on to rinse off.
Posted 2009-07-22 11:11 AM (#108371 - in reply to #108351) Subject: RE: 6 Gallon Water Heater
Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA
Originally written by Sheryl on 2009-07-22 9:36 AM
Gard -
I'm gonna have to live off my 35 gal fresh water tank for a weekend. Have you got any idea how many gallons total one of those 4 to 5 minute showers would take?
Thanks.
After all that in my other posting, there's a simple answer to your question. Take a gallon container, hold it under your shower head until its full, and time how long it took to fill. You can then extrapolate this time to a full shower. That will give you an idea of how much water you will use while taking your shower, and you can plan accordingly.