[Greenbuilding] Opinions on electric tankless HW heaters?

[Nick Pyner]

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From: greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org]On Behalf Of
Frank Tettemer

I can't vouch for Nick's idea that they only manufacture 13KW tank-less
hot water heaters.  I think that the manufacturers would certainly
provide electric tank-less heaters of all electrical load sizes, simply
because there would be a demand for lighter-duty models, and Somebody is
going to fill that market.

I didn't say they only manufacture 13 kW tankless heaters, I said "Even a
small instant electric will take about 13kW"

In responding to another poster I noted that the smallest offered by a
manufacturer for use in apartments with a single shower was also about 13
kW, and that was unsurprising. A tankless HWS for family use would typically
be about twice that - with attendant supply problems increasing
proportionately - and the manufacturer alluded to does supply them.


That doesn't mean that a light-weight tank-less heater would provide a
satisfactory supply of hot water.


Indeed, which led me to question somebody using a 9.5 kW heater for his
shower. Our old original 13.5 kW wasn't really up to the job around here in
winter, and some participants in this forum live in Canada.


What I do think is entirely wrong,
is the idea that an electric hot water heater, of any make or model,
could possibly be considered environmentally friendly.  It's just way
too big of a stretch in reality.


Agreed. As I said, electric storage and tankless heaters are banned from new
residential construction in most if not all states of Australia. I'm sure
there is no need to explain that to you, and I guess there is no point in
trying to explain it to Carmine!


Yes, Carmine, if we only look at the almighty dollar, and compare costs
of various methods of heating domestic hot water, or heating hot water
for distribution into household heating, the electric devices all end up
costing less to purchase and to operate, in the initial assessment.

Nick Pyner

Dee Why Beach   NSW


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