Main > Everything Else

Water Heater Help

<< < (2/8) > >>

SavannahLion:

--- Quote from: CCM on December 25, 2011, 02:39:47 pm ---I read an article a while back that said tankless water heaters really are not worth the added expense.  It will literally take you years to recoup the cost.

--- End quote ---

But tankless do have a big advantage (at least in my book) where tanks don't. Given the right tankless, you'll still have hot water if the power goes out for extended periods. From what I understand, some tankless models have a miniature generator that creates electricity from the water pressure, ignites the gas (so they're pilot-less), and you get your hot water as long as you have water pressure and fuel. AFAIK, tanks don't have that capability. You run out of hot water when the power is out, you're going to be taking cold showers.

MonMotha:
Almost all the tank based gas water heaters I've seen use a pilot light so no electricity needed ever.  Newer models with power vent, etc. may use electronic ignition, though (but achieve quite a bit higher efficiency so lower gas bills), and of course electric tank heaters need electricity.

SavannahLion:

--- Quote from: MonMotha on December 25, 2011, 11:39:41 pm ---Almost all the tank based gas water heaters I've seen use a pilot light so no electricity needed ever.  Newer models with power vent, etc. may use electronic ignition, though (but achieve quite a bit higher efficiency so lower gas bills), and of course electric tank heaters need electricity.

--- End quote ---

Holy crap, they still make pilot light tanks? I should start taking a closer look at those older homes.

Quite honestly, I thought those all disappeared due to all the energy saving madness that's been going around.

Howard_Casto:
It's a common mis-conception. 

Natural gas water heaters, in either form, are generally more efficient than their electric counterparts.  The added benefit of havng water even when the power goes off is nice as well.  Of course the downside is having to run gas lines through your house.  It is a pretty hard thing to find in recent construction.

Most that even have electric ignition are capable of being manually lit.  Or at least so I've read.  We always get one with a pilot light.

Blanka:
Shop some in Holland. Hearing the discussion from the States is almost funny. I'm jealous at carpenters and their rates across the Atlantic, but water heaters, go ship one from here ;)

http://nl.remeha.com/index.php?id=90&tx_commerce_pi1[showUid]=10
That one fills up a bath as fast as a hot water tank, and has a conversion rate of >100% (not kidding).24x16x12 inch

If you have a lot of black outs:
http://nl.remeha.com/index.php?id=1299
Does electricity production too.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page

Go to full version