Tankless water heaters?

[Dsrtby78]

Sent: 1/10/2006 1:14 PM

Im looking to replace my 6gal water heater.  I was wondering if anyone has used or knows anything about tankless waterheaters for RV's.  I've read a few adds on the internet for them and they make some claims about lower LP use, faster heating times and unlimited capacity.  The down side seems to be the very high cost compared to the tank stile heaters.  Any input would be valued. Thanks

[Cooneytoones]

Sent: 1/11/2006 11:03 PM

I did some research into tankless heaters, and for a newer modern home they will save you some money....if you were living full time in a newer diesel pusher which has a large bathtub and a dishwasher, and a washing machine...you might save a few bucks by installing a tankless heater.....but in our older moter homes....with showering and washing a few dishes, the standard LP 6 gal tank is about the most effecient....the electric RV heaters are also not worth the price....LP is by far much faster on recovery and the standing piolet on most 6 gallon heaters will heat the water, so run time (except when in use) is minimal.....Unless you use 100 or more gallons of water a day, a tankless, for the original cost of them would not be worth it....

aslo they have to have a minimum pressure setting, and they can cease to work correctly when mixing hot and cold water at the tap due  to pressure needed to operate them....So I'd stay away from them....They sound good at first,  the high out put in BTU's (to get them to heat instantantly) around 120,000 BTUs and the power vent that is needed to vent them     would not justify the cost....

Just my opinion,

Timmy

[Easybago]

Sent: 1/12/2006 12:31 AM

My parents disconnected their electric water heater in their house and installed one. I don't think they used it a month before they disconnected it and bought a new electric water heater. After many adjustments, nobody could ever get the thing stable enough to take a comfortable shower. The water temps fluctuated badly.

[Cooneytoones]

Sent: 1/13/2006 12:49 PM

EB....That was possibly due to a presure fluxuation...also, when the cold water tap is opened..it throws the whole pressure setting off...so flutuations in temperature are frequent.....and a big PITA.....

to fix it you need several different regulating devices that will add about another $1,000 to the cost of an already expensive brick SH....and the savings for a family of 4 would be no better than 100 bucks a year in LP, on the Electic one could expect to save about $150 or so a year in home use.....it's a great idea in theory, but impractical when it come to home or RV use.....

.if you look at water heaters for home use or RV use....they haven't changed very much in 35 years, except for control componants and safety features....in an RV I'd stay with a 6 gallon...or if there was room for it I might move up to a ten gallon LP version .....even with today's prices of LPG or Propane, which ever you want to call it ...."GAS still Heats Best"

Timmy

[mightybooboo]

Sent: 1/18/2006 6:58 PM

Mini Winnies have a pretty good sized tubs. It takes 3 cycles on that little tank to get a bath.

If we were to full time again, that tankless would be the way to go.

BooBoo

[Easybago]

Sent: 1/18/2006 7:33 PM

Using a tankless water heater to pre-heat the existing tank would ensure plenty of hot water and the temps shouldn't fluctuate either. mo-money...mo-money...mo-money

[moonlitcoyote]

Any new thoughts on the tankless hot water heater? I would love a shower that lasts longer than 5 minutes.

[James E Vining]

Interesting, most 6 gallon tanks Water heaters i have seen are around $300, now when it comes to the Tankless portable ones I have seen them for around $118. I will have to dig further into the Portable Tankless Issue and see what I can dig up.

[Stripe]

Google "Portable Tankless Water Heaters"... 
They are the tool of "Phil, The Prince of Insufficient Light"!!!

[Audog]

Wondering about this $118 tankless hot water heater, see them all over ebay , wondering about if you ever got on.  Thinking of getting one and plumbing it in to replace our blown out suburban 6 gallon . Would use flex hoses to plumb into existinplumbing with a water shut off on inlet, stow in place that the old heater would vacate and would hang w/ modified rain shield upon setup.   

Thanks for your input.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

We installed a Girard 2nd generation, and so far so good!

