Tankless water heater upgrade

[RvNewbieFl]

Thoughts on the Girard Tankless Water Heater. Girard GSHW-2 from pplmotorhomes. Com....... After tent camping all my life. I thought finally being able to afford my own rv.. would mean private hot showers. Granted I haven't actually showered in mine yet. But 6 gallons just doesn't seem like alot. So because im just starting out. Seems worth it to drop $500.00 to $1000. Extra right off the start for endless hot water. I bought a 2011 primetime lacrosse 318BHS. Although the interior is in perfect condition. I've already started thinking about removing the couch and dinette anyway. So what's alittle more demo at this point... right... thoughts anyone?...

[Paul_D_]

To continue the off topic conversation; look into the Intex portable spa tub versions, there are 2 models. One heats the air bubbles, get that one. Had it outside for one summer, stored it for a year and it is now set up in the basement. love it!

Now back to the topic, there are a few threads that cover adding an on demand propane tankless heater ahead of your standard 6 gal. We are looing into this option as our hot water difficulties are only when the outside temps are lower.

[RvNewbieFl]

P.s... Ive never rode a dirt bike in my life... so im definitely planning ahead for the animals here when I probably break something...but will have a fantastic time till my trip to the hospital. I should probably look up the nearest hospital to Ocala national forest first tho... If you hear of a woman in her early 40's being airlifted out of Ocala national forest that's me and I had alittle too much fun...lol... in the mean time, I've paid all my dues and then some. It's time to bring on some creature comforts... which I started a thread on, would love to hear any and all ideas on what your creature comforts are and keep this thread open for the new tankless water heater. Which I'm 80% ready to order....

[RvNewbieFl]

Yeah definitely have to plan and look ahead for those super long away from home trips... State and Federal Parks are definitely not going to allow it, that's for sure. My rv has a bath tub tho and with a good hot water supply, I've been looking into the "Closeout Zone gentlet jet spa for bathtubs" it's actually 12v. Low amp $49.99 on Jet.com.... I'm also looking at a few bathtub mat bubble options too...That will be more my solution for smaller trips or trips where the Coleman, won't be an option. I sincerely recommend hot water spa therapy for anyone with pain issues. I've personally been on a totally natural pain management system for almost 5 years now in June. I just couldn't deal with the constant fog of Duragesic Morphine patches and refuse to continue that type of treatment. The last go around I had 100's of stitches, and heck the time before that.. they completely put my face back together... I will give the military credit tho... everytime ive needed to be put back together tho... they have sent me to great civilian plastic surgeons... you would have to look very close and probably even have to know where all the so many scares even are to see them... and I dont think I have a bone left in my body I haven't broken by now...
I'm actually buying a dirt bike ASAP and going out to Ocala national forest... at least this time if I break something... it's for me and no one else... I'm a farmer now and work my rear off out here... Heck my 21 year old can't even keep up with me... but I do suffer for it all later... nothing alittle hot water therapy, the right super foods, and the proper vitamin supplements can't fix...
Pedal to the metal....

[hohenwald48]

Most campgrounds I've been to won't even let you wash your car. I can't imagine what they might say if you start filling a 300 gallon hot tub. 🙂

[RvNewbieFl]

Dutchmensport
That's great to hear... mine is still in the box so far.... However, i really do use my home hot tub for pain relief. After being put back together, so many times, over and over again. It definitely takes it tolls after awhile. The military solution is pain meds. However I'm taking a natural approach that is really working for me. Which includes the hot tub therapy, and very specific foods, and vitamins. I can't really Imagen setting it up for small trips. However for longer month long trips,ect. I think it is a great alternative to allow me the freedom I want with the benefits of keeping my body on track. Thanks for the review of the Coleman, I'm super looking forward to trying it. I do wonder what ppl will say tho in the rv park, or a month long stay at a State park tho... should definitely be interesting....

[DutchmenSport]

RvNewbieFl wrote:
With all this talk ...of water conservation ...it's probably a bad time to mention the Coleman inflatable portable E-z spa hot tub I bought for long trips away from home in the rv...... 🙂

Not to hijack the thread, but we bought one of those too, a couple years ago. Set it up in the house. It ran non-stop for over a year. When Thanksgiving rolled around, we deflated it and put it out of sight so my 3 (under age 6) granddaughters would not do something stupid, like try to use it without us knowing it. Unfortunately, when we set it back up, it started leaking air and I could never find the place it was leaking. I still think it was where one of the connections fit against the side of the tub on the outside. We ended up tossing. For less than $400, we definitely got our money's worth out of it. We used it almost every single day, several times a day, as did my son and his son (who lived with us). We had it in the living room (concrete ceramic tiled floor). I think our mistake was taking it down after a year, the rubber cracked or something. But boy! What a great portable hot tub! Loved that thing! We are thinking about getting another one!

