Tell me why not to use this hot water heater.

[philiptompkjns]

What are all the reasons why I would not want to use this hot water heater?
http://cgi.ebay.com/PROPANE-TANKLESS-HOT-WATER-HEATER-CAMPING-SHOWER-RV-NEW_W0QQitemZ300374070928QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item45efb09690#ht_2988wt_930

Obviously it would have to be mounted outside, maybe on the backside of the bays... or in the bay and vented with a chimney.
i'm sure it is a bad idea or else more people would be using them.

-Thanks

[scanzel]

Someone out there has probably tried and used one of these and I even thought they would be great. Yes you would have to vent them out side some even have a fresh air intake so you could possible mount in in the living area in a closet with proper venting. But as to wether items like this that are made for residential use would stand up to the vibrations and bumps of a rv coach, no one knows. There has been no long term study. Good Luck.

[philiptompkjns]

well if "it's not really tested yet" is the worst reason... A $120 experiment dosen't sound like a bad deal. Cheap RV tank hot water heaters don't seem to hold up too well anyway.

[desi arnaz]

how/where do we vent it? i think i could mount it underneath but the exuast may be problematic?

[philiptompkjns]

how/where do we vent it? i think i could mount it underneath but the exuast may be problematic?

well, there is a chimney on the top which could be routed to prevent the buildup of fumes...

[Fred Mc]

I have a Paloma which is very similar to this one but is 20 years old. The only difference is that this one is electric start and mine is a pilot light which is a great improvement. I put mine is a bay and ran a duct out to a vent on the bay door. Given that there is no pilot light and these heaters run intermitantly I don't see what the danger is provide the exhaust is vented. To my mind  there is less  CO gas danger that cooking on a propane stove where you leave  on for a lot longer that the hot water heater.

[cody]

I wish I knew more about these water heaters, I've got a 30 gallon electric water heater in the bus that works on 120 volt electric, I fire it up in the morning and it seems to hold the heat for a long time, but I've picked up a whole house tankless heater that works off natural gas for jamies house, it calls for a 3/4 inch gas line so I'm scared at how much gas it might use lol, I guess it's just a tankless job lol. sorry that was bad lol but I'm watching the responses carefully, even an old dog like me can learn new stuff now and then.

[JohnEd]

First....It isn't approved.  That must coast many hundreds of thousands so you only see these made by Bosch and the like.

Second.....It is NOT approved for RV use.  NOT, I SAY...NOT!  But then I don't think any of those home units are approved and lots of guys are installing them with great results.....so far.  But I haven't yet heard any of the experts sounding alarms for that.  Ever the shorty electric house water heaters aren't approved for "bouncing" down the road.  But then, if I need to don a kidney belt to take a spin....well then we have other problems.  Course, cause I didn't hear them doesn't mean they weren't speaking.....hearing loss, unnerstan.

This looks like a great idea.  You are only missing the auto gas cutoff for propane leaks.  Mount it in the bay and maybe plumb it in as an emergency spare.  At $120 you can install two and have the emergency spare there.

Check out the Bosh units.  They have a "power vent" accessory to push the ex out and even down.  If this were in a bay it would vent out the side just like a furnace or water heater was intended by God.

This is another case of the Chinese out trading the Germans.

Where are the isolationists when you need them?

John

[JohnEd]

Cody,

The tankless are billed as being way more efficient than a tank.  Given your comments, I expect that they use a lot of gas for a short period to achieve that efficiency.  The 3/4 would not scare me but I would check on the BTU rating of that Pup....it might be for an apartment bldg.  Check them out on line for all that efficiency hype.

John

[cody]

John, it's a bosch unit for a home and it says it replaces a 40 gallon home unit, and yep it's approved lol, complete with a 5 inch vent, yep 5 inch lol.  Box says it's an Aqua Star-125-BNG model, so far the box is unopened lol.

[JohnEd]

I have looked that one over in the big Home store.  It was the absolute best.  It needs that unrestricted exhaust as it pushes a lot of air through the burner when it is in high gear.  Go and look at the specs and you will find that it needs the aux blower if your vert run exceeds such and such or if you put a single 90 degree bend in....I think it will only take "none" without help.  The kit was $135 here a year ago.

Good luck with the install,

John

[cody]

Glad to know it's ok, like I said I'm following this thread with interest, vested interest, as I've already got a fair initial investment going, as far as the install I'll let somebody that knows what they are doing take care of the install, but I've got a natural gas line right by where it's going along with a masonary chimney right beside it that can have the proper liner or whatever it needs installed.

[buswarrior]

The linked page says it will give a 45 degree rise in water temp?

That would be warm water, not hot?

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[JohnEd]

BW,

The professionals install these in "series" to get a 90 degree bump.  No telling what they are professionals at.   How did you dry out that mouse?   Expiring minds and all that...

Jojm

[Fred Mc]

On the Paloma that I have it has the same size gas line as the other propane units on my bus( stove and heater).When you take off the cover you can see a series of nozzles below a zig zag of tubing. When the burner fires there is a LOT of flame going on and it produces lots of exhaust in the form of heat that goes into a hood to which I have attached a 4 inch elbow which directs the exhaust to a vent on the bay door. When pressure in the line falls (i.e. open tap) the flame starts and quits when the pressure builds up again (tap closed). The unit will raise the temp of water a certain number of degrees -forget how much. So the warmer the water starts out the hotter it will get. We are summer campers only so I don't know how it would work with the water temp at 32-40 deg.
Over the years I have had this, it has needed repairs to the tubing twice-due to improper winterization and thus freezing. Both times I have been able to solder the hole shut.
Other than that there has been NO maintenance on it.

Things like low flow nozzles play hell with this unit as they restrict the water flow tricking the unit into thinking there is pressure and it turns off.This was a REAL problem with taking a shower until I discovered what the problem was.

As far a vibration problems in the bus there have been none and I've had it for 20 years. If that is a concern mount it on rubber feet.

If I was looking at the unit in question I would buy it and install it with an exhaust to the outside. I would then test it using a  CO monitor  in the location where it is installed as well as in the living area.I would bet it produces less CO than your propane stove.

In terms of practical usage, when you need hot water to do dishes it might run for 30 seconds. When you shower it probably will run for only a few minutes at a time(or until you run out of water).When you need it to wash up it might run for 10-15 seconds.

The rest of the time the unit uses NO PROPANE AT ALL.

And it only takes up a minimal amount of space.

Fred Mc.