# instant hot water heaters



## bpe (Feb 24, 2009)

I have used, in a business I had, a propane powered instant hot water heater. It came on when water flowed thru it and it was very efficent. Only had 2 hot water taps and had plenty of hot water. Wouldn't one be practical in an rv? They are rather small, didn't store any water and never heated water needlessly.


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## Guest (Feb 24, 2009)

RE: instant hot water heaters

well u might be right on that Glen ,, but what about a long shower ,, or maybe 3 ,, one right after another ,, and then u got the dishes to do ,, and if u have one ,,, maybe laundry in the onboard washer dryer ,, now don't get me wrong ,, i am not knocking u'r idea ,, it makes sense to me ,, but u have to look at the long term side of it ,, as stated above ,,, JMO ,, and don't get me wrong for saying it  ,, others will prolly have their's also  :approve:  :approve:


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## bpe (Feb 25, 2009)

Re: instant hot water heaters

I talked to customers that I had about this that had installed it in their house. Granted they were senior citizens, no kids at home. They said 1 tap very hot, 2 taps hot enough and three at same time, run hot water tap only (no cold mix) and it was enough. They were the reason I put it in shop. 90% of time it will only be my wife and i in our rv. On long shower note, the only way you would run out of hot water if the gas ran out. It heats it instantly.


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## LEN (Feb 25, 2009)

Re: instant hot water heaters

We have one at a cabin. Works good but would take about the same space as the RV 10 gal, it's taller thinner would only work on propane and you need the insulated double wall 4" pipe for the hot exhaust and I think it needs to exhaust up. So you would have unlimited hot water, but only could work on propane. Would not be able to have electric hot water or the engine hot water a lot of RV's have. The cost of install would be high, rather than replacement and as to cost of heater I think would be higher.

LEN


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## bpe (Feb 25, 2009)

Re: instant hot water heaters

10 gallons of water isn't much hot water. When my wife and I get our rv we will be full time in it: not for vacationing but for my welding jobs as I work shutdowns and travel around a lot. This is why I'm wondering why I don't see these in rvs nor in rv parts store. Only drawback I can see is the extra usage of propane and installation. I'm very handy at such though. After a hard 12 hour day of work and run out of hot water would make me a very upset camper. Having to buy propane would be a drag but i believe a must lesser evil. :question:


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## LEN (Feb 26, 2009)

Re: instant hot water heaters

With the newer 10 gall hot water you can get a great shower with gas or Elec, and you can turn them both on at the same time to make sure you have hot water for a long shower. I turn mine off and on during the shower and a friend next door just lets his run and says he never runs out just with the Elect.

LEN


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## Triple E (Feb 26, 2009)

RE: instant hot water heaters

If I could afford one I would have one.  As long as you have propane you will have hot water.  The only thing that I would be concerned with is the pressure drop across the unit.  What I mean is, if two hot water taps are on what will the flow be like.

No more having to wait for the water to warm up before taking a shower or doing the dishes.  Or having a full tank of hot water just sitting.  The flame is on when the hot water valve is on and no flame when the hot water valve is off.  What else could you ask for?

A conventional 6 gallon unit weights 25 lbs and holds 50 lbs of water, total 75 lbs.  The 10 gallons unit weights 30 lbs and holds 83.3 lbs of water, total 113.3 lbs.  The instant hot water tanks weight 30 lbs.

Cost for the instant is about or more than double a conventional unit, so pay back may take awhile.

Web sites:  Instant - http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RV-I...HOT-WATER_W0QQitemZ370094226696QQcmdZViewItem

                 conventional - http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/product/atwood-water-heaters/1648

Good Luck,


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## bpe (Feb 27, 2009)

Re: instant hot water heaters

It sure seems a winner to me.


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## TexasClodhopper (Feb 27, 2009)

Re: instant hot water heaters

"... 10 gallons of water isn't much hot water...." Actually, most hot water heaters have a pretty high setting on the thermostat which makes you use less hot water.

I understand that you are not actually 'camping' in the recreational sense, but most RVers don't mind waiting a bit for the hot water to reheat. It would be hard to justify the cost for me, now that I have a conventional one. Otherwise, it sounds like a good idea.

