Hot water is a luxury of RV camping. It’s easy to take for granted when you haven’t camped in a tent for a while—but you will notice immediately if your water heater stops working. Whether you’re replacing a broken unit or considering an upgrade to an RV tankless water heater, you must know the advantages and disadvantages of this water heater type.
In this article, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of tankless water heaters, offer a buying guide to help you choose a compatible replacement, and suggest the top water heater brands that offer tankless models.
Key Takeaways
- Pros & Cons of Tankless RV Water Heaters: Tankless water heaters provide continuous hot water, improved energy efficiency, and longer lifespan, but they lead to increased water usage before heating, they only run on propane, and they may require complex retrofitting.
- Key Buying Considerations: When choosing a model, factor in water usage, installation compatibility, winterization needs, and cost. Tankless heaters require proper ventilation, and propane-powered models are the most practical for RVs.
- Top Brands & Recommendations: Leading RV tankless water heater brands include Suburban, Girard, Furrion, Fogatti, and Dometic, with portable options from Excel, Eccotemp, and Marey. Compatibility, power source, and safety features should guide your choice.
What Is a Tankless Water Heater (and How Does it Work?)
Traditional RV water heaters have a tank that fills with water, either from your fresh water tank or a city water connection. That water is heated using a propane burner, an electric heating element, or both. Depending on usage, these heaters can have a 30-minute recovery rate, meaning how long you must wait for the tank to refill and the water to heat before using it in sinks or the shower.
Tankless water heaters, also known as on-demand water heaters, work a little differently. They don’t have a traditional container to store and heat water. When you open a hot water fixture, cold water runs through a heat exchanger powered by propane gas. This design allows them to deliver constant hot water without the delay of heating a larger quantity of water in a tank.
RV Tankless Water Heater Pros and Cons
Here are a few of the advantages of tankless RV water heaters:
- Increased energy efficiency because there’s no heat loss from standing water.
- Reduced risk of spillage and decreased potential for RV water damage.
- No waiting for your water heater’s tank to heat up.
- Longer life expectancy than standard water heaters.
While they’re a great option, some RVers still swear by standard water heaters because tankless RV water heaters can:
- Cause you to waste a lot of water before hot water is dispensed.
- Only operate on propane gas.
- Require complex retrofitting if you don’t do your research to find a compatible model.
Many newer tankless models have worked out the original kinks related to water consumption and energy usage, but it’s worth knowing about these potential downsides when deciding if an RV tankless water heater is right for you.
How To Choose a Tankless RV Water Heater
Before getting enamored with the idea of hot water on demand, consider these important buying factors:
Water Usage
When choosing a regular water heater, consider how often you might use these appliances in one day. With a tankless water heater for an RV, the more important question is how often you might use multiple appliances simultaneously.
Estimate your water usage before shopping for a tankless water heater for RV use. Here is a quick reference for the average water consumption of RV appliances:
- Toilet: ~0.8 gallons per flush
- Bathtub: ~2-4 gallons per minute
- Shower: ~1.5-3 gallons per minute
- Kitchen Sink: ~0.5 gallons per minute
- Dishwasher: ~4-6 gallons per cycle
- Washer: ~8-20 gallons per load
Tankless water heaters can provide an on-demand water heating capacity from 1.5 to 6 gallons per minute, depending on the model. Compare and contrast models to meet your water usage demands.
Installation
One benefit of upgrading to a tankless water heater is the size. These units typically require less space than traditional models. However, you still need to ensure compatibility. Some models can be retrofitted in the same space that housed your old water heater. This is the simplest solution, and many manufacturers offer retrofit kits to help with a safe, aesthetically pleasing installation.
You may want to schedule a service appointment for this upgrade because you’ll need to safely disconnect propane and shut off your electricity to install an RV propane tankless water heater.
Technician Tip: Service technicians will ensure proper installation location and adherence to all codes and regulations regarding proper water heater ventilation. If you occasionally RV in locations that drop below 32℉, ask your RV performance specialist about installing an antifreeze kit with your new tankless water heater.
