Tankless hot water heaters...?

[JNJ]

I'm curious if anyone in the group has any impressions of tankless hot water
heaters -- specifically the electric type. Seisco (http://www.seisco.com)
seems to have a pretty decent line with knowledgeable folks and I'm
considering getting one when our current tank, gas-based unit gives up the
ghost.

James

 

[George Ghio]

Think about this

Electric - How much energy was used getting the electricity to you?
Electricity is a very high quality energy it is not cheap to make or use
compared to gas which is a much lower quality energy. Gas is also better
suited to making heat for hot water than electric.
You might choose to use electric but don't kid yourself about the cost
just because your bill seems low. The losses alone in the transmission
of electric from the supplier to you would keep a third world family
going for months.

George

 

[Eric Tonks]

I know that there are losses in transporting electricity but there are
losses in transporting everthing. Gas has losses, transporting it 2000 miles
from the gas fields through pipelines incurrs losses ranging from small
leaks through to the energy needed to run the huge compressors that have to
operate every so often along the pipeline to push the gas to the delivery
point. Local gas distribution within a city has large losses with smaller
pipes covering the whole city. You may be supprised at just how much gas
leaks out of these pipes.

 

[allan]

they are used all the time here in the Netherlands and are very good.,
as well as cost effective.

I'm curious if anyone in the group has any impressions of tankless hot water
heaters -- specifically the electric type. Seisco (http://www.seisco.com)
seems to have a pretty decent line with knowledgeable folks and I'm
considering getting one when our current tank, gas-based unit gives up the
ghost.

James

--


ooooO Allan
( ) [email protected]
\ ( the Netherlands
(__)

 

[SGT]

Don't have experience with electric type but

My 150 square meter apartment (in France) uses NG tankless water heater for
heating and hot water.

Economy
Ecology
Space saving

Besides you should never drink hot water from a hot water tank. It is not
safe.

SGT
-------------------------------

 

[JNJ]

Hmm, I was following you until the part about "Besides you should never

drink hot water from a hot water tank. It is not safe."

Why is it not safe?

Hot water tanks are known to contain legionella, which in turn causes
legionnaire's disease. To kill the bugger youhave to cook it at around 141
degrees farenheit. Also, it thrives at the temperatures most water heaters
are set to.

The flip side of this -- this issue is more likely to be found in large
operations such as those in the hotel industry or industrial applications.
Since water is typically well cycled in home water heaters it is usually not
an issue.

There can also be some issues of sediments and minerals in the hot water
from the hot water tank.

James