On-Demand Water Heaters - Pros and Cons
#3089358
10/26/22 12:50 PM
10/26/22 12:50 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,341 Addison Twp, Mi.
RobG
OP
top fuel
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OP
top fuel
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,341
Addison Twp, Mi.
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My son is in need of a new hot water heater for his home. I am trying to advise him on getting an on-demand system.
He has:
- well water - no soft water conditioning system - elevated calcium in the water[*]propane gas service
Are there any issues now with using this system with well water? What may be the better manufacturer/model to look at purchasing?
Last edited by RobG; 10/26/22 12:51 PM.
I am not rich...but I get off my ass everyday to make sure I am not broke!
Can we get the Mexican cartels to help us with our supply chain issues? They don't seem to have any trouble getting stuff from one place to another.
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Re: On-Demand Water Heaters - Pros and Cons
[Re: RobG]
#3089387
10/26/22 02:25 PM
10/26/22 02:25 PM
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 21,060 in a cattle trailer down by th...
Guitar Jones
Paddle faster! I hear banjo music!
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Paddle faster! I hear banjo music!
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 21,060
in a cattle trailer down by th...
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My son is in need of a new hot water heater for his home. I am trying to advise him on getting an on-demand system.
He has:
- well water - no soft water conditioning system - elevated calcium in the water[*]propane gas service
Are there any issues now with using this system with well water? What may be the better manufacturer/model to look at purchasing?
I can't answer your specific questions but when I was looking into them the general opinions from people that had them was you need two, in series to keep up.
"Come get your wife"
'92 D250 Club Cab CTD, 47RH conversion, pump tweaks, injectors, rear disc and hydroboost conversion. '74 W200 Crew Cab 360, NV4500, D44, D60 and NP205 divorced transfer case. Front and rear disc and hydroboost conversion. 2019 1500 Long Horn Crew Cab 4WD, 5.7 Hemi.
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Re: On-Demand Water Heaters - Pros and Cons
[Re: RobG]
#3089388
10/26/22 02:26 PM
10/26/22 02:26 PM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,241 north of coder
moparx
"Butt Crack Bob"
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"Butt Crack Bob"
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,241
north of coder
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i looked into this kind of setup when i needed a new hot water heater years ago. at that time, i was advised that for my home use, it was better to buy a conventional water heater because of the cost to payback ratio of the on-demand units just wasn't practical, and there were a couple of other things i didn't think of at the time, but i forget what they were. i don't know if anything has changed over the years, but at the time i needed one, my local plumber advised against it.
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Re: On-Demand Water Heaters - Pros and Cons
[Re: RobG]
#3089422
10/26/22 03:44 PM
10/26/22 03:44 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,467 So Cal
Sinitro
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,467
So Cal
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Many factors to consider... Location of the tank Pipe distance run to the faucets and/or valves When 1st turned on take a short time for the water temp to go up Tank/system can be noisy Overall expense Just my $0.02...
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Re: On-Demand Water Heaters - Pros and Cons
[Re: DoubleD]
#3089447
10/26/22 05:27 PM
10/26/22 05:27 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,222 Plymouth, MI
Blusmbl
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,222
Plymouth, MI
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I can't speak to the well water comment, but the house I bought 2 years ago has one. The main bathroom is on the 2nd floor and the tankless heater is in the basement. It takes about 30 seconds of running the shower before hot water is available, but it does last indefinitely and I haven't had issues when showering simultaneously with laundry or the dishwasher.
'18 Ford Raptor, random motorcycles, 1968 Plymouth Fury III - 11.37 @ 118
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Re: On-Demand Water Heaters - Pros and Cons
[Re: RobG]
#3089448
10/26/22 05:40 PM
10/26/22 05:40 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,145 Arkansas
340727dart
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master
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Posts: 8,145
Arkansas
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I had a Rinnai tankless unit installed in our house when we built it in 2016. Initially, I was going to get an electric heater but the electrical demand is quite high when it first fires up, so I went with propane. At the time propane was relatively inexpensive, and that's what I went with. The heater is about 40 feet from our master bathroom and it takes a minute or two for the water to get hot enough so I don't suffer any major shrinkage. But, once it gets hot, it stays hot until I'm done with the shower. We're on rural water and it has a lot of calcium in it. So, I back flush the heater every year or so with white vinegar. In fact, that is recommended preventive maintenance for the heater. During the winter we will see single digit outdoor temperatures, but I have never checked the incoming water temperature. But it is quite cold. The heater still takes about the same amount of time to get the water hot as it does in the summer. I wish we had access to natural gas for the heater. There are gas wells all around our house but the neighborhood where we live does not access to gas. What's really frustrating is that there is a gas riser valve about 1000 feet from my house, but that pipeline goes to Memphis. All that being said, I am quite happy with the performance of the water heater.
Your life is not my fault. My life is none of your business.
Speech is free only if you agree with those in control.
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Re: On-Demand Water Heaters - Pros and Cons
[Re: 340727dart]
#3089507
10/26/22 08:41 PM
10/26/22 08:41 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,633 On the run…
BloFish
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,633
On the run…
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We have a Rinnai with natural gas in our guest house that is 1,000 sq ft. Water is hot in 30 seconds or less and you can’t hear it run. We have city water, so I I have no feedback on well water. We are very happy with it.
