Replace Tankless Water Heater

[funmoneypit]

Originally Posted by 18Axis

I have a 2018 25.2 Axis, love the coach, HATE the tankless water heater, I have read and done ALL of the suggestions I could find on here and other sites. Yes the heater works but I almost always dry camp and this heater wastes water big time.
My question is, has anyone swapped this tankless heater out for a normal tank heater? I have looked everywhere and cannot find an answer as to whether or not it is possible. If someone has done it or knows where I can find the info, please let me know.

Thank you

I am in the same boat as you. I don't like how long it takes to get hot water. I think the biggest challenge for me to switch over is the outside door. The tank heater has a different venting setup. My door has graphics going through it so a plain white door won't work.

My rig came with a 10 gallon tank heater the year prior to mine so I know it will fit. You have to plumb for the bypass which is easy enough. You also have to get 110 electric to the heater as the Girard doesn't use 110v, just 12v.

I am following the other thread where the OP is trying to use a small tank heater installed after the Girard to help with the wait. I might try that after I see his results. Biggest issues there is if you don't have electric hookup and then winterizing.

It's good that some have found a way to live with the short comings of the Girard. Some would like to improve it or replace it. Each their own.

[revjeffrey]

Added Oxygenics showerhead and mine works perfectly every time.

[funmoneypit]

Originally Posted by revjeffrey

Added Oxygenics showerhead and mine works perfectly every time.

We have an Oxygenics showerhead on both of our showers. Please tell me how this has helped with the initial wait for the water to get warm/hot. Oxygenics basically gives you the feeling of more water pressure. It doesn't have anything to do with temperature. Maybe I am missing something.

[Judge]

It reduces water flow I believe so theoretically you would use less water while you wait for it to heat up.

[funmoneypit]

Originally Posted by Judge

It reduces water flow I believe so theoretically you would use less water while you wait for it to heat up.

I guess. Still doesn't do anything for the actual wait for the hot water. Might even make the wait longer if it is going slower through the lines. My point was the Oxygenics isn't going to make your tankless heater work any better. I wish it did as like I said, we already have them.

[Judge]

Personally..... I think the ShowerMiser is that way to go. Less expensive than replacing the water heater and it conserves the fresh water. Also going to reduce gray tank filling. Run it as long as needed till the water heats up while conserving water.

[funmoneypit]

Originally Posted by Judge

Personally..... I think the ShowerMiser is that way to go. Less expensive than replacing the water heater and it conserves the fresh water. Also going to reduce gray tank filling. Run it as long as needed till the water heats up while conserving water.

Yes, I have considered that also. Definitely addresses the water waste at least at the faucet it is hooked up to. We shall see.

[Bob Denman]

If you decide to use one: please let us all know how it works out for you.
Good luck!

[18Axis]

I am glad for those of you that like the tankless heaters, I am NOT one of those. Like I said, I dry camp almost always and these style of heaters are not conducive to saving water, heating up well for on/off showers, rinsing dishes and I don't know if any of you have camped during colder months (not below freezing) but when its very cool outside it also takes even longer for the water to get up to temp. (I set mine to 107 for showers and 118 for use in the sinks and when the holding tank water is cold it takes awhile for the heater to even get to 118)
That shower miser thingy looks workable, I also have just considered running a bypass right after the tankless heater so that it stays running when you have a shower or doing dishes and then just shut the valve off when not needed. These 2 fixes would be a bandaid and I would prefer the tank water heater. We are going below freezing up here now so the Moho is put to bed but, next year I will tare this thing apart and see if a tank will fit (with some mods) and if not, I will have to go with the water miser or bypass after the tank.
Thanks to those that had some great suggestions, this is a great site.

[funmoneypit]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

If you decide to use one: please let us all know how it works out for you.
Good luck!

Certainly will!

[Bob Denman]

I just got an email from Camping World, and they're listing this tankless propane hot water heater on sale:

https://www.campingworld.com/excel-v..._7188_A_Retail

Does anybody know anything about them?

[BYoshida]

I'm with the OP on this. While I don't hate my Girard, should it ever die, I will go back to a tank. It's about the way I use water. I'm not a continual water running kind of person. Whether it's washing dishes, brushing my teeth or conditioning my hair, I'm a water on, off, on again kind of person and these type of tankless heaters just don't do well with that.

[Judge]

I hear those who are anti-tankless and I respect our opinions. Everyone's needs are different.

Depending on your rig and the plumbing, a Tank Water can take a minute or two until the hot gets hot. The tankless does take a bit longer because the propane has to fire and warm the heat exchanger. Once the heat exchanger is warmed up, if you need hot water again quickly it does not take that long.

If you are dry camping, putting the AquaView products on your shower and faucet is the real solution. It's all about water conservation and this system will give you maximum water savings and minimize gray tank dumping.

[cbach]

I'm happy to see that I'm not the only one that has issues with tankless heaters off grid. I assumed there was something wrong with it, as it gets nice and hot, I turn it off at the head whilst lathering up, then when I turn it back on it goes cold and has to be adjusted back to to temp each time. Makes for a horrible shower experience and inevitable "shrinkage" moments!

I assume if hooked up to city water, and with the ability to drop the grey water at will, it works well for a continual shower?

[Coveman2]

Tankless water heater only work when there is a water flow. If I have full hookups and are staying for more than one day I often leave the tank gate open when showering and close when the both of us have showered.
Another thing we do when washing dishes we have a plastic wash basin we use to rinse the dishes and pour the rinse water down the bathroom sink or toilet to fill up the black tank.The system takes getting used to and as mentioned before looking into changing up to a tank water heater,
Coveman2

[steve2777]

I'm the one who started the earlier thread about adding a small, 1.6 gal. mini tank heater AFTER the Girard. You might want to search out that thread. I've just completed the installation, and while I haven't had a chance to take it out for a thorough test yet, so far it looks like it's going to solve the Girard "cold sandwich" problem, at a cost of about $100 (as compared with perhaps a couple of thousand to replace the Girard with the top of line Truma that circulates or contains its own mini tank). I'll be posting an update and pictures on that thread in the next few days.

[Bob Denman]

Glad to hear that you got everything in place, and we're all waiting to hear some reports from "The Soapy Guy in the Shower!".

[BobFla]

If I could afford to replace my Gerard I would. I have had this thing for a year and have yet to have an outing where it worked correctly for a whole weekend. One issue after the other. I’ll admit some of this was user error. Honestly it should not be this hard to take a nice shower. The latest issue is it will not maintain the set temperature. It just continues to get hotter and hotter regardless of the setting. Seems a bit dangerous. If anyone has any ideas, i would love to check it out.

[Bob Denman]

That sounds as if something is definitely wrong with it...
When we had the Girard: it was pretty consistent, and was actually reliable.
Yours must have a bug in the temperature control settings
Good luck!

[scdet499]

I have a thor axis 24.1 with a tankless wh, it's the worst, wastes water, cannot mix cold water in, no pressure. I complained to thor, that was a joke.