Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Tankless (instant on) Water Heater (Read 826 times) previous topic - next topic

Tankless (instant on) Water Heater

After my old Atwood 6 departed for water heater heaven I decided to go the instant-on (tankless) route and purchased a Girard tankless water heater.

After installation the maiden trip was this week and I have decided to remove it and replace it with another Atwood 6. The reasons were:

1) The method for controlling the water temperature is both crude, and in my opinion, somewhat dangerous. Specifically you can forget you have cold water. All temperature control is through the hot water side of the faucet and the higher the volume of flow the lower the temperature at the faucet. This means that you can get scalded if you only have a trickle flowing. I don't what my 15 month-old granddaughter anyplace close to that possibility.

2) For whatever reason at a flow rate of 1 gallon per minute (not enough to take a shower) the maximum water temperature I could get was about 75 degrees. When I contacted the factory they tried to solve the problem over the phone but to no avail. They did offer to pay the costs for one of their authorized dealers to either fix the problem or replace the water  heater, but given (1) I have decided not to waste the time or effort. They do not  have a return policy so the water heater is essentially going to be trashed unless I can find another, and safer, use.

I note in fairness that Girard has a clear description on their web site of the method of heat control, but that description did not make it clearly to the web site of the on-line seller I purchased from. In that sense, my bad.

Just one person's experience.
1992 U240 36'

Re: Tankless (instant on) Water Heater

Reply #1 –
@arwilson thanks for sharing. I like the idea of tankless water heater. Too bad the execution doesn't  work out in reality. At least you've spared the rest of us the pain of purchasing only to be disappointed.

see ya
ken
The selected media item is not currently available.ken & dori hathaway & Big Agnes
🍺1992 U300 GrandVilla WTBI #4150 FOT FBP 2011
✨6V-92TA DDEC Parlor Coach 350HP Series 92
🏁2011 Nissan XTerra Pro-4X

Re: Tankless (instant on) Water Heater

Reply #2 –
I installed a Girard about 18 month ago, for the first several months had nothing but problems, let's just call it a learning curve.  Now, more than a year later we love it.
Here's what you do.
Install a External New type Pressure Regulator with Gauge, set it at 45psi
Install Single Lever Faucets on Sinks, install Oxygenics Shower Head, remove Federal Flow devices from them.
Check Gas Pressure per instructions.
Be sure the Low or High Switch is installed properly.
Make sure the 12v power to unit is dedicated line.

There's nothing better than a never ending hot shower, we will not go back to a tanked unit.

If for any reason you have problems with the unit not lighting, reverse the wires on the Sail Switch.
Steve & Nancy Snow
1987 GV 40'

Re: Tankless (instant on) Water Heater

Reply #3 –
When we lived in Brazil we, like most people there, had an instant-on gas-powered water heater. It did take a bit of getting used to but once you figured out that turning the water flow DOWN made the temperature go UP (the water stays over the burners longer, after all) and vice-versa things got a lot easier. I did suspect that one could actually damage the unit by boiling the water but maybe they had safety valves. I never tested it and given so many other things in Brazil concerning safety (like walking on the sidewalks during rush hour, for instance) I'm pretty sure something would have broken or blown up.

My wife (er, ex-wife) loved it and would take long showers which I'm sure drove the cost up but since the Embassy paid the bill I was unconcerned.

I'd install one on my coach in a heartbeat if I could be assured that they are safe. No propane burning when not using hot water is a great idea, in my opinion.

Where did you put the unit?

Craig
1993 U225 36' Unihome GV with PACBRAKE exhaust retarder, Banks Stinger and Solar Panels.
Toad: 1999 Jeep Wrangler 2-door soft-top.

"No one has ever had to evacuate a city because the solar panels broke."