[RvNewbieFl]

With all this talk ...of water conservation ...it's probably a bad time to mention the Coleman inflatable portable E-z spa hot tub I bought for long trips away from home in the rv...... 🙂

[RvNewbieFl]

twxsby89 wrote:
I would recommend a water softener for tankless heaters (home and RV). The hard water minerals will deposit inside your tankless at a much quicker rate, eventually clogging it up.
https://www.flowpur.com/html/rv-pro10000.html
This item is on my short list of items needed for the RV.

Thankyou for the link, I love it, and the fact it works on regular table salt is an added bonus.
I have a whole house water softener system, that I buy huge bags of salt for. That and the saltwater pool and hot tub.
Unfortunately however in my RV, I actually have very little under storage space. And am already finding myself somewhat space storage challenged. So the fact it operates on regular table salt, without buying huge bags of salt to carry around. Is a huge selling point for me...

[westend]

DutchmenSport wrote:

westend wrote:
... The rest of the family, I don't know what they do in there?

You know, you could do some extra plumbing in your home. By-pass the hot water line come to that shower, and install a separate 6 gallon water heater JUST for the shower. You could even install it closer to the shower so you wouldn't have to run it very long to get hot.

Now, when the rest of the family takes that shower, well ... 6 gallons will run out pretty fast, and I guarantee you, everyone else in your family will start taking VERY quick showers! :B

I'm guessing they would just take three showers. 😞

I've actually already turned down the pressure in the water system (on a well, here), hoping to save some water usage. It didn't seem to make a difference, they still spend 15 minutes in there.

I dunno', maybe I just trained myself from riding on boats. There is just so much dirt on a standard sized set of skin and, now that I have the chrome dome, I'm in and out with a full wash and rinse fairly quick.

Maybe I should light some candles and put them all around the tub.:R

[twxsby89]

I would recommend a water softener for tankless heaters (home and RV). The hard water minerals will deposit inside your tankless at a much quicker rate, eventually clogging it up.
https://www.flowpur.com/html/rv-pro10000.html
This item is on my short list of items needed for the RV.

[DutchmenSport]

westend wrote:
... The rest of the family, I don't know what they do in there?

You know, you could do some extra plumbing in your home. By-pass the hot water line come to that shower, and install a separate 6 gallon water heater JUST for the shower. You could even install it closer to the shower so you wouldn't have to run it very long to get hot.

Now, when the rest of the family takes that shower, well ... 6 gallons will run out pretty fast, and I guarantee you, everyone else in your family will start taking VERY quick showers! :B

[Mao2015]

We have been full time in our rv for nearly a year,with full hook ups. 6 gallons is better than you think. Just be sure to upgrade your shower head and you should be fine.

[RvNewbieFl]

After spending the day researching. This is what I found.
1.) The tankless water heater actually uses 50% to 60% less propane then a regular hot water tank. Reason is because of course, your only using gas when hot water is needed instead of using gas to constantly to heat the tank.
2.) I have read issues of a stuck solenoid problem in generation..1 units
3.) If you do alot of boondocking, then this unit isn't for you. Everytime you stop the water flow. It basically starts all back over getting warm.. about 10 to 15 seconds everytime...
4 ) The Girard Tankless Water Heater
GSWH-2, was on amazon for $499.62
However that does not come with the outside door. Because i am possibly replacing the 6 gallon unit with the smaller Girard unit. The make a specific door that closes the outside gap... To my current knowledge it is Manufacture part # 2GWHD 42-3251. NOTE...That part number is for a white door, they also make it in black. Door price varies.. Approx $39.99
5.) Generation 1 doors are not compatible with generation 2 units...
6.) Tankless hot water heater does not work well with restricting shower heads. So if your conversing water. This is not for you.

I'm researching a few other brands first. Also I want to measure the opening tomorrow make sure whatever is ordered will properly fit... I will update when I have more information on this subject.

[westend]

My thoughts are that the OP is going to do the tankless installation so there's no need to discuss he limitations or possible downsides of the tankless vs tank models.

I'm still clueless why folks need such a great amount of water. Hair length and amount of skin surface is pretty much standard. I face this at home, too. I'm in and out of the shower in a few minutes. The rest of the family, I don't know what they do in there?