Tankless water heater

[HappyKamper]

I hope I am not the only one with this problem. When taking showers in our 2019 Thor Palazzo with a tankless water heater, the hot water cuts out about two times during each shower. I think I have checked everything. Anyone out there have any suggestions. These colds spots in the shower are brutal even in Florida. Thanks much

[paulwadley]

Set the temp above 102. Turn on the hot water ONLY. Once it is hot very slowly turn the cold water on very slowly. Once you get a temp you like do not adjust it. If you do adjust it, you will get a burst of cold water. I just have mine set at 104 and do not turn on the cold. It remains hot as long as I leave the water running. They do not work like a home unit. It took me a few times to get it right and now I love it. You can look at You Tube to see how it works.

Paul
2018 Thor Siesta 24SS, Summo Springs, Good Sam Member, Thousand Trails Member.

[TurnerFam]

interesting question, as while I don't have one in my Palazzo, and am probably glad I didn't fall into that year model's introduction to them, I installed two in my cabin in the mountains...

and, as while there was an existing 30amp tankless 'under sink' model that was existing, but had not been winterized by the previous owners, and had split a copper tube inside, I replaced it while also adding a TANKED 120v 4gal water heater, with the 'tankless' version plumbed to the 'cold' side of a new SHOWER I installed, and the traditional water heater plumbed to the HOT side of the new shower.

I knew that the undersink tankless variety would probably not serve a shower, and decided that rather than buying a totally different heater 'just' for the new shower, I instead used the combination of the two different types, giving me two 'small' units, rather than the traditional large tank of how water, since I had little room to store any such large device in the small bathroom closet.

and, since NO ONE likes a cold shower, and really, if you think about about it, 'why' do you even need a COLD side to a shower, I plumbed these so that the 'cold' side is really more of a lukewarm water from the tankless unit, and the HOT, really hot!, water is from the tanked unit.

works great, but, yes, you have to get the HOT water side going, then add the 'lukewarm' side to offset the heat...

[coachray]

As paulwadley said, we set our temp to something we both liked and don't use the cold water. I also have an adjustable water pressure regulator and keep it set at around 50 psi. It seems to work better if you have more than 45psi.

[Judge]

There have been dozens of threads on this topic.....


As stated previously, use a pressure regulator for your camp water set to 45 - 50 PSI.

Then set your desired temperature and only use the hot water when showering and it will hold that temp.

Also, do not run any other water while showering. Drops in water pressure will impact the heating efficiency.

I setup mine at 45 PSI and 105 degrees and I have consistent hot water all day long while showering.

[Bob Denman]

Girard...
Use hot water only, and use a pressure regulator that'll get you to at least 50 psi.

[HappyKamper]

Thanks all good suggestions

[wrapped]

Same as above set temperature use only hot water don't mix ,open holes in flow restricters in faucets, and if campground water pressure is low turn the pump on to keep pressure up.

[Mulva]

When you connect to a water source, you have to run water through EVERY faucet to bleed the air out of it. Don’t forget the outdoor Hand shower attachment.

[ducksface]

Originally Posted by Mulva

When you connect to a water source, you have to run water through EVERY faucet to bleed the air out of it. Don’t forget the outdoor Hand shower attachment.

I've never heard of, nor practice this.
Why would you do it?
How does it correlate to hot water usage?

[Bob Denman]

It makes him feel better, and it hurts nothing to do it...

[Dabobo]

I also found out the hard way by doing the dishes hot water only. I have learned so much here and welcome

[Mulva]

There is air in the lines and that causes surges.
Purge all faucets, indoor/outdoor shower, and toilets.
I’ve missed the outdoor shower bleed once and it still surged. I went outside and bled, and it worked flawlessly.

[Reid]

Originally Posted by HappyKamper

I hope I am not the only one with this problem. When taking showers in our 2019 Thor Palazzo with a tankless water heater, the hot water cuts out about two times during each shower. I think I have checked everything. Anyone out there have any suggestions. These colds spots in the shower are brutal even in Florida. Thanks much

Our Freedom Elite came with a Girard tankless water heater. Very unsatisfactory! Found that it only turns heat on at .8 gallon per minute which is not good when you are dry-camping. Was expensive but took it out and installed a Truma Aqua Go which has a small tank (one liter as I recall) and turns heat on at .3 gallons per minute. On tankless water heater, you have to keep flow of water going (at .3 gpm for Truma) to keep flame on to heat the water. If you push the button on shower to temporarily stop water, the unit will turn off and give you a section of cold water in the line

[ducksface]

I'm not getting how a 3 or 5gpm pump isn't putting water through the heater at less than a gallon a minute. Or how just over a quart a minute is considered waterflow.

Are you saying your 12v pump doesn't put out a gallon a minute?

[Laco]

Our experience with the Girard was once I put an adjustable pressure regulator on the water line, set the girard temp to 120, we have no complaints about it. Have no problem mixing cold and hot water to get the desired temp out of any faucet or the shower.

[Judge]

I also use a pressure regulator set to 45psi for city water. However, my onboard pump also provides enough pressure and flow for the Girard. This is my second coach with the Girard and I have not had a hot water issue with either when using the fresh water pump.

[Junebug0630]

We have had this same problem! Thanks for posting about it!!

[petefoss]

Originally Posted by ducksface

I'm not getting how a 3 or 5gpm pump isn't putting water through the heater at less than a gallon a minute. Or how just over a quart a minute is considered waterflow.

Are you saying your 12v pump doesn't put out a gallon a minute?

I've never had an issue on the pump. But as others have said, city water less than 45 psi is marginal if at all.

[EA37TS]

On a couple of other forums there are a bunch oof folks trying to get away from the tankless hot water for 2 reasons.

First is the amount of time that it tanks to get hot water to the faucet.

Next the amount of grey water tank space uses because the water is not immediately hot. This is a major concern for folks who primarily boondocks because it consumes fresh water and takes up grey water capacity. A number of folks have installed hot water circulating systems which will circulate the cold water in the hot water lines back into the fresh water tank on a periodic (timed) basis. For example they will set the system. so it kicks on every 45 minutes and circulates the hot water into the fresh tank for approx 1 minute. This results in instant hot water at the sinks or shower whenever the faucet is opened.

I also find it interesting that some manufacturers are moving away from tankless hot water systems and going back to the tried and ture 6 or 10 gallon LP systems.