Winterizing
Speaking of freezing temperatures, the process of winterizing your RV changes slightly if you upgrade from a standard water heater to a tankless model. A basic winterizing process uses air to blow out water lines, but a small amount of water will always remain.
That water will destroy a tankless water heater if temperatures drop below 32℉. If you have a tankless heater or hydronic heating system, you must blow air out of water lines and add RV-safe antifreeze. We recommend choosing the Delux Winterize package, available at any Camping World Service Center.
That package requires pumping RV antifreeze through your entire fresh water system to displace water and protect everything from freeze damage. This invaluable preventative measure is well worth the investment. Additionally, when retrofitting a tankless model, remove the bypass valves on your standard water heater. These valves serve no purpose for a tankless design and can sometimes lead to confusion if you’re winterizing your RV at home.
Electric or Gas? Is There Even a Choice?
Many standard water heaters can use LP gas or an electric heating element. For example, models using a 1,400-watt electric heating element produce around 6,000 BTUs of heat per hour (BTUs are British Thermal Units).
To deliver comparable performance, a tankless water heater powered by electricity would require a minimum of 40,000 BTUs per hour, which equates to roughly 75 amps of 120 VAC power. That far surpasses the 30 or 50 amps standard on most RVs, and that’s why tankless heaters restrict you to propane-only operation, whether boondocking or plugged into a power pedestal.
More typical in camper vans, there are hydronic heating systems that deliver hot water through an electric heating method. However, as currently designed, most electric tankless water heaters would require 220 volts of AC power, which surpasses the capability of most RVs.
Your best option is a propane tankless water heater for your RV equipped with a small battery bank. That battery bank provides the ignition source when you aren’t plugged into 120 VAC power. Many RVers also find LP tankless water heaters easier to install and don’t mind replacing or refilling RV propane containers regularly.
There are portable tankless water heaters that operate on 120 VAC power. However, these models typically only deliver a water temperature up to about 95℉ and offer a low flow rate of 0.5 gallons per minute, which wouldn’t be effective in an RV.
Design
The best tankless RV water heaters are generally simpler to maintain than water heaters that rely on a pilot light or direct spark ignition (DSI). When purchasing a tankless water heater, choose one with a display you can operate.
You also need to ensure compatibility with your existing systems. If you’re replacing a broken heater, sticking with the previous manufacturer is an easy path. Contact that manufacturer to acquire a compatible Girard RV tankless water heater, Suburban tankless RV water heater, Furrion RV tankless water heater, or another from your preferred manufacturer.
For those with camper vans or any other RV that doesn’t have an existing water heater to replace, portable tankless water heaters can be a viable solution for luxurious outdoor showers on a warm summer afternoon.
Cost
Some tankless water heaters for RVs are more affordable than traditional models, but you may spend more to replace an old water heater than you’d spend to repair it.
If you’re set on upgrading, factor in the potential long-term savings of a tankless RV water heater. These energy-efficient units can reduce your overall energy costs compared to replacing your old heater with a standard DSI water heater.
If your standard RV water heater isn’t functioning, start by learning more about troubleshooting water heaters or schedule an appointment to have issues diagnosed by a certified RV technician.
What Is the Best RV Tankless Water Heater?
For those committed to going tankless, some of our favorite brands include Suburban, Girard, Furrion, Fogatti, and Dometic. If you want a quick solution using a portable model, you’ll find some of the best options from Excel, Eccotemp, and Marey.
The best tankless water heater for your RV depends on compatibility, ease of installation, water usage, and winterization concerns. Of course, you must weigh those factors against the heater’s cost and any additional costs of retrofitting your camper to safely provide hot water using a tankless heater.
Consider additional factors like the required power source, indoor versus outdoor use, and safety features like oxygen depletion safety shut-off.
Whether you’re trying to avoid family fights over who showers next or want to be more energy efficient, a tankless heater is the future of instantaneous hot water for RVers. Here are a few other resources to help you upgrade your RV:
- Do You Need a Water Pressure Regulator for RV?
- Tankless Water Heater Winterization Guide
- Best RV Upgrades
- Should You Upgrade RV Batteries?
Do you have a tankless water heater for your RV? Share your experience in the comments below!
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