Casita water heater

[Panda]

Hello, I have this casita water heater problem. I don't have the propane hook up to it, I want to know "can I run the water heater on electric power from the campground outlet instead ? And the furnace on electric power?The reason I'm not using propane gas is about safety of carbon Monoxide in my camper. Thank you.

[Steve L.]

"Yes" on the water heater if you have the 120v option on your water heater.

"No" on the furnace. The furnace heat runs on propane and the blower runs on 12v, which would come from the converter. Or said differently, the fan would run but no heat would come out.

Many people just buy a cube heater for heat in cool/cold weather. Doesn't take an expensive unit to heat the small volume in the trailer. Not that you're likely to get Minnesota weather in NC.

I would worry more about an asteroid strike on my campsite than I worry about the carbon monoxide. But, whatever floats your boat.

You don't mention what year or model you have (helpful information to put in the Trailer field). Many/most/all of recent Casitas have a CO detector. If you have an extremely old trailer there might be a question but a CO detector would sort through that pretty quickly.

[Glenn Baglo]

Would help if we knew what furnace and what water heater is being discussed.

[mary and bob]

There is a kit that replaces the water heater anode with an electric heating element. Hot Rodd is one of them, available on Amazon. I installed one in the water heater of our 1996 Casita 17. We use a Vornado electric heater.

[thrifty bill]

Our original hot water heater on our Casita was just propane, and we did one of those 120V heated element changes mentioned above to add 120 power.

When at a campground, having devices that use the "free" power that came in the cost of the campsite, can be an advantage on short stays. On longer stays (month or more), many campgrounds meter your electrical use.

I pretty much always use 120V power for refrigerator, water heater, and an electric box heater, when we are hooked up to power. Note, some box heaters are really noisy, so the choice matters! The typical furnaces in Casitas and other campers operate on propane.

Worried about CO? Add an alarm.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by thrifty bill

Worried about CO? Add an alarm.

I presume combustion in the water heater and furnace take place outside the trailer and are vented to the outside so no CO could get into the trailer.
One should still have a CO ( carbon monoxide ) alarm and propane gas detector, and a smoke alarm of course.
Avoid smoked gouda.

[Rzrbrn]

You need to be concerned about CO (Carbon Monoxide) poisoning generated by the use of your propane cooking stove inside the trailer.

DO NOT use your cooking stove inside the trailer for heating the trailer. This is very temping to do. If you do and you fall asleep with the windows closed and the roof vent open, you will die.

You really don't have to worry about the propane furnace putting CO into the trailer. Having said that check the vent on the propane furnace at the start of the camping season and if you park in one spot for a long period of time. If the furnace is seldom used dirt daubers may build a nest, as can mice.

If you put your own CO alarm in the trailer, read the instructions. The instructions will tell you to put the alarm low, down near the floor. Do exactly that.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

If you put your own CO alarm in the trailer, read the instructions. The instructions will tell you to put the alarm low, down near the floor. Do exactly that.

That's the instruction for a propane gas alarm, because propane is heavier than air.
Carbon Monoxide mixes evenly with the air so it's advised to place the alarm at about three feet off the floor ( which is about where you are when in bed asleep ).

Smoke detector goes near the ceiling because hot air rises.

[Rzrbrn]

Glenn is right. But finding a place in our Casita at that exact height is a challenge. So ours is placed under the bed but near the furnace/stove. That's why I suggested your read the instructions.

[Glenn Baglo]

My CO detector is battery powered ( AAs ) and portable. It just sits on a counter, and when we're home, sits on a dresser in the bedroom. Another stays home and sits on a shelf outside the furnace room.

[Rzrbrn]

I never thought about a portable CO detector. I will check it out, thanks. My CO detector was factory installed.

I always manage to learn a thing or two every time I am on this forum.

[David B.]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

I never thought about a portable CO detector. I will check it out, thanks. My CO detector was factory installed.

I always manage to learn a thing or two every time I am on this forum.

I believe the original portable CO detecters were used in mines..... they were canaries.

[Rzrbrn]

I told my wife that is her job, detecting CO...canary...(British) bird...she has no sense of humor....

[Glenn Baglo]

This is the one I have. Also have one with a digital read out.
https://www.discountplumbingoutlet.c...CABEgLj1_D_BwE

[Tom 72]

If you check you will find CO detectors last only 8-10 years. It is not planned obsolescence, but it is in the nature of how they work. Replace older CO detectors.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

I never thought about a portable CO detector. I will check it out, thanks. My CO detector was factory installed.

I always manage to learn a thing or two every time I am on this forum.

Our propane detector went off every night so we took out the fuse. We got a portable one and it never went off. The ones in the Casita under the bed seems to never work right. We have CO and propane detectors for safety. So portable is the way to go. We use a small electric heater that is round, can't tip over and has a thermostat. It shuts off if moved at all. We use it when on shore power. Keeps our trailer warm safely.

[Glenn Baglo]

I'm not aware that a portable, battery-operated propane gas detector exists. All the ones I've seen are hard-wired.
Could you post the brand and model?
A propane gas detector is not a carbon monoxide detector, or vice versa.

[Fred762]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

You need to be concerned about CO (Carbon Monoxide) poisoning generated by the use of your propane cooking stove inside the trailer.

DO NOT use your cooking stove inside the trailer for heating the trailer. This is very temping to do. If you do and you fall asleep with the windows closed and the roof vent open, you will die.

You really don't have to worry about the propane furnace putting CO into the trailer. Having said that check the vent on the propane furnace at the start of the camping season and if you park in one spot for a long period of time. If the furnace is seldom used dirt daubers may build a nest, as can mice.

If you put your own CO alarm in the trailer, read the instructions. The instructions will tell you to put the alarm low, down near the floor. Do exactly that.

There are little round wire mesh cups u can buy, wh you can affix over the furnace outlets outside the TT. I have a couple on my Casita, tho I did add an extra wire to secure the cups to the outlets. These keep the wasps and snakes OUT of the furnace..so far.
BTW be very careful when shoving your 30amp cable back into the trailer..it is likely as not going to loop around over the water heater.....and knock loose the igniter wire from the top of the WH. Ask ne how I know this. grrrrrr