I’m picky about hot water. I camp with two kids, one golden retriever, and a husband who takes long showers. So yeah, the water heater matters. I’ve lived with two kinds in our rigs: a small tank model from Suburban and a tankless unit from Girard. Both worked. Both made me swear a little. Here’s what happened, plain and simple.
If you’d rather jump straight to the extended play-by-play of the whole ordeal, I laid it all out in this detailed hot water heater post.
Rig One: Suburban 6-Gallon Tank (R-Pod era)
Our 2017 R-Pod came with a Suburban 6-gallon gas/electric heater (SW6DE). Gas side was 12,000 BTU. Electric side pulled about 12 amps on shore power. It did the job, until it didn’t.
For authoritative information on the Suburban SW6DE water heater, you can refer to the product page on Amazon.
Real morning, real place: Burlington Bay Campground on Lake Superior. Wind off the lake. I turned on the shower and got nice hot water fast. Steam fogged the little mirror. I hummed. Then my husband jumped in after me. Warm. Then the kids tried. Lukewarm turned to “ICE! MOM!” in about three minutes flat. The recovery on gas was decent, but it still took a bit to heat back up. Electric only? Slow. Like, slow-slow. I’d make coffee while it caught up.
Winter chores were messy but simple. I pulled the anode rod with a 1-1/16" socket, drained the tank, and flushed the crud with a cheap plastic wand. If the water smelled like rotten eggs in spring, I ran a hydrogen peroxide flush. Ten minutes later, the smell was gone. It wasn’t fun, but it felt like brushing teeth—boring yet vital.
What I liked
- Fast hot water at the tap, no weird temp jumps
- Electric mode saved propane on hookups
- Parts are easy to find at most RV stores
What made me grumpy
- Hot water ran out fast with back-to-back showers
- Electric-only recovery took a long time
- Anode rod service is messy, and that smell sometimes showed up
Rig Two: Girard Tankless (Micro Minnie era)
We switched to a 2021 Micro Minnie and installed a Girard GSWH-2 tankless. It lights on propane and needs 12V power for the controls. The wall panel lets you set the temp (I left it at 110°F most days). When it fires, you hear a soft “whoosh,” which weirdly made me smile. Like, okay, we’re on.
For detailed insights into the Girard GSWH-2 tankless water heater, consider visiting the manufacturer's official website.
Scene: boondocking by Zion. Pump set to 45 psi. I turned the shower on and got steady hot water for as long as I wanted. No counting to 90. No sprint showers. The kids washed muddy knees forever. Dish duty got easier too—I didn’t have to plan around a tank.
But here’s the thing. Low flow showers tripped it up. If I tried a tiny trickle to “save water,” the burner sometimes shut down. Then came the “cold sandwich”—hot, then a brief cold hit, then hot again. I learned to keep the flow steady, not drippy. Want short on/off bursts for Navy-style showers? Tankless systems can be fussy with that. I adjusted my habits: steady flow, quick soap, done.
Winter care was lighter. I drained the unit, and I ran white vinegar through it once a year to clear scale. No anode rod party, thank you.
What I liked
- “Endless” hot water, as long as you have propane and flow
- Steady temp when the faucet stays open
- No waiting for a tank to recover after someone sings in the shower
What made me grumpy
- Needs a minimum flow, or it shuts off
- Brief cold burst if you start/stop the water a lot
- Uses more propane when everyone’s taking long showers
Real Moments That Sold Me (or not)
- Bryce Canyon, 37°F dawn: With the Suburban, shower one was great, shower two was “eh,” shower three was fast and loud. With the Girard, everyone showered hot. I even shaved without rushing.
- KOA laundry night in Amarillo: I ran electric mode only on the Suburban to save propane. Dishes were fine. Showers? Not that night. It just took too long to reheat.
- Zion mud day: Tankless plus kids equals clean kids and a big grin from me. I didn’t count minutes. I counted “sighs of relief.”
- Riverside weekend: At the family-run Riverhouse Acres campground, the kids used the creek to rinse off while I savored unlimited in-rig hot water, proving the tankless shines even when great bathhouses are steps away.
Setup Tips That Actually Helped
- Suburban tank:
- Use gas for showers and save electric for dishes.
- Replace the anode rod each year if it’s chewed up. It’s cheap insurance.
- If you smell sulfur, flush with peroxide. Don’t ignore it.
When the day finally came to replace our entire fresh water tank, I documented every wrench turn in the step-by-step breakdown here.
- Girard tankless:
- Keep the shower at a steady flow. Not too low.
- Set the temp on the wall panel lower (around 108–112°F) and don’t mix a ton of cold at the faucet.
- Descale with vinegar once a season if your water is hard.
Power and Propane, Plain Talk
- Suburban electric pulls about 12 amps at 120V. It’s fine on 30-amp hookups but slow to reheat.
- Propane on the tank model sips when the water sits hot. It cycles now and then.
- Tankless burns hard only while water flows. Long showers use more propane. Quick dish rinses use less.
- The Girard used a small bit of 12V power while running. Our battery system handled it fine.
Noise, Space, and Comfort
- Suburban: more of a gentle burner sound outside. Inside, you barely notice.
- Girard: a clean “whoosh” on start. It’s not loud, but you hear it. Kind of like a small jet starting up… in a good way.
- Space: The tankless gave us a little extra storage wiggle in the water bay. Not much, but I noticed.
While we’re on the subject of creature comforts, let’s get real: when the kids crash and the campsite quiets down, a steady supply of hot water isn’t the only ingredient that can keep a traveling couple feeling close. Adventurous RVers who’d like to meet like-minded adults on the road might check out XMatch for no-strings connections, detailed reviews, and community forums that help you find over-18 fun wherever your rig is parked. And if your travels swing you toward the shores of Lake Erie, the candid, traveler-written advice in the USA Sex Guide for Erie can point you to the most welcoming clubs, bars, and local adventures—saving you from guesswork and making sure your grown-up downtime is as satisfying as your hot shower time.
Price and Install
- Suburban tank replacement: ballpark $400–$600 for the unit.
- Girard tankless: around $700–$900 plus install parts.
- Install took us an afternoon with basic tools, sealant, and some patience. I labeled every line with painter’s tape. Saved me from a dumb mistake.
And yes, I have equally strong opinions about the septic side of the house—here’s the good, the bad, and the downright stinky in my full septic tank story.
So, Which One Would I Pick?
- For families on hookups, who don’t mind short showers: the Suburban tank is simple and steady. Electric mode is a nice plus.
- For folks who want long showers and do a lot of dry camping: the Girard tankless feels like a mini home shower. Just keep the flow steady.
Me? I stuck with the Girard in our Micro Minnie. I like not babysitting a tank. I like washing kids without a timer. Does it get fussy with a trickle? Yep. But once you learn its quirks, it’s a sweet setup.
You know what? Hot water sets the mood for the whole day. Cold shock before coffee turns me into a gremlin. Give me the steady “whoosh,” a normal flow, and I’m good. Even the dog gets a warm rinse after a muddy hike. He hates it. I don’t.