Water Heaters-advice?

[CaliannG]

So, the 10g Suburban water heater in my camper has, basically, died. When I removed it, the tank has completely rusted so much, I can't even tell where the leak is. It still heats! Tenacious thing it is.

At any rate, time for a new water heater. My trailer is actually my home, so I was hoping for something different.

Has anyone tried using a tankless, point-of-use, water heater for their RV? I live alone, so the chances of me taking a shower AND doing dishes at the same time are fairly slim. Also, my trailer is, and for the foreseeable future, will be hooked up to septic lines, so filling up waste tanks is not a problem.

Pros? Cons? Best models? I live in Texas, average water temp at intake in winter is 65*. 110/120v wiring @ 10g, to 100 box. 50amp hookup, but I'm hoping to just hook it up where the old one was, that's already connected to a 30amp breaker.

Thoughts, opinions, ideas?

Thanks!

[CaliannG]

John&Joey, no, it isn't a concern if it didn't heat with propane... But I'm not worried about the cheap route so much as the space-saving route.

The current space for the WH is at the bottom corner of a long line of closets and drawers. I want to take out the closets and drawers and put a bathtub in there. (While turning the current shower into a closet and drawers)

I can't do that unless I come up with something different for the WH.

[John_Joey]

Another option is to go to the big box store and just buy a residential 10 gallon heater. They run on 110v and should fit in the area the RV heater was in. Won't be able to heat water with propane, but it sounds like that's not a concern.

[CaliannG]

Huh....GopackGo, you made me ponder it, thanks. I could possibly have my cake and eat it too if I put risers on the bathtub.

[CaliannG]

westend:my thoughts too! Although I was thinking black hose on the roof. Pre-heart the hot water.

GoPackGo, that is very compelling. Thank you. You have convinced me that if I don't do a complete bathroom remodel in order to have a tub instead of a shower, I'll just drop another suburban in there.

[GoPackGo]

I have a couple thoughts for you -

1. Regarding your comment about having to take 5 minute showers - If your old heater was leaking badly, you may be pleasantly surprised if all you do is just replace with a like model. Maybe the anode rod hasn't been replaced in a while, which could cause lots of rusting, not to mention a lot of gunk in the tank. Leaks don't help when you want all the hot water going to the shower. And the new model is bound to work more efficiently compared to your current one.

2. I take 'leisurely' showers. So when I head for the shower I flip on both the propane switch as well as the electric switch. I have not run out of warm water yet - but a lot does depend on input water temps to the tank.

3. Consider getting an Oxygenics BodySpa shower head. They have been discussed on these forums and you should be able to find several threads if you do a Search. Most people seem to really like them. The water does come out of the shower head 'differently' then with your OEM unit - more force, louder, aerated. They seem to work well with lower water pressures. Amazon has them and I see CW has them for about $30 right now. They come in brushed nickel or white. I've had mine for about 2 years now (fulltiming).

[westend]

That doesn't mean that I'm not up for doing something that hasn't been tried before. You would not *believe* the creative plumbing and experimental fiddling I'm willing to do if I can finagle the space for a soaking tub out of it.

Route your hot water supply through a black barrel placed at elevation for gravity flow. It will be as hot as a water heater if the Sun is shining.

[CaliannG]

cpaulsen, I found the exact replacement of what I had for $359 locally. It's not that I cannot get and install a new Suburban 10g electric/propane. It's that I want to explore other options. I'm looking to remodel, redo, and change.

And I wanted to see other's experiences with different options, so that perhaps I might not re-invent the wheel, or redo a known mistake.

That doesn't mean that I'm not up for doing something that hasn't been tried before. You would not *believe* the creative plumbing and experimental fiddling I'm willing to do if I can finagle the space for a soaking tub out of it. 😛

[CaliannG]

Thank you wa8yxm, that's a good bit of the info I was looking for!

As well as DrewE, thank you!

Due to where I live, for 9 months or more out of the year, I'm looking at needing a 30 to *possibly* 40 degree rise in temp from inflow, and depending upon how creative I get, possibly less.

I'm also researching severely low-flow faucets and shower heads, along the lines of a gallon per minute, or less.

When I had it hooked up at the farm (recently sold said farm, and will have it hooked up at new, bare property while I build), water was a simple garden hose connection... And half the time the cold water side would scald you. I live in the blazing heat... consider input temps to be 70-75 most of the time.

Which is the only reason why I'm even considering this option. I can do a little creative plumbing and let Mother Nature give me a 20* rise before it even hits a tankless.

[DrewE]

For an electric tankless water heater at a 50 degree F temperature rise, you use about 1 kW per 0.14 gallons per minute flow (assuming near perfect energy efficiency at converting electricity into water heating, which is a reasonable assumption). A 9.6 kW load (the maximum continuous load permitted by code on a 50A 240V circuit--for a continuous load it's derated to 80 percent capacity) will heat a bit over 1 1/3 gallons per minute at a 50 degree temperature rise. You can, of course, get a higher temperature rise for a correspondingly lower flow rate, and vice-versa.

[wa8yxm]

Mandalay Parr wrote:
I'm confused. First you said it died, then you say it heats good.

O/P was clear to me, it died of Collander Disease (too many holes to counmt, leaking like a kitchen strainer). There are several ways they die, this one is... not common.

To the O/P.

The biggest problem I have with the Tankless is that they eat a lot of BTU's.. Now at low flow rates, (Heating water for tea) a 115 volt 15 amp circuit might do but at 2 GPM you gonna need PROPANE. and most of the places I park,, When I do the math I get "propane $$$$, ELectricity included in site rental $0.00.. So it makes the math real, real, easy,, propane looses.

As to "Fluctuations due to pressure"

A variable speed water pump for your RV (My next one will be and I need to replace) and a pressure regulator (A good one like a Watts o rZurin 1/2 inch or larger) on the park end of the supply hose.. and that' snot such a big problem as you might think.

[cpaulsen]

PPL Motorhomes........399.00 for a new Suburban 10 gallon water heater(electric/propane DSI......did that with my 5th wheel. Took about an hour and a half and no modifications. Change anode rod out once a year and it should last a long time. My original lasted 12 years.

[CaliannG]

westend: Thank you for the link. I just spent two hours going through the threads. 🙂

[CaliannG]

My main objective in not just replacing it in kind is space. I want to renovate the bathroom because I believe it is not set up efficiently. The tankless would take up a LOT less space than the current model.

That said, the old WH was a propane/electric, so the mounting area already has propane lines and proper vents installed. That makes a drop in replacement more feasable. I was simply hoping that a small, electric tankless might do the trick since it is much smaller.

I don't mind doing a lot of re-routing. I considered putting the same model in a different space in the kitchen area which currently serves no efficient purpose. Who builds closets over a heater anyway? And while I'm at it, who carpets a bathroom and kitchen?!?

I simply wanted to know pros and cons of going tankless. I don't want to go gas/propane, as the current furnace sucks propane like a petroleum wino.

It's an old trailer.... And I'm tearing things apart anyway. I would like to like to take a shower that's longer than 5 minutes. Energy savings is not the goal; a tiny bit of bathing hedonism is. 😛

[wildtoad]

AJR wrote:
Just replace it in kind.

I like KISS

Unless it was not providing enough hot water I totally agree.