Here's a little comparison from a residential propane fired "Demand" Hot Water System we had for many years.
1600 sf house, two baths, 2 adults, each taking a shower or bath daily, cooking, washing dishes & laundry all powered by propane.
Four years consumption was right on 1/2 gallon per day.
Then we went from wood heat to propane heat and consumption jumped to 2.0 to 2.5 gallons per day in the winters depending on the outside temps up next to the Canadian Border.
In an RV hot water consumption should be considerably less.
It's a good process basically bulletproof, we've had it in 2 separate homes over the years.
The first system lasted us 16 years before it had to be replace.
Roger
1991 - 38" American Eagle - 8.3 Cummin's w/Allison 4spd
(Purchased 4-15-10 w/5,600 miles on it)
99 Dodge Durango/SLT 4X4 - Toad
After doing a bunch of reading,I think I've decided on the EZ Deluxe tankless. It draws the combustion air from outside...then exhausts it back out thru the same flue...by having an oversized flue, with a smaller flue INSIDE it...think a small pipe inside a bigger pipe. Exhaust goes out the center pipe...while intake air comes in thru the bigger part. This also has the advantage that the flue holding the hot exhaust never touches the wall, because the intake insulates it.
Also, since it gets the combustion air from outside, the "unconfined air space" limitations of other tankless units don't come into play, and it can be installed in much smaller space.
K3WE wrote: To some extent a typical RV water heater is already "on demand" ;-)
The on demand part refers to the water not being heated until there is a demand for it. other terms are tankless water heaters and instant water heaters.
Well to that extent that is what the electric and gas switches are for for my regualr water heater...
Thats my solution also since I don't ddo a lot of cold weather camping. We turn them on a few minutes prior to needing hot water and then off once we are done. When we sit down to eat, they go on and are ready by the time we need them for dishes. Turn them on 15-20 minutes lead time for a shower and we are good. Saves me a little propane during the course of the day but it's not the end of the earth if we forget to turn it off when not going to be used for a while. My experience is that the water heater and fridge uses very little propane, the furnace is the only real propane hog.
You're mincing words to fit your bill, but "on demand" is inherently defined as being tankless. Just because you turn yours on when you present a demand to it does not make it on-demand. You still have to wait while it heats up all of the water in the water heater tank, whereas a tankless is ready within seconds to produce hot water. There's a lot less energy wasted or needed to heat up maybe the 1 gallon I would use for doing dishes with a tankless system vs. the 6 gallons that had to first be heated in a tank system.
TheLandYacht wrote: After doing a bunch of reading,I think I've decided on the EZ Deluxe tankless. It draws the combustion air from outside...then exhausts it back out thru the same flue...by having an oversized flue, with a smaller flue INSIDE it...think a small pipe inside a bigger pipe. Exhaust goes out the center pipe...while intake air comes in thru the bigger part. This also has the advantage that the flue holding the hot exhaust never touches the wall, because the intake insulates it.
Also, since it gets the combustion air from outside, the "unconfined air space" limitations of other tankless units don't come into play, and it can be installed in much smaller space.
I checked the warranty (it took a bunch of searching to find it) and it appears that one must have this unit professionally installed in order to have a warranty. I would suggest contacting the company in writing or email (so you have a written record of what is said) and ask about where you plan on installing it.
Other than that, it looks interesting.
* This post was
edited 06/05/12 07:39am by Lady Fitzgerald *
I checked the warranty (it took a bunch of searching to find it) and it appears that one must have this unit professionally installed in order to have a warranty. I would suggest contacting the company in writing or email (so you have a written record of what is said) and ask about where you plan on installing it.
Other than that, it looks intersting.
That part's not an issue. My oldest brother's been a practicing (licensed) plumber since before I could walk.
And the warranty's one click away from their main-page (hover over SUPPORT on the main page, scroll down to WARRANTY and it pops up right there.
* This post was
edited 06/04/12 10:16pm by TheLandYacht *
I checked the warranty (it took a bunch of searching to find it) and it appears that one must have this unit professionally installed in order to have a warranty. I would suggest contacting the company in writing or email (so you have a written record of what is said) and ask about where you plan on installing it.
Other than that, it looks interesting.
That part's not an issue. My oldest brother's been a practicing (licensed) plumber since before I could walk.
And the warranty's one click away from their main-page (hover over SUPPORT on the main page, scroll down to WARRANTY and it pops up right there.
I know where the warranty is; it just took a while before I found it because there are so many places to click on that website.
I would still check with the company to make sure they will warranty the unit if installed on an RV. With most manufacturers, the warranty is void if installed on an RV or even a mobile home. It doesn't cost anything to ask and it could save you a bunch.
I would still check with the company to make sure they will warranty the unit if installed on an RV. With most manufacturers, the warranty is void if installed on an RV or even a mobile home. It doesn't cost anything to ask and it could save you a bunch.
Good call on the warranty regarding installation in an RV. Their answer was...
EZ Tankless wrote: Yes, if installed inside the RV it will void the warranty. But if anything were to go wrong, we do not beat you up on parts prices.
Does this change my mind in the purchase? Nope. The next best bet that DOES stipulate RV use is over twice as much.
One of three things will happen.
1. I'll install it & it works as advertised. YAY!
2. I'll install it & it doesn't work (or doesn't work well). BOO! Flame the **** out of EZ Tankless. But I've yet to see any flames of EZ
3. I'll intall it & it craps out in a few years. That's no different from any other appliance, only difference is the warranty.
I'm bettin on #3 myself (although hoping for #1). Going in with my eyes wide open to the possible pitfall with the warranty. If it craps out (or part of it does), I'll have learned hopefully enough to fix it or have it fixed...still for less than the next cheapest "RV stipulated" unit.
I would still check with the company to make sure they will warranty the unit if installed on an RV. With most manufacturers, the warranty is void if installed on an RV or even a mobile home. It doesn't cost anything to ask and it could save you a bunch.
Good call on the warranty regarding installation in an RV. Their answer was...
EZ Tankless wrote: Yes, if installed inside the RV it will void the warranty. But if anything were to go wrong, we do not beat you up on parts prices.
Does this change my mind in the purchase? Nope. The next best bet that DOES stipulate RV use is over twice as much.
One of three things will happen.
1. I'll install it & it works as advertised. YAY!
2. I'll install it & it doesn't work (or doesn't work well). BOO! Flame the **** out of EZ Tankless. But I've yet to see any flames of EZ
3. I'll intall it & it craps out in a few years. That's no different from any other appliance, only difference is the warranty.
I'm bettin on #3 myself (although hoping for #1). Going in with my eyes wide open to the possible pitfall with the warranty. If it craps out (or part of it does), I'll have learned hopefully enough to fix it or have it fixed...still for less than the next cheapest "RV stipulated" unit.
Thanks for the warranty info. Keep us posted on how the installation goes (pictures would be nice...no, wait...I'm thinking there is a law requiring pictures...yes, pictures are required by law) and how well it works. I'm really interested in this (and, like, you hoping for #1).
Offline