You do have to make sure you are getting at least 1gpm for each hot water fixture, but that is easy enough to check and accomplish by pulling the baffles out of your faucets and shower head.

That said, will it make you use more water?  Nope.  As long as you are still as conservative as before, the added water flow just means you'll rinse off faster or fill the coffee pot faster.

The second generation model has a wall mounted heat dial to adjust BTUs to outside temperatures.  Right now with as cold as it is we have it all the way up.

Another thing to get used to is that you hardly end up using the cold water tap at all.  With our shower, if the hot is all the way on, its a perfect temp for showering, although if a neighbor turns on his water and your flow drops, you might have to turn the cold on a bit.

As far as saving on propane, I'm already seeing a HUGE difference!

We just ended an 8 week show, and we filled the propane tank when we got here.

Typically by the end of an 8 weeks show, our propane level on the gauge reads between 5-15%.  I just checked it today, its just over 50%!!!  That is a huge difference!

They are different than a tradition 6 gallon tank and take some getting used to, but its not so different that it would drive you crazy...its easy to adapt and figure it out.

And at low flow, the water gets REALLY hot, which is great for cooking or filling your perk coffee pot!

Pictures when I have time...lol!

Kev

[Audog]

Thank you clyde' for the update,  didn't mean to get the natives all ressless on ya.

I am going to order a small tankless model to hang outside upon setup at the campsite then maybe install a small holding tank to boost pressure. We camp so little that it probably won't used too much but I hate to have a system such as a full bath and not be able to use it.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Okay, here is one gratuitous picture...all the others I took of the install are lost somehow!

I'll take some more of the back of the unit and how its hooked up, but the rest of my pictures are lost in cyberspace and I can't find them.

Here it is from the outside, and as you can see, my biggest challenge was the recessed frame around the door.  I had to cut it in quarters and spread it out just so the door would fit in the recess...my Holiday Rambler came that way, so it wasn't my choice to recess the door...it just was something that had to be done on our rig.  Once spread out, Patti filled the gaps in with silicone.



Kev

[Audog]

OK so here is the model that i was looking at:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tankless-Hot-Water-Heater-RV-Camper-Portable-Propane-Gas-2-GPM-Marey-/141046778866?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20d70b0bf2#

I mentioned  this to a friend, then got a text that it was ordered and on the way, so had to stop the El Camino dash project to get ready for delivery. Have removed old Atwood G6A3 and will be modifying the existing unit to accommodate this unit. I read while back hat someone was looking for a knob. Have one.

Was a bit concerned about how it was really going to work in the dead of winter but now I guess I will be able to find out and report finding to y'all .

Should arrive on Dec 4th.  Thinking of cutting the face of the old unit off  and going from there. Will hang unit on the exterior of the Tardis upon setup and stow it in the area vacated by the old unit while in transit.  Plumbing should be a snap, just am concerned about those pesky gas lines.

[Audog]

 D:oH!

[sasktrini]

I see they sell heater units that install at the shower head... Even have Canadian distributors!  Thanks for the tip. 

[Audog]

This thing is great, instant hot water, it has adjustments for flow and temp. It is hot enough that I need crack the cold water faucet just a bit for a shower. was easy to hookup, have it stowed under the dinnete bench when traveling and hang it up outside within seconds at the site, havent used it with internal tank yet. this will make it so nice for family who come to visit.

[Espiritus]

Just wondering if you are still happy with this heater. . .am looking to replace an old electric one.

It's just me so not alot of water is needed everyday, and though this one might fit the bill if I can figure out how to install it,.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

LOVE it!  You have to get used to flow rate affecting temperature, and where to set the heat dial depending on outside temps...but once you get used to it, its awesome!  Unlimited hot water, and 60% less propane used!

Kev

[Audog]

still love it, have it stowed where the old w/h was located under the front dinnete bench turned over the door so when we arrive i open the door and hang the unit outside with the door as a rain guard. have it all on flexible lines and it supplies endless HOT water . you will need to update the supplied hoses because of the cheap fittings splitting on them but the heater is great.