Tankless water heaters, which brand?

[Superb Bee]

I appreciate the input, the whole descaling and not liking well (spring) water combined with a different approach to wiring the tank heater has me thinking twice about tankless. Think I'll just buy a small tank heater and run it off of a timer.

them tanks I linked you to work very well and they last because of how they are designed, put a sediment filter and isolate it from any copper piping, so if you are using copper but 6" of pex between it and the unit, or use dielectric unions but them sometimes create their own issues, pex is the best isolator.

As far as a timer goes, I am not sure how much you are in your shop and how uniform the use is, BUT wiring it off of a light switch that you turn on it usefull, check your amps and just jump it into the light circuit...

 

[747mopar]

them tanks I linked you to work very well and they last because of how they are designed, put a sediment filter and isolate it from any copper piping, so if you are using copper but 6" of pex between it and the unit, or use dielectric unions but them sometimes create their own issues, pex is the best isolator.

As far as a timer goes, I am not sure how much you are in your shop and how uniform the use is, BUT wiring it off of a light switch that you turn on it usefull, check your amps and just jump it into the light circuit...

It's fairly uniform, I'll pop in and out throughout the week but with 4 kids it's only for an hour or so but you can set a clock to me being out there late into the nights Fri and Sat. These timers also offer a manual override as well so a switch can be added. I just wired one up last week at work so I'm pretty familiar with them. Just a thought for now.

 

[bm02tj]

Leave the tank on and add more insulation to cut down on standby loss
then you have it anytime with low cost

 

[mopar 3 B]

I have installed the 7 day 7 event timers on residential water heaters. You will also need a 220 relay.
I don't know if it saves any money in something lived in but should cut cost where not in use all the time.
An other option maybe a motion sencer and timer so it wouldn't shut down during the sit and think moments.

 

[kiwigtx]

I will probably get one of these installed before winter (April-May) this year;
http://www.rheem.co.nz/gas-continuous-flow/product/Continuous Flow 874627NFZ/LPZ/
A different country etc I know, but the principal is the same.

 

[kiwigtx]

Just as a side note - this may be applicable to you guys in the US also....Water Heating accounts for approximately 1/3 of your Electricity consumption....so by installing an instant gas water heater, significant savings can be made over a year.

 

[747mopar]

I have installed the 7 day 7 event timers on residential water heaters. You will also need a 220 relay.
I don't know if it saves any money in something lived in but should cut cost where not in use all the time.
An other option maybe a motion sencer and timer so it wouldn't shut down during the sit and think moments.

I hadn't decided on 110V or 220V, a lot of the small units I've seen are 110 but 220 would be better. The timers have built in contacts with a high enough rating. These are industrial timers.

 

[5wndwcpe]

I have a Rinnai in my shop to heat the floor, been running 8 years now without a hitch.

https://www.rinnai.us/

 

[ws27]

Legionnaires disease is nothing to worry about if you have the temp. set correctly for the water heater. In Mass the code requires a minimum of 120 F, the bacteria can't survive at those temps. One way to spread the bacteria that is very common is with A/C cooling towers. These towers use recirculated water to help cool glycol running through a heat exchanger. This water can easily reach the wrong (or right) temp for the bacteria to grow. What's worse is that the towers use huge blowers that spray a mist into the air, so it's a perfect way to transmit the bacteria to people just walking by. There was a big problem in NYC a couple of summers ago.

Lots to read here:
https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/about/prevention.html

If you have the room, you might want to consider a 15 gallon tank, they have better warranties than the Bosch. It's hard to say which one will last longer, but you'd have a warranty behind you.

Instead of running a timer, consider a 110v relay that energizes by the light circuit, but switches the water heater circuit on when ever the lights are on. That way you have hot water when ever you have the lights on. No expensive timer that might be on when you don't need it, or not on when you do.

 

[Glenwood]

Just as a side note - this may be applicable to you guys in the US also....Water Heating accounts for approximately 1/3 of your Electricity consumption....so by installing an instant gas water heater, significant savings can be made over a year.

mine is a power sucking hog! Want to switch to propane one of these days.

 

[Glenwood]

I hadn't decided on 110V or 220V, a lot of the small units I've seen are 110 but 220 would be better. The timers have built in contacts with a high enough rating. These are industrial timers.

I used a 220V 30A programmable timer for the 10 gal tank I had in my other shop for the floor heating system. Worked like a charm

 

[Hemirunner]

I heat my entire shop off of an 11kw eco smart demand style unit. $260. I would think one of the 5.5kw point of use units would be a simple solution.

 

[Canyon707]

I have three tankless heaters. Takagi Jr. I love them. never wastes water or gas. I use one in my guest cottage which I had a reg water heater in but, never used much. it takes a lot to keep it going and if I turn it off its a hassle to relight. The other two are in my house which is threel levels I use one in the master bath and laundry and the other in the rest of the house. These have save me a ton of money over the years. Simple to install and hot on demand only. I live in calif and in the country and no natural gas only LP and the electricity here is very expensive. PG&E has figured out a way to charge you more if you live out of town.