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Replacing an Insinkerator Hot Water dispenser

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MarkJames

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Discussion starter · #1 · (Edited)
Question for those familiar with Insinkerator Instant hot water dispenser set-up's. (the squarish grey unit).

I am swapping one out (sink faucet is hot water only) for a buddy since the old tank went bad after 9 years. ISE gave a discounted rate for the replacement since it was out of warranty- like 60% off.

Existing set-up is fed by the hot water supply, contrary to the directions, while their dishwasher is fed by the cold supply. I want to swap them. Any reason not to do so? The DW apparently heats it's own water, but is there a general reason they shouldn't get it from the hot side without causing problems?

BTW, ISE changed the diameter of the center outlet port (top of tank) for the nylon tubing. That center, barbed connection now has a smaller diameter, like they went from 1/2 to 3/8, or something like that. Just thought I'd mention it. I figure I'll use some sort of adaptor for that. Even the new filter & tubing size is different (now it's 1/4"). Wonderful.

Thanks.
 
#2 ·
MarkJames said:
Question for those familiar with Insinkerator Instant hot water dispenser set-up's. (the squarish grey unit).

I am swapping one out (sink faucet is hot water only) for a buddy since the old tank went bad after 9 years. ISE gave a discounted rate for the replacement since it was out of warranty- like 60% off.

Existing set-up is fed by the hot water supply, contrary to the directions, while their dishwasher is fed by the cold supply. I want to swap them. Any reason not to do so? The DW apparently heats it's own water, but is there a general reason they shouldn't get it from the hot side without causing problems?

BTW, ISE changed the diameter of the center outlet port (top of tank) for the nylon tubing. That center, barbed connection now has a smaller diameter, like they went from 1/2 to 3/8, or something like that. Just thought I'd mention it. I figure I'll use some sort of adaptor for that. Even the new filter & tubing size is different (now it's 1/4"). Wonderful.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Yes, you can hook the dishwasher up to the hot side.
 
#3 ·
Mike, is there actually a down side to plumbing the Insinkerator to the hot water line? `

I'm considering putting something similar in my kitchen (but not at all impressed with that brand). Seems logical to me to use the "instant heater" just for the short time until the supply from the big heater gets there.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Tinstaafl said:
Mike, is there actually a down side to plumbing the Insinkerator to the hot water line? `

I'm considering putting something similar in my kitchen (but not at all impressed with that brand). Seems logical to me to use the "instant heater" just for the short time until the supply from the big heater gets there.
Click to expand...
I feel like I should know this answer but I do not know. Lol.

I'm thinking this through as I type this but what I can tell you is this....

You must remember the instahot crazy in the 90's right??? It seemed everybody wanted them. I put in hundreds of those. We had a ton of problems with those failing. It got so bad we refused to warranty them and often times worked hard to convince home owners NOT to put them in. Then suddenly, about the year 2000 it was like they disappeared. The last time I hooked one of those up must have been around 2005ish.

From what I recall, which isn't much, they we REALLY temperamental. My guess is they were just cheaply made. Although some people have had success many will never put one in again. A couple times a year a yank them out and that's because they were broke and disconnected.

Just thinking through this question here I would say you probably could but they do have a temperature sensor on them and I bet it's really a cheap one.

My advice, strictly for you Tin, is to tie in a 1/2" return line in PEX and run it back to the water heater. Pitch the line, run it to the boiler drain and let gravity be your friend .

I don't know. I'll dig on Google a little.........
 
#5 ·
Oconomowoc said:
My advice, strictly for you Tin, is to tie in a 1/2" return line in PEX and run it back to Tue.water heater. Pitch the line, run it to the boiler drain and let gravity record the line for you.
Click to expand...
Ain't gonna happen. I'd have to tear up a brand new tile floor. Long story, but it is what it is.

I have a client who I installed an Insinkerator for. It failed, under warranty. They sent a new replacement unit with instructions to install it, tear off the extra serial # tag from the original, and stick that on the new one.

What's that tell you? :whistling
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
Tinstaafl said:
Mike, is there actually a down side to plumbing the Insinkerator to the hot water line? `

I'm considering putting something similar in my kitchen (but not at all impressed with that brand). Seems logical to me to use the "instant heater" just for the short time until the supply from the big heater gets there.
Click to expand...
I'm not quite understanding the question.

