Tankless Water Heater Advice and or Experience

[Xfaxman]

Our tank type propane water heater is 14 years old and needing to be replaced.

We are on a water well with not the best quality water.

I can stay with Propane or run #6 wire and a 60 amp breaker for electric.

Need help deciding which type to get.

Thanks in advance.

 

[TnAndy]

For what it's worth, my neighbor is a quality control engineer at local American Water Heater plant. Been there over 30 years.

I asked him about tankless when my propane tank model got to where yours is. His advice was go back with a tank model unless floor space is the issue (isn't in my case) because after doing EXTENSIVE testing on them over a long period, he said they do NOT save energy, and if you have a controller issue, it can be expensive.....stay with the 'dumb' tank version. So that is what I did after listening to a guy that should know what he is talking about.

 

[tookielee]

Check into it really well, an electric tankless that can handle a whole house is not
going to run on one 60 amp circuit - more like 3 50 amp breakers. Why not a
tankless propane unit? But if water quality is an issue, tankless may be a
bad idea, they need to be flushed fairly regularly even with good water

 

[PsRumors]

We've had tankless water heater (propane) for 20 some years, I'll never go back to a tank. Family of 6 never ran out of water. Our old heater had a standing pilot light and was either off or on. Last summer I installed a Rinnia heater that is variable output based on demand and has an igniter....it is much more efficient but is also more complex / expensive. Our propane usage dropped by 50%.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Best thing I ever did was install a tankless propane WH in our new home. I have NEVER run out of hot water, even with taking an extra long winter hot shower while the wifey was doing laundry, and cleaning up after dinner. Go with a type called a condensing unit. It is 98% efficient, vented through 2 inch PVC pipe.

This is the one we went with. Very happy with it so far.... about 9 months in use.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westing...ncy-Tankless-Water-Heater-WGRTLP199/205625799

 

[the old grind]

We put a 178k BTU >6 gpm direct-vent nat-gas tank-less in a new build for a guy with four daughters and who wanted three full bathrooms to have endless hot water as they got ready for school in the morning. He raised heqq with the builder when temp surges resulted from the appliance's gpm/temp 'steps' vs constant or consistent temp & flow.

My Brother stuck with his nat-gas Paloma thumbsup ~12 GPM tank-less (& I installed) for as long as it lasted (all of 25 years, btw) but replaced it with a conventional power-vent model. ("I didn't." ) The flush routine offset any perceived energy savings, and to him temp surges were at least as noticeable as with any setup he could recall.

A lot of the push to tank-less WH is from the industry just broadening their market. Commercial use often demands endless hot water, but I'm sure those with experience will admit that energy savings & at home convenience are not as easy to evaluate. (& 'cost' isn't deductible. ) They are nothing to be dismissed, but use may be best appreciated when otherwise-distance to a fixture is greatest and not too much is expected from a mass-conversion. ("three times a charm", but too often "three times a lesson" Glynn's pilot needed re-lit monthly, the only guy who liked his. ~2-3 gpm in 800sq ft bachelor pad.)

Was it here that I caught the idea to just add a small tankless to a remod or addition far from an ok system w/o high hopes? Plumb the remote, tankless or tanked, so that it's fed from hot vs from cold. Short-order hot water until HW from 'main' reaches and the remote then cycles off. I can also augment the 'main' say if/when it's your anniversary and you .. well ..

 

[grsthegreat]

Im not impressed with gas tankless....as i have had to replace alot of controllers in them over the years.... i was asked to do them by local plumbing contractors. There boiler controllers, and very expensive. Personally i have 2 x 50 gal propane direct vent units back to back. One is used to heat and one is storage mostly, but will heat as needed.have never run out of hot water, and there dumb units. The re circ pump gives me instant hot water at every faucet.

And absolutely skip electric instant whole house units. They swallow power and dim the lights when you turn on a faucet.

 

[the old grind]

Im not impressed with gas tank-less.... And absolutely skip electric instant whole house units. They swallow power and dim the lights when you turn on a faucet.

Well, if you say so. (BTDT, too )

What folks should also understand is that during 'heating season' any presumed 'wasted heat' emanating from a conventional 'tank' is supplanting the main heating source, if only to the extent of its 'efficiency' rating, but not to be discounted if you think about it.

There are right times and right places, but listen to these qualified techs before you buy into the pitch. They'll help you decide what's best.

btw, you didn't need me to remind you. This is TBN. (!!)

 

[dstig1]

Tankless are VERY sensitive to hard water. Mine failed within a year of installation as we started up on well water with hardness around 26 grains for about 3 months until i got a softener installed. When it failed the company was nice enough to replace the heat exchanger on goodwill basis but told me flat out it was hard water that caused it to fail and any further problems due to hard water were on me. No problems since softener was installed and I make sure to check on it often enough to make sure the salt doesn't run out.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I have done a lot of research on tank-less. They have their place but that place needs to be carefully analyzed. If you have any a water PH problem either way from 7 it spells potential expensive trouble. Alkaline water puts deposits on the inside surfaces of the unit. Acidic water creates its own deposits and pitting on the metal surfaces. Plan on a water treatment system if you are very far from PH of 7. You have to follow the maintenance schedule with records or any warranty is void. I think Rinnia is the Cadillac but is priced accordingly, however you get what you pay for.

I plan to install a Rinnia as we have water at PH of 8. I have a whole house water conditioner with 10 micron filter and carbon filter to eliminate dissolved gasses like chlorine (acidic). As I can afford it, and at an age of not needing more my chores I will put it on a service contract to protect the warranty and forget it.

I think Bosch or Rheem are decent alternatives and all three have good reviews. Like all modern appliances ; repairing these units is expensive on parts and difficult for the average homeowner DIYer. In my area contractor labor is climbing every year. $100+/hr is common for trained technicians.

They are not for those on limited income.

Ron