Disclosure: This content was created in partnership with FOGATTI. While they supported this post, the insights and opinions are independently mine.
The first RV shower I ever took lasted exactly 47 seconds.
That’s when the hot water ran out. I stood there, half-soaped and shivering, wondering why I’d traded my apartment for life on the road. Every RV owner knows this moment. You time your showers like a pit crew times a tire change. You develop a system: wet, soap, rinse, done. Anything longer means cold water punishment.
This is the dirty secret of RV life that Instagram influencers don’t show you.
The FOGATTI 8L RV Tankless Water Heater (InstaShower 8 Plus) solves this problem completely. It’s a 55,000 BTU tankless water heater built specifically for RVs, and it delivers hot water until you turn off the faucet. No tank to empty. No 20-minute recovery time. Just continuous hot water whenever you need it.
Why This Unit Pays for Itself
The FOGATTI 8L RV Tankless Water Heater (InstaShower 8 Plus) isn’t just about comfort. It’s about efficiency that adds up over months of travel.
Traditional tank heaters waste propane keeping water hot around the clock, whether you’re using it or not. This unit only fires when water flows through it. The dual-stage combustion system scales output based on demand. Full shower? It ramps up. Rinsing a dish? It scales down. You burn propane only when you need hot water, not while you sleep or hike or drive.
Water conservation is the other payoff. Most tankless heaters require 1.5 to 2 gallons per minute before they ignite. The FOGATTI 8L RV Tankless Water Heater (InstaShower 8 Plus) activates at just 0.5 GPM. That means hot water for hand washing and gentle rinses, where other units deliver only cold. You’re not running the faucet at full blast just to trigger the heater.
For boondockers watching every gallon of water and every pound of propane, these savings compound quickly. Frequent travelers report that the efficiency gains offset the purchase price within a season or two of regular use.
What Makes It Work
55,000 BTU Output: What That Actually Means
The 55,000 BTU rating translates to rapid heating power. After a day of hiking or biking, you step into the RV and shower immediately. No waiting for a tank to heat up. No planning your shower around your partner’s schedule or the dishes you need to wash later, because the heater supports a stable hot water flow through three outlets simultaneously!
The high BTU output means the unit heats water fast enough to keep pace with your shower head’s flow rate. You get consistent hot water from the moment you turn the handle until you’re done.
Dual-Stage Combustion: How It Keeps Water Hot When You’re Not the Only One Using It
Temperature stability is where cheaper units fail. The dual-stage combustion system maintains steady heat regardless of flow changes elsewhere in your RV.
Here’s how it works: The system monitors water flow and temperature in real time in your motorhome. When someone turns on the kitchen sink while you’re showering, the system detects the pressure drop and adjusts the flame immediately. No sudden cold blast. No scalding when they turn the sink back off.
The first stage handles baseline heating, while the second stage kicks in when demand increases. This staged approach prevents the temperature swings that make other tankless heaters frustrating to use in an RV where multiple water sources share the same line.
0.5 GPM Activation: Hot Water Without Wasting It
Most tankless heaters need 1.5 to 2 gallons per minute flowing through them before they’ll fire up. The FOGATTI activates at just 0.5 GPM.
What does this look like in practice? Your hands are filthy after setting up your camp, and now you’re thinking longingly of washing your hands off with warm water. You turn the hot water on low, and the heater fires immediately, and by the time you’ve got warm water, you’ve used only a fraction of what you’d normally waste trying to trigger a standard unit.
The same applies when you’re rinsing a single dish or washing vegetables. You get hot water at trickle flow rates. That’s critical when you’re boondocking and every gallon in your freshwater tank counts.
Freeze Protection and Safety Certification
The unit has been winterized, which provides freeze protection for shoulder-season camping. When temperatures drop, the system prevents ice damage without manual intervention, something only seen in the coolest motorhomes.
The CSA safety certification means the unit meets North American safety standards for gas appliances. That matters for insurance purposes and for peace of mind when you’re running propane equipment in an enclosed space.
Installation Without the Headaches
Most RV upgrades turn into multi-day projects. New gas lines. Special fittings. Unexpected hardware store runs.
FOGATTI designed this unit to replace your existing tank water heater using the same connections.
What You’ll Need
The installation uses standard tools most RV owners already have:
- Adjustable wrench or socket set
- Plumber’s tape
- Electric drill (for driving screws)
- Putty knife (to remove old sealant)
- Towel (to catch residual water from disconnected lines)
- Soapy water (to check gas lines for any leaks in the seal)
- Electrical tape (to insulate wire connections)
- Silicone sealant (optional, but recommended to seal the flange)
The Installation Process
The unit connects to your existing LP gas line and standard RV water plumbing. No special piping required, and no need to run new LP gas lines from your tanks!
You’ll remove your old tank heater, connect the water inlet and outlet lines, attach the propane line, and wire the digital controller. The controller mounts inside your RV so you can adjust the temperature without going outside.
The FOGATTI InstaShower 8 Plus is smaller and lighter than most tank heaters. That makes positioning it easier and frees up exterior compartment space.
Time Investment
Installation can take as little as 30 minutes, depending on your RV’s configuration (and the motorhome’s age) and how much you need to adjust existing water lines. The longest part is usually routing the propane line to reach the new heater’s connection point and dealing with wire connections if your RV’s wiring doesn’t immediately match up.
The unit comes with mounting screws too, which you can use to secure it directly to your RV’s frame through the exterior access door.
20% Off Ends December 1st!
FOGATTI is running Black Friday pricing on the FOGATTI 8L RV Tankless Water Heater (InstaShower 8 Plus) through December 1st, which means your chance to save 20% is running out fast.
So, if you’ve been planning a water heater upgrade, buy it now.
Between the holiday discount and the propane savings you’ll accumulate over the next 12 months, you’re looking at payback within your first season of regular use! Wait until January, and you’ll pay full price while burning propane on your old tank heater through the winter.
My RV showers now last as long as I want them to. After a day on the trail, I stand under hot water without counting seconds.
The 47-second shower? That’s a memory I don’t miss.