rv heater question...

[BG6]

ZubZub,

If it is operable....don't dispose of it.  The tanks eat thru and it will cost a lot to replace with a new item. 

Also there are a lot of coaches out there with two heaters cause Mama and the Kids need a lot.

Two more really good reasons to go with a tankless water heater!

[makemineatwostroke]

Here is a guy using the Atwood for hydronic heat  www.solarhaven.org/hparticle.htm. And for tankless hot water heaters those use a lot of engry when in use I have 2 Bosch in my my house there is no free lunch when heating water.My diesel fired system in the bus will use a lot more fuel making hot water on demand than the heating system will use.I did a test last year using induction for heating hot water that Sean said was a waste of time he was right         have a great day

[Len Silva]

ZubZub,

Anyone suggesting that you use that water heater for radiant heat has their tongue in their cheek.  That device is SOOOOO inefficient.  The hole in the lower right is the end of a "U" shaped pipe that exits the tank at the upper left behind that grill.  That exhaust gets so hot your skin will "stick" to it if touched.  The water is heated by the u shaped "chimney" that is in contact with the water inside the tank.  After the water is heated the flame goes out but that chimney still keeps ambient air flowing thru the chimney and cooling the water.  It is a very inefficient device but it works very well and there is one on every coach I have ever seen unless the have an electric HWH.

It can be made much more efficient by putting an insulating pad over the entire outside assemble and securing it to the skin.  Insulated and closed up that way you must use an electric element to heat the water.  I have full timed with this and it was no problem....used a lot of propane when elect wasn't available.

There is a "on demand" system that heats only the water you are using and quits when you turn off the hot water.  They have them with propane and electric.  Electric one are wimpy and voracious power eaters.  The propane ones cost $700 but aren't as expensive as it seems considering that one you have sells for a few hundred.  The on-demand is also much more efficient even though it sounds like a jet engine when fired up.

While you are looking at all that propane stuff make sure you don't have any compression fittings in the lines..only at the device and the manifold...each end.  The copper tubing should run from the manifold to the device and have no splices.  I took out all my long and cumberson propane lines and spent a day carefully cutting the tubing and fitting it really pretty with compression fittings.  Right angles around wall hugging corners and perfect verticals and horizontals.....and what an idiot I was.  Each and every joint on that line was a "failure point" and I installed about 20 of em.  Propane usually only leaks once and that is the end of the coach....and you if you are in there.   I redid everything I had done previously and took it back to original.

Just thought I would jaw awhile seeing as you said you didn't know what was in there and were a little green.

HTH

John

John,

It is my understanding that propane uses ONLY 45 degree flare fittings, never compression.

[Jriddle]

Now that we have decided that the pic is a water heater I have a question about what I would like to do. I have a 45,000 BTU Webasto for heating system. I have a 12 GAL water heater with 110 element and a heat exchanger in it. The water heater will take up a fair amount of room as it is well insulated and has fiberglass shell, marine job I guess. I like the idea of installing a heat exchanger for a on demand water heater and save the space. But like the option of having the 110 element when plugged in and having the 12 GAL water storage. How well do the on demand systems work with the webasto heater. I'm looking for any pros and cons.

Thanks John

[makemineatwostroke]

John; you will get different answers and views on this subject but every coach I have owned before this one has had the Seaward hot water heater with the built in heat exchanger and 110 v element like you are describing.To me it is a better system than the demand your neighbors don't have to put up with stink and the noise from the diesel fired systems and with 6 grandkids in the bus during ski season the demand systems are not endless.FWIW I am looking for space to install a Seaward unit in my coach.                  have a great day

[JohnEd]

Len,

You have reiterated my original point.  I added numerous compression fittings to my gas system.  When I got smarter and learned that compression fittings were not legal because they eventually leak I redid everything I had done to bring it back to original, and safe, spec.  The 45 degree "DOUBLE", and I repeat "DOUBLE", flare fittings are the only way to go for gas and those are at the appliance/manifold ends of a spliceless copper tube.

Your caution was not wasted on me even if I had already been there.  I know in my heart that there is somebody out there that will NOT make the same mistake I did because of your warning.  That will most probably save a life down the line and neither of us will know that and neither will the guy that would have made the mistake.  I consider redoing my gas system to make it pretty and more space efficient one of my greatest follies and it could have cost me my life.  I would have been spared the added work and years of danger had I asked nearly anybody in the trade about what I planned to do.  TRUISM:  "You don't know what you don't know".

Thanks from the bottom of my uncooked heart.  Still raw in Eugene,

John