Do Tankless Water Heaters For RVs Like Dylux DY54FR Waste More Water Than Older Tank Units?

Published 05/27/2026

Question:

I do a lot of dry camping and usually take navy showers to save water. Is a tankless water heater like this Dylux a good idea, or will it waste too much water waiting for it to heat back up?

asked by: Travis

Expert Reply:

That’s a smart question, Travis, because tankless water heaters are great for hot-water supply, but they do change the way you manage water when boondocking. The Dylux RV Tankless Water Heater # DY54FR heats on demand, so it does not keep a tank of hot water ready. When you turn the hot water off and then back on, there can be a short delay before hot water reaches the shower again.

At a campground with full hookups, that delay usually is not a big deal. When you’re dry camping, those few seconds can matter because that water is coming from your fresh tank and going into your gray tank. If you take a lot of navy showers, I’d strongly consider adding a water-saving recirculating setup like a ShowerMiser-style system so the water can keep moving without dumping cold water down the drain.

The Dylux gives you the benefit of not running out of hot water, but for boondocking, the best setup is really tankless heater plus a plan for managing that warm-up water. Travis, are you usually camping with full hookups, or are you trying to stretch a fresh tank for several days?

expert reply by: Andrew N