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| Ice age heat wave, cant complain.  |
Seems like the last few threads on this have been for gas units. I have electric and no option for gas but my water heater is likely due for replacement soon. I'm ok spending a few more bucks on tankless. I have the space in my breaker and i'm not relocating the tank/tankless or any of the infrastructure. Is there an option for money savings on my electric bill or should I just assume this provides longer hot showers? NRA Life Member Steak: Rare. Coffee: Black. Bourbon: Neat. | ||
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quarter MOA visionary |
In the same boat with all electric/no gas here. There is not the same energy $ savings as what gas units have. Usage is about the same but the worst part is the extra electrical work required for the tankless. Even so I am still considering making the change when my tank unit gives up the ghost.  | |||
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| Thank you Very little  |
You will gain unlimited hot water access over the tank, open up space in the area the old tank resided for storage, however typically you don't see a large return on energy like you do with gas. That of course will depend on the use of hot water in your home, if you have teens, the unlimited use means they won't run out the tank in the shower, if you are empty nesters you may see some monthly power consumption reduction since you won't be reheating water all day and night. We've seen our propane bill reduce by over half since converting from a 50 gallon tank to tankless. Last fill up was 35 gallons vs 70+ when we had the tank. | |||
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| Ice age heat wave, cant complain. |
No kids. I travel a decent amount maybe twice a month, sometimes for a week or more. I can't help but think that the existing tank is heating water frequently when I'm not around. I suppose I could kill it at the breaker but that's a pain in the ass. NRA Life Member Steak: Rare. Coffee: Black. Bourbon: Neat. | |||
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| I believe in the principle of Due Process  |
When I was building a very expensive home about 10 years ago, I wanted to go with tankless. The architect had planned conventional. The contractor, an old client of mine, figured out all the changes and hassle it would be, for not much gain, and convinced me against it. Whether the state of that art has improved in the ~10 years since, I can’t say. Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me. When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson "Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown | |||
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Member |
I looked into this a couple years ago. I think the unit I needed used two either 70 or 90 amp breakers. I was told I would have to upgrade to a 300 amp box which meant a new line from the pole, new box...many expensive obstacles to overcome. I also have 2 furnaces and heat pumps which use two 60 amp, one 50 amp, and one 40 amp. | |||
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| Triggers don't pull themselves  |
Had to replace one of my electrics a few years ago. The extra wiring, breakers, etc. for going to tankless didn't appear to be worth the expense. I have gas for heat but again would need additional plumbing, larger piping for it. I went with a smart electric tank water heater and have been happy with it. Basically has a processor attached that learns demand and peak use patterns and tailors hot water production accordingly. Michael | |||
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| Thank you Very little |
I'd say go for it if the install costs are not significant, since you travel quite a bit not having to heat water constantly while you are gone will save some funds. With the super hard water here be sure you have a water filter/softener in front of it. | |||
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| Fuimus |
Turn the temp down before you leave and it shouldn't heat while away. | |||
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| Member |
Acquaintance is a homebuilder. Says gas are great, electric, not so much. Says he advises clients against elect tankless. Says he’s tried a couple installations and both units failed quickly. Had to be replaced. Ended up converting to regular units due to continued failures. Bad news to me as I don’t have gas and hoped to convert to tankless. | |||
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| Too old to run, too mean to quit! |
We had tankless water heaters in Germany, electric. When in upper NY state I installed a tankless unit that ran off our oil fired furnace. Great system. I would use propane if natural gas not available, and might consider two in parallel. Have not had anything to do with them in along while, so technology has probably advanced a good bit. Anyway, those tankless units are worth it. Elk There has never been an occasion where a people gave up their weapons in the interest of peace that didn't end in their massacre. (Louis L'Amour) "To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical. " -Thomas Jefferson "America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." Alexis de Tocqueville FBHO!!! The Idaho Elk Hunter | |||
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| Member |
I brought a small chart recorder home from work and hooked it up to my electric water heater for a couple weeks. The elements never, not one time, came on unless there was a demand for hot water. The claim that water heaters waste electricity due to the tank cooling off are highly exaggerated.
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| Member |
I don't get the comments on how gas saves money and electric units don't.  Lets say you save 10-20% with a gas unit. Electric is normally more expensive to operate. So 10-20% savings would be even more money saved. www.seisco.com | |||
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| As Extraordinary as Everyone Else  |
As a builder I have to agree. The problem with electrical tankless units is the electrical requirements which is way more than a conventional tanked unit. You might want to consider a hybrid tanked unit or simply just flip the electrical switch off if it is wired properly when your away. ------------------ Eddie Our Founding Fathers were men who understood that the right thing is not necessarily the written thing. -kkina | |||
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Void Where Prohibited |
My son-in-law's brother is a plumber and a general contractor; when I needed a new water heater last year I asked him about electric tankless heaters. He said the gas heaters are good but the electric are basically junk. So I got another tank, since I don't have gas available in my area. "If Gun Control worked, Chicago would look like Mayberry, not Thunderdome" - Cam Edwards | |||
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Not really from Vienna |
My plumber buddy says the same thing about the electric ones. | |||
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fugitive from reality |
My experience in 18 years of commercial real estate is no one uses electricity for a tankless system. Electric work great when it's an on demand heater used for making single cups of coffee or tea, but every buildout I've ever seen uses a small conventional water heater. The only tankless I've seen in any of my buildings is steam powered. _____________________________ 'I'm pretty fly for a white guy'. | |||
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| Thank you Very little |
We have LP on our property with a rental PIG you might be able to get that installed and an outside tankless LP system which is what we did. No expensive exhaust systems, although some of the new internal gas tankless use PVC exhaust which isn't expensive. The condo/hotel we had in Ireland had an electric tankless heater, they neglected to inform us, and being 'Mericans had no clue, I finally figured out the system and once turned on at the switch we had unlimited quick hot water. | |||
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| Savor the limelight |
Right? Who flips a switch anymore? I thought everyone used The Clapper these days. Clap on, Clap off, the Clapper. I have a switch at the water heater. Not only do I flip the switch off when we are gone for a few days, but I turn off the water to the house as well. The reality is unless you leave for at least several weeks, you don't save much electricity by turning off your water heater. Leaving it on, the elements will heat the water for many short periods to keep the water temp up. Leaving it off and turning it back on when you get back, the elements will run one long period of time to bring the water temp back up. Total run time will be almost the same as long as the water in the tank hasn't cooled to room temp. It takes over two weeks for that to happen. | |||
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| Member |
Do you have room in panel for two more double pole breakers? My units have three breakers a piece. I have two Bosch units i really hate. I will be switching to gas when i get around to getting a propane tank. | |||
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