water heater, manual light or electronic ignition???

[Timothy F]

With our old Casita, we had to press and hold the pilot button and hold a lighter on it to get it lit but was no big deal to do and once lit, worked perfectly, never blew out. we are buying another Casita and see you can now get electronic ignition.
seems to me something to break or fail. is it worth having?? I really dont mind doing it the old fashioned way.

[Frederick L. Simson]

I'm an old-fashioned kind of guy, with an old trailer (1978) and an even older house (1918). I put a Heatilator Gas Fireplace insert in the living room that had electronic ignition. The thermocouple only lasted 5 years and I had to remove the insert, because I could not get it repaired. I reinstalled the 60 year old Dearborn Diplomat space heater with pilot light; it is still going strong. If I had ordered the Heatilator with a standing pilot, I would still have it.

My Fiber Stream's water heater has a manual pilot and I like it, it works!

[Darwin Maring]

We have an electronic ignition in our Scamp along with an electric 120VAC rod that heats the water when connected to park power. I have had problems in the past with the standing pilot so would recommend the electric ignition along with the 120 AC rod.

Either way, You pay your money and take your chances

[Gina D.]

I still have to manually light the pilot on my home heater!

I don't mind lighting the pilot on my water heater. I actually wish I had a manual light option on my fridge too. I hate pushing the piezo.

[Timothy F]

We have an electronic ignition in our Scamp along with an electric 120VAC rod that heats the water when connected to park power. I have had problems in the past with the standing pilot so would recommend the electric ignition along with the 120 AC rod.

Either way, You pay your money and take your chances

Thanks DR, I was having a hard understanding why such a fuss over the ignition system , guess I'm a dummy, just found out they can have a electric heating coil too. now it at least makes sense to why people prefer it , especially camping with full hookups. However we exclusively dry camp, we bring extra water, and a 80 solar panel and can stay out indefinately , at least until our black tank fills up. just reinforces to me to stick with the pilot light, I think it only blew out on me one time over the years, otherwise worked flawlessly. Thank you everyone for your posts, they really help with deciding on options.

[Christi V.]

I just got a new hotwater heater acouple of months ago.. I dont mind the manual starts.. its the POOF i dont like when it starts...lol






I also got a new progessive Dynamics converter/charger... and a new battery

[Darwin Maring]

If U do not leave the pilot lit - all the time - you stand the chance of having a noseeum get in there and build a web nest of some sort then U have a problem the next time U want 2 use it. I had one in a park for 5 years and just left it lit and no problems. If I turned it off when not used, you guessed it, the web of mystery appeared.

[Timothy F]

I'm glad I dont have to deal with those pesky noseeum anymore, I am from northern Minnestoa, every biting, flying bug you can imagine resided there. fortunately out here in Nevada, we dont have any biting bugs to speak of. also, we only camp about 10 - 15 days a year, otherwise the trailer will sit in the garage.
Just pulled the trigger today, called Harold of Casita and ordered a 2009 Casita 16' spirit deluxe with furnace, fantastic fan, should have it by Christmas. with their lower prices, I am paying very close to the same as I paid for my 2002 17' spirit deluxe.