It really doesn't matter whether you win or lose… as long as you look good doing it!
‘65 A100 ‘69 ‘Cuda ‘73 Vega GT ‘06 Mega Cab ‘14 Mercedes SLK
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Re: On-Demand Water Heaters - Pros and Cons
[Re: BloFish]
#3089517
10/26/22 09:20 PM
10/26/22 09:20 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,931 North Dakota
6PakBee
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,931
North Dakota
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I have an on-demand electric unit in the shop. Hate it. As has been mentioned, they do not produce a fixed outlet water temperature under all conditions, just a temperature rise from inlet to outlet. So if you have a inlet water temperature that fluctuates, you have to size the heater for the coldest inlet. Then there is the flowrate. Unless you get one of the larger ones, the common smaller ones produce about 1 gpm of heated water. Then the maintenance, if you have hard water, buy stock in a vinegar company because you'll be using a lot to descale the heating elements. This is ignoring the current draw that you'll put on your service entrance, for mine if I wanted a good supply of hot water, I'd ended up with 3-40 amp 240 volt breakers.
If I had it all over to do again, I'd gotten one of the conventional small trailer house water heaters and called it good.
"We live in a time when intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended".
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Re: On-Demand Water Heaters - Pros and Cons
[Re: RobG]
#3089560
10/27/22 06:52 AM
10/27/22 06:52 AM
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,426 Central Pa
moparjim79
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,426
Central Pa
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My son is in need of a new hot water heater for his home. I am trying to advise him on getting an on-demand system.
He has:
- well water - no soft water conditioning system - elevated calcium in the water[*]propane gas service
Are there any issues now with using this system with well water? What may be the better manufacturer/model to look at purchasing? I see you're from the north. Is he? Is he married with kids or is there more than just him living in house? How old is his place, and what kind of electric service does he have? My father and I did a significant amount of research when my parents needed a new water heater. The on demand units just could not keep up with them and what they did on a daily ( shower twice, dishes, laundry), we opted for a Rheem heat pump unit. They love it. We were going to put a booster on it as well, but after a month of use, they decided it was not needed. At the time, the price was about $1600. He used the tax time rebates and incentives that were available and it wound up costing him $400 total out the door, with me adding new plumbing as well.
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Re: On-Demand Water Heaters - Pros and Cons
[Re: moparjim79]
#3089569
10/27/22 08:08 AM
10/27/22 08:08 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,341 Addison Twp, Mi.
RobG
OP
top fuel
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OP
top fuel
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,341
Addison Twp, Mi.
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He is in Northern Michigan near Kalkaska. He has a 1100 sq. ft home, 2 bathrooms. He is not married....yet. I saw this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsR8n-oknhsit looks like a bit more research on the connectivity elements are needed. But at 5 gpm, that looks like more than enough for this home. The house was built 11 years ago. However the guy that built it was not the best educated builder. I am having to repair all the screw-ups he made. His buddy was the building inspector and I believe he signed off on the final inspection without ever looking at the house.
Last edited by RobG; 10/27/22 08:10 AM.
I am not rich...but I get off my ass everyday to make sure I am not broke!
Can we get the Mexican cartels to help us with our supply chain issues? They don't seem to have any trouble getting stuff from one place to another.
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Re: On-Demand Water Heaters - Pros and Cons
[Re: RobG]
#3089633
10/27/22 12:45 PM
10/27/22 12:45 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,136 Byron, NY
W.I.N. Racing
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top fuel
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,136
Byron, NY
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I have an Electric On demand that I heat my shop with (radiant floor heat) and have had no issues with it in 10 years. From my investigations, - On Demand water heaters should be sized by demand - making them very efficient (not a one size fits all situation) You can install one large whole house demand but it reduces the benefits and increases the total overall cost. - Often multiple smaller electric units are installed at the point of use (each bath, kitchen) this lessens the lead time for hot water minimizing water waste and allowing for smaller elec circuits per unit . - depending on the mineral make up of your well water it may be an issue with deposits building on the element(s)/exchanger. - My heater has an output water temperature sensor, up to 135degF. My opinion is they are superior to tank type heaters but may require different maint. My system is closed loop and filled with deionized water so build up form impurities is not an issue. I would not try to use one on my well water based on it mineral content (Hardness Is greater than 10gpg, high in calcium content).
Last edited by W.I.N. Racing; 10/27/22 12:46 PM.
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Re: On-Demand Water Heaters - Pros and Cons
[Re: second 70]
#3089634
10/27/22 12:49 PM
10/27/22 12:49 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,883 Northern OH
rapom
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Posts: 1,883
Northern OH
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If your area experiences frequent power outages. A tank will supply hot water for a time during the outage. Or all the time if you have a gas.
Last edited by rapom; 10/27/22 12:50 PM. Reason: spelling
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Re: On-Demand Water Heaters - Pros and Cons
[Re: rapom]
#3089671
10/27/22 02:36 PM
10/27/22 02:36 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,909 Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,909
Kirkland, Washington
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If your area experiences frequent power outages. A tank will supply hot water for a time during the outage. Or all the time if you have a gas. A propane/NG heater still requires power to operate, just not much. Some people even use battery backup, I use my home generator.
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