Everett DeHart
New Member
20 year old house, originally came with a 50 gallon electric, I changed to a 40 when the old one died. Just my wife and I, retired, occasionally another couple comes in for a weekend. Essentially, our hot water usage is a couple showers a day, clothes and dish washing appropriate to two people.
Thinking ahead to when I replace the existing unit. Seems a waste to have 40 gallons "simmering" 24/7 for what "seems" to be light demand. Started looking into tankless. Lots of contradictory info out there. Saw a "Reem" 11 or 13KW which is supposed to handle two showers simultaneously. It was around $230. From there the price went up and up for equivalent KW units. Obviously, you get what you pay for, but, personally, don't want the cheapest or the "gold plated designer" model of anything, something in the middle. House has 200A service, so no problem there. I do have a 500 gallon propane tank for heating and cooking. Do not have a vent where the existing unit is, adding one would be very expensive. Tankless propane would require a vent and relocation to an outside wall which would end up being more of a project than the return would justify.
Casually reading, incoming water temp is a concern with tankless units. Lots of discussion about "in Florida maybe, but not up north." etc. We're in Southern Ohio, just stuck a "taylor" wall thermometer in a glass of water and let it run for a while 46 degrees. It's February and we've had several days of below freezing temps. Does municipal water run warmer in Fla.?
Our municipal (County) water has a fair amount of lime, also, being on one of the highest hills in the county, water pressure is around 15-18 PSI. Was going to add a tank and jockey pump but never did as everything works OK. After retirement, life gets easier.
Installing an electric tankless would be very easy, load center (breaker box) and existing unit are in the utility room, add a two pole 60A breaker and run fifteen feet of cable and connect water lines.
Have seen "repeatedly" that going to a tankless electric unit will cut electric usage in half. Also have read that with a tankless unit you have to wait longer for hot water to "appear" at the faucet? We have 3/4" copper throughout with the required energy saving faucets, etc. so we're used to waiting.
I'm a retired EE, so feel free to get technical.
So, has anyone gone from a tank to tankless electric? What lessons learned? From the info I presented, any "fatal errors" obvious to those who know more than I do?
Thanks for your time,
Ev
Thinking ahead to when I replace the existing unit. Seems a waste to have 40 gallons "simmering" 24/7 for what "seems" to be light demand. Started looking into tankless. Lots of contradictory info out there. Saw a "Reem" 11 or 13KW which is supposed to handle two showers simultaneously. It was around $230. From there the price went up and up for equivalent KW units. Obviously, you get what you pay for, but, personally, don't want the cheapest or the "gold plated designer" model of anything, something in the middle. House has 200A service, so no problem there. I do have a 500 gallon propane tank for heating and cooking. Do not have a vent where the existing unit is, adding one would be very expensive. Tankless propane would require a vent and relocation to an outside wall which would end up being more of a project than the return would justify.
Casually reading, incoming water temp is a concern with tankless units. Lots of discussion about "in Florida maybe, but not up north." etc. We're in Southern Ohio, just stuck a "taylor" wall thermometer in a glass of water and let it run for a while 46 degrees. It's February and we've had several days of below freezing temps. Does municipal water run warmer in Fla.?
Our municipal (County) water has a fair amount of lime, also, being on one of the highest hills in the county, water pressure is around 15-18 PSI. Was going to add a tank and jockey pump but never did as everything works OK. After retirement, life gets easier.
Installing an electric tankless would be very easy, load center (breaker box) and existing unit are in the utility room, add a two pole 60A breaker and run fifteen feet of cable and connect water lines.
Have seen "repeatedly" that going to a tankless electric unit will cut electric usage in half. Also have read that with a tankless unit you have to wait longer for hot water to "appear" at the faucet? We have 3/4" copper throughout with the required energy saving faucets, etc. so we're used to waiting.
I'm a retired EE, so feel free to get technical.
So, has anyone gone from a tank to tankless electric? What lessons learned? From the info I presented, any "fatal errors" obvious to those who know more than I do?
Thanks for your time,
Ev