Tankless Hot Water

ScottG wrote:
I'd like to see a hybrid tank with tankless type backup heating power. That way there would be a few gallons of hot water available for low volume use, like washing hands, and high volume for showering.

Good idea.

I engineered a hot water recirculation system for mine that helps.
With what I know, I would stay with a conventional tank water heater.

I've had 3 RV's 2 with tank system and the latest one with tankless. I was lucky and didn't have any problems but they require yearly service and most other people had a lot of problems. They are way more complicated, on other forums there have been many complaints of problems that people can't seem to get fixed. If I get another rv it'll have a tank system. Much simpler and easier to repair. But at this point in my RV life I can say that about most things after owning a high-end coach with all the bells and whistles. Great when they work a REAL pain when they don't.

It never fails with these tankless water heater threads, the vast majority of comments are from those who have never had one. Opinions are based on misinformation.

We have a Precision Temp unit in our RV. It works extremely well and has proven to use less propane than the tank style units. These units are dependent on water pressure/flow and incoming water temperature. Any tankless system can only raise the water temperature by a certain amount, so if the incoming water is real cold then the max temperature output will suffer some.

These comments are based on actual first hand use.

Keith

paddykernahan wrote:

ScottG wrote:
I'd like to see a hybrid tank with tankless type backup heating power. That way there would be a few gallons of hot water available for low volume use, like washing hands, and high volume for showering.

Good idea.

I engineered a hot water recirculation system for mine that helps.
With what I know, I would stay with a conventional tank water heater.

I remember that!
It would have been a great mod for our last TT that had the WH and shower at opposite ends of the RV.
New TT has them next to each other so hot water is almost instant to shower.

I have a Suburban tankless in our fiver. We love it. No maintenance, nothing to winterize. On our second season with it, trouble free. As long as you have enough water flow to keep the burner going it works fine. If not it will go from hot to cold. There is a learning curve with them. You run the hot wide open to keep the flow high enough and control the temp by mixing the cold in. If you boondock you may not like it.

B.O.

mmc100bb wrote:
I have a 2014 Keystone Sprinter. I am interesting in replacing my hot water heater with a tankless one. Does anyone have recommendations on the best model ones to buy?

First, I suggest that you grant less weight to counsel from those who have not owned and used both tank and tankless. If someone has not used one, then their position is not based upon any empirical understanding.

We have had both types, a 16 gallon DSI gas/electric tank style, and now a Truma Comfort demand water heater.

After experiencing both types we would never choose the limitations imposed by the tank model.

We "coach", we do not "camp". We do not dry camp; we always use full hookups. Because we always have a continuous water supply, we very much enjoy endless hot water. The Truma system is unlike the regular "quality" one sees in much of the average RV industry. This is a high quality, well-engineered device, that works as advertised. Instant and continuous hot water even at flows of less than 1/2gpm. The winterization process takes 10 seconds.

I cannot speak to other brands of demand water heaters, and when we first started researching the genre, we were discouraged by the performance reports regarding the other older brands.

The Truma has been a great improvement in our RVing experience. No more "navy" showers, no more waiting for a tank to reheat. We cannot say good enough about it.

ScottG wrote:
I'd like to see a hybrid tank with tankless type backup heating power. That way there would be a few gallons of hot water available for low volume use, like washing hands, and high volume for showering.

I am pondering the use of one of these in addition to our Truma system.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0148O658Y/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I1QV4JI6LCPBSB&colid=M0RWCS79EVP&psc=1

I am thinking about putting it under the kitchen sink.

Planning wrote:

ScottG wrote:
I'd like to see a hybrid tank with tankless type backup heating power. That way there would be a few gallons of hot water available for low volume use, like washing hands, and high volume for showering.

I am pondering the use of one of these in addition to our Truma system.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0148O658Y/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I1QV4JI6LCPBSB&colid=M0RWCS79EVP&psc=1

I am thinking about putting it under the kitchen sink.

if truma is so great, why do you need to do this?
bumpy

Speaking from someone that has had both.
I have a Girard on demand water heater now.
I would go with a tank system if dry camping.
On demand would be OK if you are hooked up to water and sewer since you waste a lot of water getting the temperature right.

Bumpyroad wrote:

Planning wrote:

ScottG wrote:
I'd like to see a hybrid tank with tankless type backup heating power. That way there would be a few gallons of hot water available for low volume use, like washing hands, and high volume for showering.

I am pondering the use of one of these in addition to our Truma system.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0148O658Y/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I1QV4JI6LCPBSB&colid=M0RWCS79EVP&psc=1

I am thinking about putting it under the kitchen sink.

if truma is so great, why do you need to do this?
bumpy

Distance from the water heater is the same whether you have a tank or tankless.