On Demand Hot Water Heater

[Lifes2short4nofun]

I tried a Girard on demand and wasn't happy with it so I switched it out to the Suburban 60k btu on demand hot water heater and still the same problem.

It takes a few minutes for the water to get hot and to the shower. If I pause the shower head for a second to soap up it has to start all over again and take a minute to get hot again.  I can't turn on the cold water with it if I want it a little cooler I have to adjust the temp on the control panel otherwise the hot water goes away.  Some issues with the flow rate through the heater otherwise it dont kick in.  I have been assured this is how they are,

Does anyone else have a different experience with them?

I am thinking of switching to a regular gas / electric  12 or 16 gallon.  Unless someone has a better suggestion?
 

[chessie4905]

Small electric water heater heaters are virtually trouble free. You can spend more for a marine type that has an engine coolant loop through it. It will supply hot water for 24 hours after parking without being powered, unless you are a heavy water user. Instant water heaters can be nice but just added complexity to save a little space.

[Oonrahnjay]

        I have a Rinnai on-demand heater at home.  I love it, it's about perfect, except for the $$$$.

[pabusnut]

My experience is somewhat similar, except I installed a ultra low flow shower head. I don't shut it off unless I am dry camping, which I haven't done yet.  I have camped with 3 females who need their showers every day, so I use the campground shower, and they shower in the bus.

I am now down to 1 female teen with me, but my water consumption will probably be the same until she goes to college.

I think the trick, is to keep the water flowing, although it may waste a little.

I believe somebody on this board devised a way to dump(shunt) the heated water back into the water supply tank to avoid the water heater shutting off, that way only wasting a little bit of propane, and no water.  The supply tank temperature would rise slightly, but not much if you only have it off for 30-40 seconds at a time.  I probably would have done this too, but I read it after all my pipes were closed up inside walls.
All you would need would be a tee with a gate valve in the pipe between the shower control and the shower head.

Steve

[Fred Mc]

Ive had one in the bus for 30 years. For the first few years we had a lot of problems adjusting the temp UNTIL we discovered the problem was caused by the low flow shower head. The heater works on water pressure.When you open the tap  the pressure drops, the propane flows   to heat the water. When I turn the tap off the pressure builds and the propane  stops. The low flow head was causing too much back pressure. Im sure on ours if I turned the tap off the water stops and so does the heating of the water. Turn the tap back on and the water flows as well as its heated.There would problaby be a momentsry interuption of hot water but that would be all. I would look at the shower head(assuning yours works on pressure as does mine).
As for the hot water taking a long time to get to the shower head I would think that would be similar with a boiler type. There is cold water in the line from the heater to the shower head in both system.

[eagle19952]

20 Gallon electric here. in service since 1998.
i have found that i can heat the water up and turn it off.
the water stays at least dish water hot for 24 hours.
cheap easy peasy.
there are just the two of us.

[TomC]

I have 2-10gal electric water heaters bought from HD in 1994. One feeds into the next with the last water heater powered through the inverter for hot water while driving. Except for draining, when I remember, I've done virtually nothing to the water heaters. We just went out for a weekend and the water still smelled sulfury-meaning the anode rods are still working after 24 years! I like the setup so much, I am repeating it in the truck with 2-10gal Reliance electric water heaters (only 18" tall).
When boon docking, the water heats up in about an hour-start the generator when waking up, kick on the water heaters, make coffee, have breakfast, shower and wife can dry her hair. Run the generator for 2 hours in the morning, 2 hours at night to keep batteries up. No need for coolant loop to heat water with engine-just another thing to go wrong with extra hoses, clamps, heat exchanger, etc.

I deal with a Christian Camp in Idyllwild, Ca. They replaced all the cabin water heaters with instant. That lasted about 2 years-they gave up and re-installed normal 30gal natural gas tank water heaters in each cabin. Good Luck, TomC

[oltrunt]

With no room for a real water heater in my little bus I turned to an Ecotemp L5 on demand propane system.
It works just fine with the following caveats:

Use a dedicated high flow high pressure pump

Add a solenoid controlled recirculation loop

Insulate the hot water lines with foam sleeves

Install a thermostatically controlled burner control--these little heaters can heat the water hot enough to cause plastic pipe failure.  The built in temp setting selector only processes the differential between incoming and out going water temps.  Its an "ask me how I know" observation

Jack

[chessie4905]

Tom, if you replace the anode rod with aluminum-zinc alloy, it will eliminate the sulphur smell. Or you can drop the level in each heater and add about about 1/2 pint of hydrogen peroxide to each one and then rinse through all faucets. Good for one or two weeks.

Information here:

http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/Troubleshooting/stinky-water-in-hot-water-heaters.html

[peterbylt]

I am seriously considering one of these.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0148O658Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_4SrGAbDTKYKMH
 
Anyone have any experience with them?

Peter

[chessie4905]

Bosch also has a 6 gallon version. I'd think the one you're looking at is a little small.
Here's a 12 gallon with heat exchanger. A little pricey, but maybe a different brand of dealer will provide a lower price.

https://www.amazon.com/Raritan-12-Gallon-Water-Heater-Exchanger/dp/B001NN8HRG/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1520294686&sr=8-7&keywords=12+gallon+hot+water+heater

[ol713]

I am seriously considering one of these.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0148O658Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_4SrGAbDTKYKMH
 
Anyone have any experience with them?

Peter

          Hi;
            Yes I have one in my coach.   They work fine for low usage,  like a few dishes.  They also
            have a fast recovery,  not fast enough for a shower.  Also you need to be hooked up a
            pole.  They do take a lot of power.  While on the road, the inverter will keep up with it.
                                                               Merle.

[Geoff]

          Hi;
            Yes I have one in my coach.   They work fine for low usage,  like a few dishes.  They also
            have a fast recovery,  not fast enough for a shower.  Also you need to be hooked up a
            pole.  They do take a lot of power.  While on the road, the inverter will keep up with it.
                                                               Merle.

I don't think so.  $937+ change?  I'm reading that the unit has a heat exchanger, why would you need to run it off your inverter?  That is a lot of load for the alternator, leading to a short life.  Not to mention the inverter. I don't want to brag, but I have an Attwood water heater that has four heat sources:. Propane, electric, coolant water loop (from the engine), and radiant heat from the engine compartment.  10 or 11 gallons of hot water in an insulated tank that stays hot all night.  A shower control that does not lose the hot water when you shut it off to soap up, a great system I have been using for 15 years.  36" angled cultured stone shower with matching sink. Fantastic Fan exhaust.  I like it better than my huge custom house shower that cost $$$$$. I run my Webasto for the bathroom so when I step out of the shower I don't get cold.

WTF, I told you I don't like to brag.  Can't help it sometimes.

--Geoff

[chessie4905]

I think he was talking about either the 2 1/2 gallon one or the 6 gallon Bosch unit.

Found another one at better price.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--6-gallon-front-rear-mount-water-heater-with-heat-exchanger-120v--13915103


Here's some larger versions.

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=seaward+water+heater&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=177786238440&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7417937457023171570&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9006537&hvtargid=aud-416583594430:kwd-110947099&ref=pd_sl_7xae5y8u7y_b

[Scott & Heather]

I have a 40 gallon shorty rheem electric. It’s supposed to be a 240volt system but I removed the wiring, heater rods, and thermostats and replaced with two 2000 watt 110 volt heater rods and two thermostats. I have each one wired to a separate breaker in my control panel and I can turn one or both on and off as needed. When I need quick recovery, I have both 2000 watt elements on full bore. 4000 watts of heating...when I just need to keep the water up to temp for dishes etc, I flip one off and keep the other one on


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