Anybody have experience with tankless water heaters?

[struggle4progress]

My old tank died and I need to replace it. Unfortunately, no modern tank will sit where the old one was. So either I put in a new tank somewhere else, or I go tankless. I'm leaning tankless

[Warpy]

1. I'm waiting for mine to die and then I'm going tankless

However, there are pros and cons to them like there are for just about everything. Some people will love them and some people will hate them.

Here's a good article on the good and bad: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06210/709475-30.stm

Since I live alone and don't use much hot water during the day, it's ideal for me. In a large household where people are constantly showering, running a dishwasher, doing laundry, and making other demands on the system, the cost of installation and higher cost of energy with each firing can negate any savings pretty quickly.

It will be nice to get the tank out of here, though.

[struggle4progress]

2. Thanks!

[amerikat]

3. Looked into tank less a couple of years ago.

I needed to replace my electric water heater.
The tank less were expensive. $600-$1000. The
tank less also needed two 60 amp circuits. Where I live
there is no natural gas only propane. So I opted for
a more efficient electric model. Got a shorter but larger
diameter one and moved it under the basement steps. I was able
to do the install myself. The new electric model was only
about $200.
Curious as to why you can't find a modern tank with the
approximate dimensions of the old one.??

[struggle4progress]

4. The existing gas-fired water tank is only about 35" tall -- and nothing much larger

would fit in the current location. I'm not finding anything comparable in gas: I've been told they don't make them anymore. So either I switch to electric (which is less efficient, and might require some additional wiring, but could go in approximately the same place), or I pay for replumbing gas and water lines to put a taller gas-fired tank elsewhere, or I pay for replumbing gas and water lines to put a tankless heater elsewhere

[Warpy]

5. Since repblumbing or rewiring seem to be in the cards

you might as well go tankless unless you're a heavy user with several adults in the house plus all the hot water using appliances people who don't live in dumps like mine have.

However, before you do that, check trailer suppliers. They might be able to come up with something that would fit the existing space.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

7. I get a lot of people asking about it.

Never installed the tank less system and i get a lot of pros and cons. i think Warpy summed it up from what i gather.

However I wonder if you called any water tank manufacturers about that or inquired about it through the manufacturer e mails-regarding the 35 inch high gas burners. That particular problem is not one I have ever come across ed. And they make 110 volt water tanks electric. That may be special order. Some of the old houses are still on 100 amp. service.200 amp.is what is called for as a rule.Gas appliances cut down on the electric draw.
so wiring in the electric tank will be dependant upon rather or not your maxed out on what your pulling in power-there in relation to what amp. service you're on.as far as wiring in a electric tank-it's just from the panel box to the tank- fairly simple job.

[struggle4progress]

8. No sense paying for the electric wiring: the panel isn't convenient to the water heater,

and an electric water heater would be a lot less efficient than gas

I could put in a larger gas water heater, in a different location, for rather less than a tankless, but it would still require electrical and plumbing work. And being bigger, it would waste more energy than my small tank did

So the efficiency issue isn't How long would it take to recapture the full cost of the tankless install? but rather How long would it take to recapture the difference between the cost of a tankless install and the cost of the crap I'd have to do for something else?

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

9. I'm seeing 30 gallon gas burners at 36 inch's high.

yours is 40 gallons I assume. The less volume the quicker it heats up ,On that number I would guess it depends on how much of the difference ten gallons less would be in your house hold . As I recall the time recovery on the expense of the tank less is quite lengthy. It was that factor that moved the client to replace the old tank with the same-the old tank was electric.cheaper to operate a tank less but the recovery after install was just a bit too unseemly.

I think you need to make some calls in your locality about perhaps a 30 gal. gas burner. Again ,the less volume of water the less time it will take to reach optimal temperature.

On bringing power from the box to location on the conversion to electric should you consider that- it is about stringing wire -like cable guy does to bring in cable from the poll. have you consulted a electrician about that? It could be the easiest and most efficient way to go given the circumstances.

So the 30 gallon low boy gas burner or convert to electric or absorb the cost of installing tank less.

It's just a thought.

Good luck.

[NMDemDist2]

6. we had a discussion on this about 5 years ago IIRC

I had one in Phoenix, but didn't stay in the house long enough to give it a true review. but for the year we had it, it worked great!

[Auggie]

10. Plumbers were telling me I needed a dedicated gas line

which added about another $1000.00 to the cost since the installation would have to run the length of the house.

The other thing I learned is that there are different size tankless units for different size families. And depending on the size you install you might have to plan to not run the dishwasher the same time you take a shower.

[ejpoeta]

11. we have one. Have had it for seven years now. We have an electric one.

And I don't remember the brand right now but they have been awesome. Sent a replacemnt when we had problems. Now, keep in mind that we have well water and have had issues with consistency with it getting hot and cold on us. But I love it. Takes up almost no space and I think uses less energy because it only runs when we are running hot water. If you have to replace it anyway, do some research and I think it would be worth the investment personally.