Tankless Water Heaters

sprayer48

Hey Guys, need some advise here plz.

I'm a gc and also do some painting in this slow market.
In my home I have a power vented 75g hwh. reehm ? anyway its 9 years old and leaking a bit. Was interested in the tankless hwh's. Have never installed one, only heard that after 10 min uf use the how water runs out.
I've heard this from two different plumbers now.
Is that true. does the brand have anything to do with it?
thanks
mark

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nhmaster3015

If you have a 75 gallon tank water heater than you are used to having all the hot water you want. You will hate a tankless. You will never recover the cost of the unit and installation. Even though you hate it you will tell everyone else that it is wonderfull because you won't want to feel stupid for putting it in in the first place. Do yourself a favor and put in another tank heater.

maceycon

I have 1 in my house and love it. I have a Noritz direct vent gas. I helped a plumber friend put it in. I am a gc not a plumber. It only took couple hours. My gas bill went down in the summer about 10% and so far this winter about 25%. I think I have the 9 gal per minute model. We never run out of hot water, can run two appliances at once and we don't wait any longer than before for hot water.

Chris Johnson

I have a Rinnai in my house, Model 2532. My house is 2 full baths. Thing I was told is nothing exceeds 30' from WH to fixture which is good and which is why I have no complaints about a tankless.

I have heard horror stories on remodels about delays, I am also told the runs are way too long for a tankless...is this truth or fiction I have no idea.

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mrmike

I installed an electric one 3 yrs ago & I would not ever go back to a tank or off the furnace. We have all the hot water we need (just 2 of us) & it is probably already paid for itself. I think they are absolutly the only way to go-instead of heating water all day long.

Tom M

I thought the whole purpose of an "instantaneous" water heater was that it doesnt run out of hot water ever. You can have long lag times for distant fixtures so you may be better served with a 2 units than 1 remote unit. I also believe a gas unit regulates the amount of heat you are asking for with burner intensity verses electric that only heats one way all the time. If its not a new house or single story I dont think its cost effective at all.

bwalley

Are you using gas or electric?

If electric stay away from the tankless.

If gas, they are OK but a gas water heater is efficient and practically impossible to run out of hot water.

mrmike

An "instantaneous" does not run out of hot water as a tank will. I agree You can have longer lag times for distant fixtures. Electric does not heat one way all the time. There is a heat setting on them that you manually adjust your Temperature. "winter colder water needs to be turned up a notch"
Can;t really figure out your last sentence but it would depend on the size of house and if it already had Gas I would go that route. Electric is very cost efficient for a single story house & apartments, condo's etc. I work for so many single people that have a 40 or 50 gal electric water tank sitting there wasting $$$$........... What a waste! Go Tankless- Can't be beat!!!!

nap

before making any solid decisions, cost out the installation. Depending where is is installed, the installation can be quite expensive, not even consiedering the grand or there-a-bouts for the heater itself.

Some homes do not have the electrical capacity to add a tankless heater. In either fuel, if you are installing in a different place the the currently used one, it can get pricey.


as to running out of hot water? It should never happen but you need to do your homework first. Tankless heaters are rated at GPM at a determined temp rise. In other words, if it is rated at 5 GPM at a 50º rise, it will take 55º water and make it 105º and do that at a rate of 5 GPM. If you have a higher use (flow greater than 5 GPM) the heater will not be able to provide that 50º rise. So, make sure the heater will produce the heat rise at the required GPM you need.

One other thing I have heard folks complain about. Due to the fact that most heaters are of limited heat rise, hot water usage for showers and dishes and the such utilize all, if not mostly, only hot water with no cold used to temper. That results in less flow than having 120º+ water and needing the cold to temper that water. Showers are not quite as invigorating as they do not produce as much force.

JamesNLA

The mods should just delete this thread. In all the years I have been hearing about tankless and the questions people ask about them....this has to be one of the most UN-informed threads I have ever seen. THere is almost nothing accurate in all the responces...not trying to be a dick...just a fact.

To the OP and anyone who wants to actually learn facts do a search. THis forum already contains the answers and truths on the topic.

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nap

mind pointing out the incorrect answers?

Here is but one link to support my response:

http://www.tanklesswaterheaterguide.com/

want more? I can provide.

Oh, and the one thing I did not mention; water mineral content. Hard water will reduce the efficiency of the heater in a short time. You need to either have soft water naturally or install a water softener. The high BTU's will tend to cause the minerals to solidify in the heater quickly so the best method to prevent this is not to have the mineral content to begin with.

Wethead

Oh stop Whining like a bunch of women !!

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mrmike

Nap, that is a great guide ! There always is alot of things to consider for your application before we decide what is best for it..... & On Demand Heaters whether Gas or Electric should be among those.......
" I would like to have the money saved by using on demand heaters in my town over conventional tanks" Keep an open mind!!!!

KillerToiletSpider

We might see some unintentional comedy though.

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joasis

Which make and model?

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rbsremodeling

As Far as Electric I think EEMAX makes the best electric Tankless water heater


http://www.eemaxinc.com/index.htm

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neolitic

I'm amused.




But then I'm often found
in a corner, staring at
shiny things.

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nap

.

I was simply asking james to either show he is right. If he is right, I will accept it. If he is wrong, that must mean he is...well... in his words; a dick.

JamesNLA

I've paid MORE than enough dues on this site...especially with respect to tankless....and am I a dick? you betcha. Especially when it seems everyone on this site is a tankless expert.

But for you...because your a sparkie and I like sparkies....here you go:

You're all ass backwards on this topic. It's what you said just the inverse of it. There are two things that need to be known for GPM output. 1) incomming temp and 2) target temp.

Incomming temp of 60f and a target of 120 is a 60 degree temp rise. THAN go look at your tankless manufacturers graph for that model and see what it will do with a 60 degree rise. That number will be ABOUT what the unit will do with respect to GPM output. This is of course providing the unit is installed correctly which many "plumbers" are incapable of doing. This figure is what determines which unit a customer could go with. Rinnai's are about 10-13% less output for the same price point compared to the Noritz brand.

If you do a search under tankless or words similar you can and will find very detailed information about tankless heaters - installations - troubleshooting - maintance - repair - sales- and just about all other things related to. What makes me laugh is when posters are telling people in other threads that tankless units run out of hot water after 10 minutes than come into here and ask if that's true THAN everyone BUT a plumber needs to throw their two cents in.....which most of it is just flat out wrong. And Wethead can say what he wants...I couldn't even begin to care, when you have spent the amount of time effort and energy on a topic such as tankless that I have AND offered alot of that experience and information free to everyone on this site....it just gets really old, and this thread is at the bottom of that barrel.

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neolitic

Now I got my quarter's worth!

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