Re: Tankless (instant on) Water Heater

Reply #4 –
Craig in my case the Girard fit where the Atwood was under the Kitchen Sink.  Thing to do when installing, use the plastic FIP to Poly 90's.  If you have the Atwood Radiator Water pre-heater just plug it for now, I still need to crawl under and remove the "t"s  on the lines headed to the front heater. One other thing I failed to mention, about Boondocking with a Girard, you need the new SurFlow Revolution Pump, has better flow/pressure.
About Propane useage, there is none, well almost none, still have 1/2 tank from March when we started a delayed Arizona trip boondocking part of the time. 
The Girard People are great, anything I ask or need it's there the next day.
Steve & Nancy Snow
1987 GV 40'

Re: Tankless (instant on) Water Heater

Reply #5 –
Is there a way to use campground electricity to heat the instant-on hot water tank? We usually do not use propane to heat our water.

Re: Tankless (instant on) Water Heater

Reply #6 –
The Girard has no tank, think of it as a miniature swimming pool heater, water goes in cold and comes out hot. The Girard unit will raise the water temp about 40 to 60 degs plus or minus depending on water inlet temp.  Judge temperature by running over your wrist not hands. 
Steve & Nancy Snow
1987 GV 40'

Re: Tankless (instant on) Water Heater

Reply #7 –
it is more like a gas furnace except there is water in the coils instead of air that gets heated. Been around for dozens of years in Europe etc.
John
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: Tankless (instant on) Water Heater

Reply #8 –
AR,
      If you decide to trash it, I am interested in trying it out. I sent you a PM (private message).
Thanks,
Rick
Rick

Re: Tankless (instant on) Water Heater

Reply #9 –
I don't know anything about RV tankless water heaters, but considered installing a tankless water heater in our house.  It required a larger gas line (pipe) than a tank type gas water heater.  It would have been a major expense to change the gas pipe which passed through the walls of 2 stories, so just replaced the tank water heater.  Maybe the same holds true about the size of the gas line on an RV.
Jerry Whiteaker former owner 96 U270  36' #4831 Austin,TX-Owner Mods LCD TV w/front cabinet rebuild - LCD TV bedroom - Dual Central AC, either can cool coach w 30 amp - Skylights at roof AC openings - Drop ceiling for ducting of AC - Shower skylight white gelcoat/wood/epoxy frame - Air Springs/Shocks replaced - 2014 CRV - 8K Home Solar - Chevy Volt

Re: Tankless (instant on) Water Heater

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Jerry Whiteaker –
I don't know anything about RV tankless water heaters, but considered installing a tankless water heater in our house.  It required a larger gas line (pipe) than a tank type gas water heater.  It would have been a major expense to change the gas pipe which passed through the walls of 2 stories, so just replaced the tank water heater.  Maybe the same holds true about the size of the gas line on an RV.
Girard hooks up with existing 3/8" line, I will post pictures later today showing the unit in action. 
Steve & Nancy Snow
1987 GV 40'

Re: Tankless (instant on) Water Heater

Reply #11 –
OP
) For whatever reason at a flow rate of 1 gallon per minute (not enough to take a shower) the maximum water temperature I could get was about 75 degrees. When I contacted the factory they tried to solve the problem over the phone but to no avail. They did offer to pay the costs for one of their authorized dealers to either fix the problem or replace the water  heater, but given (1) I have decided not to waste the time or effort. They do not  have a return policy so the water heater is essentially going to be trashed unless I can find another, and safer, use
.
Check your water pressure, it must be 40-45PSI, if not boost with onboard tank water and pump. I know, last two slum parks we have stopped at,  the water pressure was only been 30 lbs.
Steve & Nancy Snow
1987 GV 40'

Re: Tankless (instant on) Water Heater

Reply #12 –
We replaced the reservoir type water heater with a good sized Bosch tankless without changing any gas pipe/fittings and it works great at the house. No problem with friction loss in the piping and the propane tank is over 100 feet from the house/heater. You do have to flow a minimum amount of water to activate the burner, depending on the tankless model. We have also installed a point of use 110V water heater under the kitchen sink so we get instant water regardless of the flow.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Tankless (instant on) Water Heater

Reply #13 –
We installed an RV-500 tankless in our '96 U295 a year ago last May and couldn't be more pleased. In search for just what to buy I rejected the Garard for the reason of the silly way of controlling the temp. We have plenty of hot water and the flow control/hot-cold lever on the shower is the original installed in '96 by Foretravel.
Larry
1996 U295 36'
Build # 4805
Actually we sold it but just like to lurk