Two people, one bath, clothes washer but no dishwasher.
For an electric storage type heater, is 30gal sufficient or is 40gal called for??
We do sometimes back to back showers than a load of wash, but most often not.
This is what’s going in, so save the discussions about point of demand heaters please.
Thanks,
Eric
Replies
40 gallon is the minimum, unless you're willing to "plan" showers, etc, carefully.
And if you have the space it wouldn't hurt to go with a 52. With electric heaters the standby losses can be cut to practically zero in the superinsulated models, so there's no real benefit in going small.
I agree with DanH.
We are two people, no dishwasher (yet) and no washing mach. ( yet). back to back showers WILL tax even my brandy new 40 gal. And I ain't talking LONG showers, I shave in the shower tho'..and removed the flow resrtictor in the head.
Oh, yeah..my terlet is plumbed with hot.
40 min. and 52 if ya can fit it.
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Eric,
I am going to reinforce what the others said. Its just me and the Wife and for the first 20 years we lived in our house we had a 52 gal electric and never had a problem with plenty of hot water. About 5 years ago we had the opportunity to switch to gas, and the 20yr old electric needed replacing anyway. Well ..... we got talked into a 40 gal gas by the salesman, they told us that was all we would ever need with two of us. I have regretted it ever since. Cannot take two showers back to back, always run out. have to plan everything and I am just about ready to go buy a new gas heater ... the biggest I can get in the space I have.
So I would go as big as you can.
Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md
With a gas heater, the recovery rate can vary considerably depending on BTU input. This, in turn, is really only limited by flue size. A 40 gallon gas unit with a decent recover rate should be able to replace a 52 gallon electric.
We, too, had a 40 gal. gas for a few years. It wasn't adequate for two showers. So, I put another 40 gal. gas heater ahead of it in series. That really works well, it gives you a very stable temperature for both showers.
If electricity is expensive, it might be worthwhile to put a room temperature tank ahead of the water heater. It would save you a few BTU's.
-- J.S.
I've never seen a 30 gal elec [hot]* water heater
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You must have never been in a mobile home..I had a 25 tucked in a closet..thank Gawd it was a short term rental.
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Eric,
Let me point out that the higher you keep the temp of the heater at, the less hot water you use.
This may be hazardous to some, but works.
WSJ
Good point Jon,
I would be naturally inclined to lower it to just above showering temp. , especially since we don't have a DW.
So if I find us running a little short, push up the temp.
How much of an affect will this have on the elec. use? It's in my panel. Rental you see?
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
yourcontractor@aol.com
Eric, we are cheap on ele. here.. 4.3 cent a KWH...I still keep it down to avoid scald..BUT..I bet bumping it up would MAYBE add less than 5 bucks a month for us.
I have short runs, but in an unheated celler, the pipes are insulated..and just this AM, I timed how long it took for the hot to be "drinkable" for instant coffee..( my first cup, while the brew is brewing)...I ran maybe 2 gals of water..and it took maybe 2mins before I had above tepid..whether thet is good or not, I dunno.
I am thinking along the instahot at the sink..I need that fist cup o' joe FAST...LOL
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"I am thinking along the instahot at the sink..I need that fist cup o' joe FAST...LOL"Got one and I use it to brew coffee and ice tea.Love it.
Is the temp adjustable?
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Yes, but the one that I have it just Min - Max. I know max is 190 and I am guessing min is aroun 150.But the way I have a Waste KingAnd I looked it up.http://www.anaheimmfg.com/hotwater/quickandhot/default.html140-190.And they have SS tanks unlike the Insinkerators which have copper and about a 5-7 year life span.
Mulcho grazzy azz
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Get on the Santa list next year and I'll score ya coffee pot with a timer!I Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
yourcontractor@aol.com
Thanks everyone for the good words.
It's in and we'll see how it works.
It replaces a "sidearm" tankless coil heater attached to a 1930's furnace that's soon to hit the heap.
Eric
I Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
yourcontractor@aol.com
Edited 5/2/2005 7:05 pm ET by Eric Paulson
LOL...I got one..I just never think to set it.
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C'mon...........only 12 pages to read to set it up right?
We recently had a B&D coffee maker. When it was done brewing (at whatever AM) it sounded like a friggin back up alarm on a CAT Loader.
Couldn't wait for that one to crap out.
Just brew the coffee please. Don't grind it, filter the water, tell me what time it is I have enough clocks thank you, just brew tha damn coffee!
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
yourcontractor@aol.com
Put in a 50 g. Who knows whether they will add a dishwasher.
For the two-person house we're doing, the plumber is doing twin 50s.
I'm probably lucky I'm getting one at all!!
I'm a renter (yuk). The old tankless is tanking.
Hot h2o was in the rent, but now it's on my meter.
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
yourcontractor@aol.com