On Demand Hot Water

Lauriv · 08-22-2021, 11:44 PM

We have a regular hot water tank and would like to install an on-demand hot water heater in its place. Anyone done this? We have a 35SM 2018 Four Winds.

USMarineNCO · 08-23-2021, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lauriv

We have a regular hot water tank and would like to install an on-demand hot water heater in its place. Anyone done this? We have a 35SM 2018 Four Winds.

I've inquired here before about this for my 30FE...didn't get much. I haven't pulled the trigger on it yet....still deciding if it's something I want to tackle since in my coach I have to remove the oven to get to the hot water heater.

Pete'sMH · 08-23-2021, 08:28 PM

I happen to like the simplicity of my old school 6 gallon tank but judging by the number of issues people report with on demand systems I think I’d be reluctant to to the change anyway.

**16ACE27** · 08-23-2021, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

I happen to like the simplicity of my old school 6 gallon tank but judging by the number of issues people report with on demand systems I think I’d be reluctant to to the change anyway.

Ditto!

DavidEM · 08-23-2021, 08:54 PM

The Girard is designed to fit in the space occupied by most tank type water heaters. But as others have said, why do it?

The Girard and presumably its competitor the Truma requires you to turn your hot water on full blast to get enough flow to trigger the burner. If you turn it on full and it is too hot, so you cut back on hot and add a little cold, it will get real cold after 5-10 seconds as the flow is too low to trigger the burner on. That is my biggest beef with it- you have to keep the water flow on full and adjust the external control panel to increase or decrease the temp. Tough to do while showering.

It does save a bit of propane by not having to keep a full 6 gallons of water hot all of the time. On the other hand it can waste water as it is not possible to turn the water off while showering. If you do it will be hot for 5 seconds, then turn cold while the burner heats up and then 5-10 seconds later it is back hot again. All of that wastes water.

One plus is that you do not have to drain it over the winter and move the bypass valves. Either the blowing method or the RV antifreeze method will winterize it just fine.

I have used them both and much prefer the tank type water heater.

David

Pholden44 · 08-29-2021, 02:14 AM

After much frustration with the Girard tankless, I replaced it with a Suburban 6 gal tank heater. Much, much nicer. I primarily boondock so I save a lot of water now. I think the Truma may not have the same problems as the Girard and may be worth a look.

Matthew · 08-30-2021, 12:26 AM

I like the tankless.
Had both, two travel trailers and now Four Winds 31y with Girard.
Key for us is to know what task you're about to get into.
Shower, 96 for me, 106 for better half.
Dishes, crank it up.
Hotter the water, easier to clean.

**16ACE27** · 08-30-2021, 01:03 AM

Drive-by. OP has never been back to read any of the answers.

Scubawise · 08-30-2021, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidEM

The Girard is designed to fit in the space occupied by most tank type water heaters. But as others have said, why do it?

The Girard and presumably its competitor the Truma requires you to turn your hot water on full blast to get enough flow to trigger the burner. If you turn it on full and it is too hot, so you cut back on hot and add a little cold, it will get real cold after 5-10 seconds as the flow is too low to trigger the burner on. That is my biggest beef with it- you have to keep the water flow on full and adjust the external control panel to increase or decrease the temp. Tough to do while showering.

It does save a bit of propane by not having to keep a full 6 gallons of water hot all of the time. On the other hand it can waste water as it is not possible to turn the water off while showering. If you do it will be hot for 5 seconds, then turn cold while the burner heats up and then 5-10 seconds later it is back hot again. All of that wastes water.

One plus is that you do not have to drain it over the winter and move the bypass valves. Either the blowing method or the RV antifreeze method will winterize it just fine.

I have used them both and much prefer the tank type water heater.

David

We love the tankless. Wife set temp 118 and no cold water needed. I had 6 gal and constantly used propane to stay hold..sound was on and off constantly in cold weather

So far A +

Pete'sMH · 08-30-2021, 03:23 AM

Well you don’t have to leave the tank on all the time since the recovery time is so short. Especially if you can use electric as well as propane. We turn ours off at night and usually after breakfast as well.

happy · 09-01-2021, 04:23 PM

What about mineral build up?
Seems that an RV being subject to so many different water sources will be hit by hard mineralized water. Does either system handle this better?

Scubawise · 09-01-2021, 04:30 PM

Both systems are fine ..

DavidEM · 09-01-2021, 05:27 PM

I would turn our tank type water heater on about 15 minutes before I was ready for a shower and it would be plenty hot by then. Afterwards I would turn it off until the next night. It used very little propane this way.

David

Scubawise · 09-01-2021, 06:06 PM

So far we love the tankless..really nice setting temp and not touching cold setting...we notice about 2 to 3 days more propane vs. Our 6 gal tank

**EA37TS** · 09-01-2021, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy

What about mineral build up?
Seems that an RV being subject to so many different water sources will be hit by hard mineralized water. Does either system handle this better?

Mineral deposits in water will reduce water flow in shower and sink faucets which can cause reduced flow at a tankless water heater and as a result possibly not enough flow to energize the water heater. This was a repeated problem with the Rinnai system on our sticks and bricks. I had to replace shower heads often because of the mineral deposits causing low flow.

Based on experience tankless is good for target practice only. A number of folks have converted from tankless to conventional water heaters.

robertirvine1 · 09-04-2021, 06:20 PM

We have it on our 2019 thor Quantum. Dont waste your money. It hasn't worked right since new. Several times to the shop. Countless hacks dont work from filter to pressure regulators. To shower heads . I'm having changed to propane electric. Problem solved

txc2936@yahoo.com · 09-04-2021, 10:13 PM

I have the 6 gal. I think the water temp was too high. so i started replacing the set theromostat with an adjustable one.

After monkeying around with tne new one. I just removed it and put the factory unit back in. At some point good enough is good enough. If it aint broken dont fix it.

So we just turn on the cold water high and add hot as needed during showers.

tbl5142 · 09-04-2021, 10:22 PM

We don't like our Tankless HWH. We constantly have issues with it. Our latest issue, we set the shower for 100-105 and it won't stop until it reaches 116-122. If we add cold it shuts down the HWH and we get blasted with cold. We took it to Gander RV, they could not figure it out, says it works as designed. If that's true than the design sucks. We had multiple RVs in the past, all with Tanked HWH, we're going to replace our tankless with a 10 gallons Subruban, DSI Propane/Electric system.

chunker21 · 09-05-2021, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

Drive-by. OP has never been back to read any of the answers.

That's too bad because I was going to give them my Girard if they would pay the install of their tank type. I really dislike the Girard.

Mgtv53 · 09-06-2021, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lauriv

We have a regular hot water tank and would like to install an on-demand hot water heater in its place. Anyone done this? We have a 35SM 2018 Four Winds.

I had on demand water heater they are not as good as some say save your money keep what you have I had both we did not care for tankless. I know people who had tankless and they switched to the 6 gallon tanks. Like they say it is your money. Trust me .

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