How Much Propane Does An RV Water Heater Use?

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Propane is the VIP member in many RVs, and veteran RVers are intimately acquainted with how much propane the RV water heater is gobbling up daily. Even if you have a pop-up or a teardrop, you probably have a water heater. It’s always a good idea to stay up-to-date on your propane consumption.

A family of three will chew through about 2 gallons (8.5 lbs) of propane a week, showering daily. That’s almost half of a 20 lbs propane tank, but it doesn’t take much to heat 6 to 10 gallons of water, which is pretty standard in terms of size (holding capacity). 

If you want it broken down further, a 10,000 BTU, 6-gallon water heater will run for about 42 hours continuously before consuming 20 pounds of propane. Every pound equals 0.236 gallons. Keep in mind, that last is a hypothetical scenario, assuming you could run continuously and only use the water heater. 

Does an RV Water Heater Run on Propane?

The majority of RV water heaters run on propane, and most come equipped with “direct spark ignition (DSI),” which is electric. Veteran RVers know about the old school “standing pilot,” which meant trudging outside, rain or shine, and manually lighting the pilot flame. 

Unless you’re in an older rig, you probably have a DSI, and some RVers replace their water heaters with tankless versions. Tankless water heaters heat the water only when you actively use it and run on either propane or electricity.  

How Much Propane Does a 6-Gallon Water Heater Use? 

To determine how much propane your water heater uses, you need to know four things:

1. The amount of water usage
2. The hot water tank’s size
3. The BTU rating for the propane tank
4. The BTU rating of the water heater.

With those four things, you have the complete formula for calculating usage. 

# of propane gallons x 91,502= BTUs Of Your Propane Tank

Your propane tank probably has a label that references the BTUs, but, just in case it doesn’t, the above formula will give you the answer you need. Now, the next part:

BTUs of your propane tank ÷ Water Heater BTU Rating = Hours of Use

Of course, it’s important to remember that hours of use include more than just taking a shower or using hot water to wash dishes at the sink. With that being said, a 6-gallon water heater at 10,000 BTUs will consume 0.11…