If there’s one thing most campers wish they had more of, it’s hot water. Whether you’re in a campground with shower facilities or in your RV hooked up to propane or electricity, hot water isn’t always easy to come by outdoors. Thankfully, there are a number of portable propane, electric and even solar-powered options for heating your water when camping.
The most popular choice for those who want to bring hot water along while camping is a portable propane water heater. These units heat your water on demand and are limited only by the amount of fuel and water you have available to you. Several brands make these types of portable propane water heaters, including Coleman and Girard.
Another option for those who want to bring hot water along when camping is a tankless water heater. These units are more expensive than tank-based models, but they offer unlimited hot water for your campsite and are great for those who prefer boondocking or dry camping. The only drawback to a tankless water heater is that it may take more time to heat your water than a conventional unit.
If you find that your water heater has been producing a lot of calcium buildup and isn’t providing as much hot water as it used to, you may want to drain the tank and service it. This can be done easily with a garden hose connected to the drain bung on your water heater, using Teflon tape to wrap the threads. You can also replace your drain plug and anode rod at this time, if necessary.