The EPA average national power rate is 8 cents per KWH. So, using the EPA
power rate, the cost of keeping the idle water heater hot is 13.35 cents/day or
$4.00/month or $48.73/year.


Phil, Thanks for the complete info.

I'm MORE than willing to pay $49/yr so I can have hot water when I
turn the handle.

The losses must be a bit larger with a 6 gal RV water heater but it is
sure nice to have hot water!

Based on your data it'd probably take quite a while to recover the
cost of an "instantaneous" heater. I'll wait 'til my old fashioned
one fails before looking at greater efficiency.

I recently did some cold weather camping & was surpised at how little
I missed the hot water. I guess the new detergents are much better
than soap for getting things clean with cold water.

Thanks again and please continue to report useful data. Ignore those
who turn every posting into some kind of ideological argument (they
are ideots!)