Quote:
Originally Posted by KesslerDweller
I turned the hot water (only) on and put a bucket underneath to catch the water - that is how I measured the GPM.
We are using a MIC-180 controller for the 3 tankless units which is a requirement once you get over 2 tankless units.
@smellslike$tome - Rheem told me that it was total demand of .66 gpm was required, but now that you point it out perhaps it is 2gallons divided by 3 units. The way I was explained it works by Rheem is that one unit fires on until demand exceeds it and then the MIC-180 fires on another unit and so on.
Thanks for everyone's input - keep it coming!
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LOL...that's a funny way to measure GPM's...
Ok, so you have GT-199's installed. They are equivalent to a basic water heater. They are NOT a "commercial" units. Rheem couldn't build a real commercial unit if their lives depended on it. The "heavy duty" units you have spec out fatter than the standard Noritz and Takagi.
I just read the manual on your units....man, I'm glad I don't install them. For the money, there really is much better out on the market. Either way...they are installed and I assume paid for, so you have the 180 controller, you need to have them interconnected. PT# is MIC-K-16. You will need 3, I saw them online for 50-80 bucks. The units all come with a standard wired remote. 2 of them are now your personal extras....you should not be using them. The one remote you have should be wired to the MIC-180, than from that manifold controller you will daisychain the 3 heaters.
Your plumber must make sure tempertures are set correctly and that the internal dip switches match. I hate dip switches on tankless heaters.
This configuration will yeild your Ho 14.2 GPM. That is with a 60 degree rise in water temp. If you tell me the area these are installed, I can give you the exact temp rise. I did not see a detail for the inches of WC for the gassing. I'll assume they are installed to code. And I go out on a limb and assume the inspectors actually have a clue as to what they are doing....a rareity these days. Now, let's assume you already have all that, that I just described and it is still taking 2+ GPm to activate the heaters.......return them. I'm not joking....get rid of them. This will haunt you for years to come. You basically bought the Home Depot special in tankless (Paloma) which is a Rheem with a different sticker on the front.
The manual and spec sheet are far from technical. There is much to be desired, but they know the average plumber isn't going to understand much of that, so they give average / general info...that is not very conclusive. I could not find detailed info on multi unit performance, this is a bit troubling to me simply because I know exactly how the competition's units work. Those systems are just amazing in what they do....I found nothing on your units. Now, IF your setup is how Rheem wants it, and it does need that 2 GPM to fire, I know that these are not smart heaters...atleast the external controller is not very smart. Basic example: 3 units fire up to serve one fixture. What if the user doesn't want only hot on that fixture, how bout half hot half cold? Is Rheem seriously saying that you cannot get hot water?
How bout the same 3 units serving an apartment building...say 6 units. 2 in the morning someone wants to run their dishwasher...can they not?
Again, IF the units are installed as Rheem wants, disconnect one heater completely. Get rid of that stupid controller, and simply data connect one heater to the other. That will allow your HO to get activation with .6 GPM....while you figure out how to return these God awefull heaters. PM me if you need help and don't want the world to hear about it.
Good Luck
P.S. Oh I almost forgot
Check out:
http://www.tankless-recall.com/
Rheem has some 42 thousand units that were recalled because they are killing people! Have a good night!
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