Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 2 of 2 1 2
Re: Tankless Water Heaters Suck
onn #391135 03/17/13 08:04 PM
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,116
connoisseur
OP Offline
connoisseur
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,116
Originally Posted By: onn
OK you were using someone else's system. So you're basing you opinion on tankless based on a system that you don't know if it's working properly. Did you raise your concerns with the owners of the house? If you did what did they say


It is what it is. Nothing wrong with the system. Takes a while to get hot water, can't try to run too much hot water at once on different sources, doesn't sustain itself as well. Apparently a common trade-off of tankless. A cousin of mine also switched to a tankless the last couple years (family of 4) and they are not that impressed either. This was just my first time using one. Wouldn't switch to one at this point either. I'm all for efficient equipment too as I have one of the most efficient residential HVAC systems you can buy on the market.


I’m armed and I’m drinking. You don’t want to listen to advice from me, amigo.

-Max Payne
Re: Tankless Water Heaters Suck
BlueJays1 #391137 03/17/13 08:31 PM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,840
Likes: 13
shareholder in the making
Offline
shareholder in the making
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,840
Likes: 13
2 of my neighbors have no issues with their systems and large families, constant showers, etc. jm2c


M80s VP180 4xM22ow 4xM3ic EP600 2xEP350
AnthemAVM60 Outlaw7700 EmoA500 Epson5040UB FluanceRT85


Re: Tankless Water Heaters Suck
SirQuack #391139 03/17/13 08:42 PM
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,116
connoisseur
OP Offline
connoisseur
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,116
Originally Posted By: PorterPlex
2 of my neighbors have no issues with their systems and large families, constant showers, etc. jm2c


Sure, the whole point of tankless is hot water on demand. You can't "run out" like that with an undersized tank system. I've only had that happen staying in Collingwood at cottages. With the tankless it is just that hot water is A LOT more finicky than what I would want to deal with on a daily basis.


I’m armed and I’m drinking. You don’t want to listen to advice from me, amigo.

-Max Payne
Re: Tankless Water Heaters Suck
BlueJays1 #391143 03/17/13 10:52 PM
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,357
connoisseur
Offline
connoisseur
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,357
Originally Posted By: BlueJays1
Certainly. But with the tankless I can use the shower right after someone and still be dealing with cold water. On the other hand with a normal water heater there would be instantaneous hot water for that person.


I have had an instantaneous water heater for 5-6 years. The aforementioned is completely false regardless of the distance from the tank because the water doesn't have enough time to cool in the pipes. If you have a shower right after someone, an on-demand water heater provides the identical performance that a conventional water heater will.

Originally Posted By: BlueJays1
Or someone washing their hands in the washroom a half hour later. But still, I have never waited so long than with that tankless system and even then I just gave up on the hot water while washing my hands. Never have done that before.


The first sentence is very true, but this is because there's been a long span between calls for hot water at that point. ergo the water cools. The remainder of the paragraph indicates that the water heater isn't quite working to it's potential. A very common causation of an underperforming tankless unit is mineral deposits. Most people don't know that the tanks a *supposed* to be flushed with vinegar once a year.


The only reasonable argument for owning a gun is to protect yourself from the police.
Re: Tankless Water Heaters Suck
BlueJays1 #391145 03/17/13 11:18 PM
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,116
connoisseur
OP Offline
connoisseur
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,116
I don't think it is a false statement. Sure, the water becomes hot quicker than it is for the first shower, but not as quick as a normal water heater. But this could be due to making adjustments as well. It seemed I had less control, it would get cold for a second or to even when I was still adjusting on the hot side.

Apparently waiting a minute or longer for hot water is "normal" on a tankless from what I have been reading, so I don't think it was under performing. It was also the first time the washroom was used that day.


I’m armed and I’m drinking. You don’t want to listen to advice from me, amigo.

-Max Payne
Re: Tankless Water Heaters Suck
BlueJays1 #391158 03/18/13 02:19 AM
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,177
connoisseur
Offline
connoisseur
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,177
Yes, depending on the house layout it could take over a minute for the water to get hot. Our last house, because of its size, would take that long - even with the conventional tank.

The cold "shot" you got in the middle of the shower was because the water volume dropped below the minimum flow rate, and the burner shut off. He either needs a new flow sensor, or take the restrictor out of the shower head. This may also explain the extended turn on time.

Quote:
can't try to run too much hot water at once on different sources, doesn't sustain itself as well.

Actually, the more taps you have open, the better the heater works. The increased flow is sensed, and the modulating gas valve ramps up to a higher firing rate. My daughter wakes up and showers at the same time I do in the morning. We both have scalding hot water - indefinitely.

Quote:
If you have a shower right after someone, an on-demand water heater provides the identical performance that a conventional water heater will.


Not always. Once the tap has been shut off, and then turned back on, there will be a short delay before the burner re-fires. During this time, cold water will be flowing through. It has happened here.

Quote:
It seemed I had less control, it would get cold for a second or to even when I was still adjusting on the hot side.


That is part of the problem there. If you are using individual hot & cold taps, the hot should be full out, and then make adjustments on the cold side.

For us, having unlimited hotwater is well worth the trade off of waiting 30 extra seconds. At the end of the day, they are not perfect, and not for every one. But saying they all suck is unfair. It is like saying all Axiom subs suck because a few have had amp issues.


Shawn

Epic 80/600 + M3's + M3 Algonquins + M2 Computer + EP125
I think I'm developing an addiction.
Re: Tankless Water Heaters Suck
BlueJays1 #391160 03/18/13 02:27 AM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,420
J
shareholder in the making
Offline
shareholder in the making
J
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,420
Originally Posted By: BlueJays1

Interesting. So essentially this would be considered a hybrid water heater? Your setup sounds more promising and much less of a compromise to me than a full on tankless system.
That is what it is a hybrid system. If you google tankless water heaters you should find the correct method is to have a circulation pump connection to each station and/or under cabinet electric heaters etc. to cover for the time it takes the tankless to get hot water to the faucet when in use.

I would even suggest a circulation pump for standard water heaters when you have long runs, really cuts down on how much water gets wasted while waiting for hot water to arrive. My pump has a timer and I can have it shut down circulation during the night and start up just before we start our morning routines.


Jason
M80 v2
VP160 v3
QS8 v2
PB13 Ultra
Denon 3808
Samsung 85" Q70
Re: Tankless Water Heaters Suck
BlueJays1 #391169 03/18/13 04:52 AM
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,703
connoisseur
Offline
connoisseur
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,703
My brother in law put a tankless in when he built his house and a few years later he disconnected it and put in a 50 gal. The tankless is still sitting on the wall (but not connected).

Page 2 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  alan, Amie, Andrew, axiomadmin, Brent, Debbie, Ian, Jc 

Link Copied to Clipboard

Need Help Graphic

Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics24,939
Posts442,452
Members15,615
Most Online2,082
Jan 22nd, 2020
Top Posters
Ken.C 18,044
pmbuko 16,441
SirQuack 13,840
CV 12,077
MarkSJohnson 11,458
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 221 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newsletter Signup
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4