Manufactured home water heater

[Optics406]

I am looking at replacing my Rheem 40gallon 30k btu manufactured home water heater. It is in a closet with limited space. Current model is a direct vent model with a intake at the bottom that draws air from the crawlspace and exhaust to roof jack. My question is can I use a regular atmospheric vent gas water heater and save money because manufactured home water heaters are way more expensive.
I have read that you cant use atomspheric vent water heaters in manufactured home/mobile but Bradford white has atmospheric vent models made for manufactured homes and the only difference i see is the side water intake instead of the regular top.
Thanks

 

[Fitter30]

Can't use atmospheric because there isn't enough air for combustion. Your looking at it probably go back with the same. Buy something else flue and combustion air might be different size or placement.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jeff H Young]

mobil home water heaters are available nat gas /propane and atmosphere vent .
I dont know why a residential dosent meet mobile home specs its not unusual for differant athorities to have differant specifications , Ive put a fair number of standard reidential tank heaters nat gas in mobile homes its been a good 30 years ago but never heard of issues but in no way am I saying it was nessesarily safe might be something that was a hazard Im unaware of . I put in what was provided Im guessing maybe a dozen we did a few hundred gas water heaters over a years time I was kinda new to trade they had combustion air from outside the coach .
40 ga mobile hm water heater here is 739 bucks at home depot residential is 659 . Thats for ultra low nox on the residential I gotta drive 30 miles to get a cheaper low nox for 569 , we have smog laws but if you drive outside the high smog areas they have regular water heaters I wont do that though big savings though

 

[Optics406]

Thanks for the answers. Almost everyone says you cant use a atmospheric vent in mobile/manufactured homes because lack of intake air but bradford white sells them. Whats so special about their design? Their units arent even ultra low nox and still certified for use in mobile homes.
The price difference for standard vs manufactured home units at Fergusons is like $400.
Heres a link to the Bradford White Water heater:

Our Products - Bradford White For The Pro®

[...]Read More... from Our Products

forthepro.bradfordwhite.com

 

[Fitter30]

Delete

 

[Fitter30]

From AI last sentence
Mobile home water heaters have the cold-water inlet connection on the side and the hot water outlet connection on top. Residential water heaters have all connections on the top of the tank. A mobile home heater comes with a securing strap kit. Regular water heaters are not built to be installed on combustible flooring.

 

[Jeff H Young]

Thanks for the answers. Almost everyone says you cant use a atmospheric vent in mobile/manufactured homes because lack of intake air but bradford white sells them. Whats so special about their design? Their units arent even ultra low nox and still certified for use in mobile homes.
The price difference for standard vs manufactured home units at Fergusons is like $400.
Heres a link to the Bradford White Water heater:

Our Products - Bradford White For The Pro®

[...]Read More... from Our Products

forthepro.bradfordwhite.com

Fitter 30 brought up what might be anothe legit reason a mobil home cant have residential heater installed is AI correct on ?
The water heaters arent aprooved . I dont think its the venting but it could be if you were 100 percent sure that your mobil home had proper ventilation it would still be an illegal installation . But I dont think it would nesessarily would be safe might be unforseen differances . I can understand 400 bucks is a lot of differance , you can read all the AI stuff and decide the info i read is incorrect BS but you need to find out what you want . look at the water heater you have does it have a type b vent? determine where the air comes from . the mobile homes Ive been in were old and didnt have anything special I saw but i might not put reg heaters in a mobile again for one reason I dont work on mobile homes very often

 

[Eman85]

I had a gas water heater in the center of my MH in a closet. Had it replaced years ago by the local gas utility with a MH water heater. Did home renovations a year ago and scrapped it for an electric water heater. All I had to do was run a wire and cap the gas pipe. No chance of exhaust in the home, much quieter than the gas and a lot cheaper to buy a standard electric WH.

 

[Jeff H Young]

I had a gas water heater in the center of my MH in a closet. Had it replaced years ago by the local gas utility with a MH water heater. Did home renovations a year ago and scrapped it for an electric water heater. All I had to do was run a wire and cap the gas pipe. No chance of exhaust in the home, much quieter than the gas and a lot cheaper to buy a standard electric WH.

costs more to operate as well , and usually its 240 volt Dedicated circuit .

 

[Eman85]

We really don't see much difference in operating costs, just 2 of us and electricity is reasonable here. 240v is required so I ran a line and put a breaker in and a disconnect at the water heater, pretty simple and straightforward. Besides I sleep well knowing I don't have a gas water heater in a bedroom closet any longer.