Posted: 1/21/2005 4:33:55 PM EDT
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Just wondering if anybody here has experience with tankless water heaters? Specifically, electric models? My home, like so many homes in Phoenix, is 100% electric, so gas is not an option. Here's what I'm considering: SETS Tankless Water Heaters Opinions? |
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Family of four next door installed gas tankless. Found that they get a continous supply of luke warm water. Perfect installation. Just doesn't get water hot (130F). The manufacturer recommended installing a regular tank water heater downstream to make HOT water. This has yet to be done. BTW all (and I mean ALL) the copper pipes were insulated. The water may be hotter if CPVC had been used. |
I looked into getting a gas unit to replace my tank water heater. I was looking at a single whole-house unit capable of, I think, 8 GPM (could feed a shower AND the dishwasher at the same time). Installation costs to run a big enough gas line was more than the water heater itself. Most of the electric ones I've seen are what are called point-of-use. They're capable of feeding a sink, but not the whole house. That keeps the electric service down, but it isn't really an option to put one on the kitchen sink, one on the dishwasher, one on each bathroom sink, one on the bathtub, one on the shower... I would imagine a high-flow electric unit suitable to feed the whole house would require most of a 200A service. |
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My parents installed one last year. The water is almost hot. I took a shower there after they installed it, with only the hot water on the water was just on the verge of being too cold. I've considered installing an LP model in my house. The $400 price tag and my perfectly good working electric tank heater keep me from doing it. |
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I have a gas model, it's not what you are asking about, but while installing it, I spent a good deal of time watching it cycle on and off. There is a MONSTER whoosh as the gas cooks the water. Mine puts out scalding water, That said, I cannot understand how you could get the same flash heating out of an electric unit. |
| If economy is what you want perhaps this will be helpful. I have a conventional electric water heater in the basement. Rather than use one of those blankets, I boxed mine in with 1/4" OSB & 3/4" blue board insulation. The biggest savings was achieved when I added a timer. I've set it to kick on at 5:30am & off at 8:00am. then on again at 4:30pm & off at 8:00pm. The boxed in insulation helps contain the heat & even if it's been off for 8hrs the water is still hot enough to shower comfortably. Also there is an over-ride button on the timer to turn the heater on. You'd use the over-ride on weekends for example. This set up is far cheaper to operate than that of natural or propane gas type water heaters. |
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Wow, thanks for so many great replys! I'm not as concerned with economy as I am with our hot water supply. See, I have a wife and three daughters and between their bathing and showering habits there isn't enough hot water in all the world to leave any left over for me should I be the last one into the shower. Our 50 gallon water heater just doesn't have enough capacity. Guess I'd better investigate an 80 gallon tank... |
| I wonder if you could run two of the gas models in series, using a smaller unit to pre-heat the water. The incoming water temperature here in winter is 35-40 degrees, and at the the flow rate for running a bath, the water won't get hotter than 90-100 degrees using just one. |
| Elec might be too slow, gas ones run between 75 to 150K BTUs to heat the water, that is as much or more then a furnace will use. The regular tank elec uses 2 4500 watt elements, and kicks the top one on when there is hight demand, A elec tankless would be OK for one use but 2 showers at a time I seriously doubt it. And a 200 amp svc would be certainly recommended. |
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My buddy has one installed into his home. He had to have four 240V, 15 amp breakers to feed the monster. When you turned on the hot water the lights would almost dim. Another time we had one at my church, feeding a sink in a utility building. When you turned it on the water was hot for 5 minutes, then it would go cold again. I wouldn't have a tankless unless it was a gas, just my $0.02 |
Tell your buddy to check the wire size coming from the Electric Co. side of his service. Allot of times Power Co's will run #2 AU for a 200 Amp overhead service. The wire is good for about 130 amps(due to Conductor covering) For most homes with every thing running is somewhere between 90 and 100 amps. You add another 60-90 and your drawing more than the wire can carry. That's what causes the brown outs. The next thing to check is the service size, wire size, condition of panel, condition of meter can, check the neutral(make sure it's tight, and sized accordonally)and get a full load amp reading, that will tell you how much the house is pulling. Once all has been checked and all's well but you're still having problems call the Power Co. And have then check the Transformer. As an former Electrical and Plumbing Contractor I've installed allot of these. And they are pieces of shit. The only way one actually works worth a shit is as a "point of use" as was mentioned in another post. If you have to have one (to be in the in crowd  ) go gas...they work better than the electric.In Fl we use a "Air Conditioning Heat Recovery System" It works about the same as the Tankless except the return line on the A/C heats the water. It doesn't cost any thing. The return freon's kicking about a thousand degrees, and it heats the water as it runs through it. Your water heater elements hardly come on during the summer and only during peek hours in winter so you save $$ on your Electric bill. I don't have a clue about the weather in Arizona where you live or how much you use A/C, so this may not be for you. Semper Fi Shooter |
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If your incoming water is under about 65 degrees you wont be satisfied with the flow rate of hot water. Mine is about 45 degrees in the winter and the whole house tankless water heater from Niagra would put out a pencil sized stream of 100 degree water. I went back to a tank type water heater. If I still lived in southern Louisiana there would be a tankless water heater in my house. It only draws electricity when you use it. it's off the rest of the time, unlike a conventional water heater. |
Boiler System...the hot water line is ran in a loop, the water is continously moving through the pipe back to the boiler, then out to the outlets again. That's why the water is always hot. Most hotels, Schools and Hospitals in the US have the same system. It's the best...but not feasible for normal residential due to cost. Now if you live in a 10'000 sq ft Mansion with 5-10 baths then by all means... Semper Fi Shooter |
| I’ve used one in my house for 2 years. I’m not real happy with it, because our water flow is just at the capacity they have as the minium GPM, so the water gets incredibly hot. What we are considering is a solar system, and a smaller electrical unit as a supplement, in the house we are now planning for. |
Killbot, have you considered unplugging one of the heating elements off? I'm you could disconnect just one heating element, or if the unit has multiple breakers, turn one off. This should ease the water temp a bit. |
Fooking brilliant!!! How much? Where can I find info? |