The tank of the unit will always keep a supply of hot water available. I think it's a 1/2 gallon or so. And it supposedly has quick recovery of the replaced water.

On a separate note, I noticed that the instructions include detailed info for replacing a unit. Kind of tells you something. Where do ever see that? Red flag, maybe?
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
BTW, for those who need hot water quick, those electric kettles are very good (not the cheap ones).

Unfortunately, before I knew there was such a thing, I grabbed one and tried to use it on a stove. Nothing like burning rubber smell to set the mood in your new girlfriend's apt. She was not happy.
 
#8 ·
MarkJames said:
I'm not quite understanding the question.

The tank of the unit will always keep a supply of hot water available. I think it's a 1/2 gallon or so. And it supposedly has quick recovery of the replaced water.
Click to expand...
The point of the question is that if I want to run more than a quart or two of hot water, I'd just as soon not abuse the little energy-guzzler more than need be, since I already have a big boy with a much larger reservoir.

As noted above, it doesn't seem like these things are really built with longevity as a high priority.
 
#9 ·
I wouldn't run hot water into an Instant Hot tank for the same reason most people don't want to drink water from their hot water faucet -- it may contain impurities from the big old house water heater. For my clients, I install a filter, then run cold water through the filter and then into the Instant Hot. That way their tea or coffee water is clean and pure.

And, yeah, the Instant Hots are crappy and only seem to last a few years before they start leaking. People like them, though. Just warn them to place a pan under the heater, because eventually they fail.
 
#11 ·
Sorry if this is coals to Newcastle, but I think there might be a bit of cross confusion here about the appliance in question for some based on some of the comments. An Insinkerator hot water tank is designed to dispense near boiling water for beverages, oatmeal, heating up baby bottles, etc. You shouldn't be getting near boiling water from your standard hot water heater!

The point of use "instant hot" water tanks are designed to account for the long distance between a tap and the water heater. They feed into the regular tap instead of installing a hot water recirculating system. No wait for hot water then.

Back to your regularly scheduled programming if that was old hat to you. :)

The newer Insinkerators with the stainless tanks last much longer than the older ones with the plain metal tanks. Mountain Plumbing and Kohler also sell these, but I think the Kohler's are just rebadged Insinkerators. I may be wrong on that, but there really aren't very many actual manufacturers, kinda like the garbage disposal rebadging.
 
#12 ·
Live_oak said:
Sorry if this is coals to Newcastle, but I think there might be a bit of cross confusion here about the appliance in question for some based on some of the comments. An Insinkerator hot water tank is designed to dispense near boiling water for beverages, oatmeal, heating up baby bottles, etc. You shouldn't be getting near boiling water from your standard hot water heater!

The point of use "instant hot" water tanks are designed to account for the long distance between a tap and the water heater. They feed into the regular tap instead of installing a hot water recirculating system. No wait for hot water then.

Back to your regularly scheduled programming if that was old hat to you. :)

The newer Insinkerators with the stainless tanks last much longer than the older ones with the plain metal tanks. Mountain Plumbing and Kohler also sell these, but I think the Kohler's are just rebadged Insinkerators. I may be wrong on that, but there really aren't very many actual manufacturers, kinda like the garbage disposal rebadging.
Click to expand...
They don't use a little tap on the side of the sink?
 
#16 ·
KillerToiletSpider said:
Most of the ones made by Miele can be hooked up to either, mine is hooked up to the cold side.
Click to expand...
Correct. Most good quality dishwashers can use either hot or cold and Miele figured out its better and cheaper to run the heater in the dishwasher than heat up a 80gallon tank after cold water gets put back into it.

Mine fills with cold too. a lot if washing machines are now only cold fill too.
 
#17 ·
BCConstruction said:
Correct. Most good quality dishwashers can use either hot or cold and Miele figured out its better and cheaper to run the heater in the dishwasher than heat up a 80gallon tank after cold water gets put back into it.

Mine fills with cold too. a lot if washing machines are now only cold fill too.
Click to expand...
No it's vastly cheaper in my area to heat with gas than the electric in the dishwasher.

IIRC Miele uses the cold water to cool the inside of the metal which helps the water vapor condense and dry the dishes faster.

Bottom line when you install a dishwasher RTFM.
 
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