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Let me compare how I use the Girard tankless hot water heater to how I used a tank type, both for dry camping where the coach's water pump supplies the water pressure:
Tank Type
About 15 minutes (or less if it is the second shower of the evening) I turn on the hot water heater. The propane lights and the heater starts up. Once in the shower it takes 10-15 seconds for the hot water to push the cold out of the plumbing and reach the shower head. If I am really trying to conserve water I turn the shower off for a few minutes while I finish soaping up and turn it back on to rinse off. In doing so there is no cold water gap, unlike with the Girard.
Girard
I go outside and turn the Girard on at its switch inside the outside cover. I do this to save a few amps during the day. Then I get in the shower and just like with the tank water heater I wait 15-20 seconds for hot water. I takes a bit longer because the Girard has to first sense flow and fire up its heater coil before heating up the water.
Then I take my shower without stopping, because I have discovered if I do the Girard stops heating and when it restarts it lets about 5 seconds of cold water pass by before it gets hot.
So what are the benefits of the Girard:
Well it sure doesn't save water as you can see from above. It does save a bit of propane because I don't leave a tank of hot water behind when I finish my shower. But propane is rarely a problem, but water is.
The Girard is lighter and more compact since it doesn't have to store 6 gallons of water which in itself is 50 lbs.
But the Girard does use more power because after taking my evening shower I don't go outside and turn it off until the next morning. It uses about 2 amp hours over night on standby, not a big deal but every bit helps.
But all things considered I prefer the old tank type water heater.
David
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