Now, when Sallyberetta turns on the hot water at the kitchen sink while I'm taking a shower .... Oh, boy!  :clown:


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## Pancanbob (Feb 27, 2009)

RE: instant hot water heaters

Hi, Glen
Just a few thoughts on your Tank less water heater.
First, I donâ€™t know much about RVing and this just my opinion  :laugh:  :laugh:   .
When I get home from work, I love a LONG hot shower too    , butâ€¦â€¦â€¦   
RVâ€™s showers are not that big, would you want to spend a lot of time in one  .
If you were in a campground, wouldnâ€™t they have showers?
I know â€œInstant Heatersâ€ are more economical to use, weigh less.
The Tank-less water heaters Iâ€™ve seen require a lot of room or clearance around them.
If you install it in the RV, it will need to have an â€œoutsideâ€ air source for it, and venting it would be another problem.
I donâ€™t think you could hang it on the outside, unless it was on the back of the RV. Where would you install it?  :question:  :question:  
Maybe you could make a â€œstandâ€ and set it up after youâ€™ve parked the RV, then tie it into the water system, but that sound kind of â€œMickey Mouseâ€ (JMO)

It sound like good thing to do, but I think you would have a devil of a time installing it safely.

Are you going to remove the water heater you have in the RV? :question:  :question: 
From what Iâ€™ve read, you will be full timing it, and stay in campgrounds, with hook-ups :question: ?
If you install the gas â€œInstant heaterâ€ in series with the RV heater, it would subsidize the RVâ€™s heater.
The benefits from doing this way: :approve: 
You would never run out of hot water. :approve: 
You are paying for a hook-up, so their electric would heat you water, at no extra cost to you. :approve:  :approve: 
Use less Propane. :approve: 
Less tips to re-fill tanks :approve: 
The bad part:  
You will have two systems to maintain & winterize.  
The extra weight of two systems.  
Less space for you and yours    , unless it installed outside :blush: 

I have all so seen and used a type water heater that are 110 Volts and go on the discharge of the showerhead, but they are not very good, low flow and not much heat,(JMO) but may work in â€œseriesâ€ with the RV heater. Please be sure to let us know how you overcome the installation problems. Iâ€™m sure that this will be of interest of other in the Forum.
Take care :clown:  :clown:


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## bpe (Feb 28, 2009)

Re: instant hot water heaters

I'll probably will leave the "as is" heater in rv to begin with. I'm going to research this further. I will post back later fyi when and if I do this. Bottom line: If Mama's happy, I'll be happy.


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## Pancanbob (Feb 28, 2009)

RE: instant hot water heaters

Keeping Momma is the number one priority.      
When she is happy the whole world is happy.     
I looked for any tank-less water designed for an RV, could not find any on the Internet. :disapprove:  :disapprove:  :disapprove: 
I guess the manufactures figure that with limited water supply and holding tanks, no one would be taking long showers.        I guess they donâ€™t understand that most RVs are hook up, and donâ€™t boon dock very often or long.     So not much need to conserve water. :angry:  :angry:  :angry: 
Even a short shower is better then a bucket and an old washcloth. :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh: 
Take care 
 :bleh:  :approve:    :evil:  :shy:  :kiss:  :8ball:


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## Triple E (Feb 28, 2009)

Re: instant hot water heaters

Pancanbob;  this web site will take you to a RV Instant Water Heater.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RV-I...HOT-WATER_W0QQitemZ370094226696QQcmdZViewItem


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## Pancanbob (Feb 28, 2009)

RE: instant hot water heaters

Hi Steve
Thank you for the information,      I hope Glen see this too.   
Iâ€™m not that good at finding thing with a computer,      :angry:  :disapprove: 
 but give me hammer and I can fix anything.  :laugh:  :laugh:  :laugh: 
When Iâ€™m through with it, it will be fixed, :approve:  :approve: 
 or you need to buy a new one, either way it is fixed. :bleh:  :bleh: 
  :laugh:  :approve:  :8ball:  :clown:  :shy:  :shy:     :angry:


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## DCOBB (Mar 5, 2009)

RE: instant hot water heaters

Yes, one small tankless water heater is adequate for RVs. Propane is not a good choice, for many reasons.


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## DCOBB (Mar 5, 2009)

Re: instant hot water heaters

The size is prohibitive, so is the cost. Propane is very inefficient. There are far better answers. Not a know it all, but, learning daily.
Thank you


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## Pancanbob (Mar 5, 2009)

RE: instant hot water heaters

If you want efficiency, you can get a 50 Gallon thank paint it black, put it in the sun light for a few hours :laugh:  :laugh: . As far as propane being â€œvery inefficientâ€, how would you heat water in a RV? :question:  Run the RVâ€™s motor :disapprove: , thatâ€™s assuming that the motor's coolant is set up to heat the Shower water.   
Run the Generator? And use electricity to heat the water?  :approve: When you are RVing you donâ€™t have the same options as a stick house. Just my opinion.
 :laugh:      :angry:    :laugh:    :bleh:  :bleh:


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