Thor Forums

[steve2777]

I've got a 2018 Thor Siesta 24ST (Sprinter) that came with the Girard 2GWHAM tankless water heater. I've been following the threads for a while, and while the heater works great for "unlimited" hot water, I, like most tankless users, am troubled by the fact that it takes many seconds at maximum flow force (with the resulting water waste) for the hot water to begin; thereafter if, like in a shower, where you turn water off and on to conserve, you get a new blast of cold while the heater builds up to temperature.

I'm contemplating the purchase of a Bosch Mini-Tank 2.5 gallon electric heater to be installed in the hot water line exiting the Girard. This would allow for 2.5 gal. of water to already be hot, even if you used only a low flow rate such as for hand washing (the Girard doesn't come on at all at low flow rate); and if you were using a large amount of water with a high flow rate such as for showers, the initial cold water flowing out of the Girard (perhaps a pint or two?) would flow into and mix with the already hot 2.5 gal. in the Bosch, eliminating the "cold blast". Of course, the Bosch would only heat when you had 120v AC, but once heated, it might even provide a buffer for another day or so after disconnect, depending on how well insulated it is and how much you use the hot water.

I'm eager to give this a try, as I, like many "tankless" users, am tired of that sudden blast of cold in the shower or no hot at all at low flow levels. I can't think of any reason why this wouldn't solve the problem. Has anyone done this or had experience with this kind of setup?