LPG Tankless vs. Electric Water Heater

[BobRip]

Tray "Marathon" hot water heaters. I bought one last summer. The tank has a lifetime warranty.

To have a lifetime tank warranty, They must have installed a huge anode in the tank

No electrode, they have a fiberglass tank.

 

[California]

Probably the same way we don't understand how anyone can live where an earthquake or hurricane can take you out.

Earthquakes are dramatic but statistically not very likely to happen right where you are standing. Fire is more likely, in a rural setting. Quoting Monkeymonk's 'Forest Fires!!' thread:

"This is the 5th season Between spring and fall and it shares summer.
Fire Season. (goes hand in hand with bear season.)
Currently we have 14 good size fires burning up round us and I mean ALL around us!"

Some notable posts in that thread, with photos: (Actually the whole thread is interesting.)

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/84664-forest-fires-2.html#post979409 (Northern California)

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/84664-forest-fires.html#post956817 (Mid-state)

And there's MtnViewRanch's website listed in his profile. Here are some pictures after the fire went through. His following pages have more. (He's about 800 miles south of Monkeymonk.)
RanchitaRanch.com page 20 (8-12-2002, the fire) (Southern California)

 

[midlf]

Fire I do worry about. Right behind the house is a pine grove. Dead needles on the ground about 6" deep. Right in the middle of this grove are my 2 - 500 gallon propane tanks. Not sure why the previous owner(s) located them there, but it is my plan to relocate them, someday, hopefully before a fire.

 

[_RaT_]

Earthquakes are dramatic but statistically not very likely to happen right where you are standing. Fire is more likely, in a rural setting. Quoting Monkeymonk's 'Forest Fires!!' thread:

"This is the 5th season Between spring and fall and it shares summer.
Fire Season. (goes hand in hand with bear season.)
Currently we have 14 good size fires burning up round us and I mean ALL around us!"

Some notable posts in that thread, with photos: (Actually the whole thread is interesting.)

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/84664-forest-fires-2.html#post979409 (Northern California)

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/84664-forest-fires.html#post956817 (Mid-state)

And there's MtnViewRanch's website listed in his profile. Here are some pictures after the fire went through. His following pages have more. (He's about 800 miles south of Monkeymonk.)
RanchitaRanch.com page 20 (8-12-2002, the fire) (Southern California)

I have felt one earthquake here in California. It was interesting. The only visible sign that the earth quake was happening was a light fixture hanging from the ceiling, it was swinging a little. That was in 1976. With the exception of a few other states, 800 miles will put you in several other states pretty fast. The geography of California can change pretty dramatically in 100 miles let alone 800 miles.

 

[tallyho8]

The geography of California can change pretty dramatically in 100 miles let alone 800 miles.

Boy, is that an understatement. In the contiguous (lower) 48 states, the highest point is California's Mt. Whitney, at 14,495 feet (4418 meters). Interestingly enough, Mt. Whitney is less than 100 miles (161 km) from Death Valley, the lowest point in North America.

 

[kenmac]

Bob, these plastic / fiberglass type tanks my be the way to go on an electric w.h.Sounds like a great idea. I haven't priced one of these tanks & haven't seen one installed down here .If you go with gas, you will have to settle for the steel tank. When most water heaters go out , the home owner wants the cheapest water heater I can sell/ install for him/ her. Alot of my customers buy from h.d or lowes & call me to install.

 

[BobRip]

Bob, these plastic / fiberglass type tanks my be the way to go on an electric w.h.Sounds like a great idea. I haven't priced one of these tanks & haven't seen one installed down here .If you go with gas, you will have to settle for the steel tank. When most water heaters go out , the home owner wants the cheapest water heater I can sell/ install for him/ her. Alot of my customers buy from h.d or lowes & call me to install.

Kenmac, the tank was about $650. I installed it my self. I tend to think long term and look for an energy payback, but did not actually calculate it for this. I like to thought of not having to replace the tank again.
I believe adding the insuldation blanket is not as good as this tank. The foam insulation is all around. It even separates the supports form the inside tank so there is no thermal path there. The covers over the thermostats have three layers of fiber glass, versus one on the standard heaters.