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bermuDa · 12-04-2007, 01:17 AM

a bit of background information--I live alone in a small guest house, and up until this weekend I had a 52 gallon water heater (electric). Without warning, my water turned cold. I thought I just burned out a heating element, but when i went to investigate, it became apparent that the wiring harness was shorted out, and the condition of the rest of the unit helped me decide that it was time to replace the whole shebang. At this point, I remembered about tankless water heaters.

The place is small, and the tank takes up a lot of space. My only hot water needs are the kitchen faucet (literally right next to the heater) and the shower and tub (less than 10ft away). My incoming line is probably somewhere between 50 and 60F, depending on the Central/Northern Californian climate, so I probably want something that can raise the temperature by about 50F at a rate of ~2gpm, or whatever a decent shower requires. The situation seems perfect for a tankless system, the only question is which one to get. Obviously, I'm looking for the most affordable solution, but I don't want something underpowered that'll disappoint (like giving lukewarm showers).

So what I'd like to know is what kind of experience anyone has with tankless water heaters, and which brands and models you would recommend for my situation (and where to get them!). I'm having a hard time finding many online, even at big retailers like Home Depot.

Thanks for your help

12-04-2007, 01:17 AM	#1 (permalink)
bermuDa don't ignore this--> Location: CA	Tank vs. Tankless Water Heaters a bit of background information--I live alone in a small guest house, and up until this weekend I had a 52 gallon water heater (electric). Without warning, my water turned cold. I thought I just burned out a heating element, but when i went to investigate, it became apparent that the wiring harness was shorted out, and the condition of the rest of the unit helped me decide that it was time to replace the whole shebang. At this point, I remembered about tankless water heaters. The place is small, and the tank takes up a lot of space. My only hot water needs are the kitchen faucet (literally right next to the heater) and the shower and tub (less than 10ft away). My incoming line is probably somewhere between 50 and 60F, depending on the Central/Northern Californian climate, so I probably want something that can raise the temperature by about 50F at a rate of ~2gpm, or whatever a decent shower requires. The situation seems perfect for a tankless system, the only question is which one to get. Obviously, I'm looking for the most affordable solution, but I don't want something underpowered that'll disappoint (like giving lukewarm showers). So what I'd like to know is what kind of experience anyone has with tankless water heaters, and which brands and models you would recommend for my situation (and where to get them!). I'm having a hard time finding many online, even at big retailers like Home Depot. Thanks for your help __________________ I am the very model of a moderator gentleman.