Best tankless water heaters (LP) 2.5gph or higher

[nicpaige]

Getting to the point I need to decide how Im going to heat my water in the toy hauler. I was pretty set on tankless but if they are just a huge hassle I can use conventional. What is your opinion?

[Grit_dog]

To the person re circulating hot water into the FW tank, yuck, I wouldn't want warm "cold" water.
And to the campground rule memorizers, try picking up another hobby.
Regarding the instant heat, yes a traditional electric unit would seem to be ineffective for those that take navy showers and don't have unlimited water/dump capacity i.e. Full hookups.
So yeah it could work if you're only FHU rving. Otherwise not so much.

[CavemanCharlie]

JaxDad wrote:

magicbus wrote:

JaxDad wrote:
Don't forget, as soon as you plumb in propane, 120 volt electric, potable water and or wastewater plumbing you may have problems finding camping spots unless the unit is certified to meet the appropriate standards, I.E. NFPA 1192 / ANSI 119.2.


If you only ever boondock on private land it will likely never be an issue, but elsewhere it's a legal requirement.

You may also have insurance issues without it.

Seriously? I can’t recall that ever being an issue when registering at a park or getting insurance. Any chance you can provide some evidence of those statements?

Dave

If you open the drivers door of your car you’ll see a plate that certifies that it meets the requirements of the FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) as required by law.

Has anyone ever asked you about it? No, I doubt anyone has, or ever will. It’s just taken for granted that your [insert make here] is compliant.

Ditto your RV, because it’s required by law for all it’s just taken for granted that your [insert make here] is compliant also. So no, nobody is likely to ask about it.

But since you asked, as for campground rules, not seeing them, or they being enforced by unknowing (or uncaring) employees, does not mean they do not exist. Below is just one example of the many I’ve seen, at a park I frequent myself. A friend who did a converted cargo trailer, finally sold it because he was being refused a site so often.

Click here and see Rule # 24.4 in the middle of page 11.

As for State laws, in Texas for example, under the Transportation Code it’s illegal to even tow a trailer on a public road if it has a built in propane system unless it meets NFPA 1192 standards and bears proof of same.

In California the Health and Safety Code - HSC Div 13, PART 2 , CHAPTER 4, Section 18027.3.

"h) It is unlawful for any person to do either of the following:

(2) Alter or convert, or cause to be altered or converted, any recreational vehicle in a manner that is inconsistent with ANSI Standard No. A119.2 or A119.5 or the NFPA 1192 Standard on Recreational Vehicles when the recreational vehicle is used, occupied, sold, or offered for sale within this state."

I just don’t understand why it’s so difficult to understand that there are life safety laws.

I hardly ever leave Southwest MN. I camp in public campgrounds, usually county parks. They don't care what you are camping in. Most of them are self register anyway. I've seen people rent a spot and then sleep in their car.

I understand though that it might be different at private parks in other places of the US or Canada.

Just because there are safety laws doesn't mean that they are being followed by people using their campers. They could have easily have modified the inside of the camper.

[jeremy_kirby]

Just my two cents. I have a tankless heater at home, but not on our camper. Just don't believe it might be very effective.

The tankless heater takes a lot of gas (or electricity) at one time, even though it saves in the long run. If using electric, I wouldn't think 30 amps would handle it if anything else is running. If on gas, yes, the BTUs would be less but while heating the water up quicker, you'd empty your LP tanks sooner. It's still gonna take the same amount of energy to get the water to temp, it's just cheaper and may do the job quicker.

It might be worth it to you, but for us... well, it just didn't work. We installed InSinkErator (specs), added mix valve, water still was too hot to handle.

Hope that makes sense, as I love the one we have at home, but can't see it being that great on the camper or RV - but once again, it's just me and my experience.

T18skyguy wrote:
If your going to get a tankless get the Truma. If you do a lot of boondocking or desert camping it's pointless to have it. I have a Girard, it works well, but with any tankless you operate differently than your home shower.First you need acceptable water pressure and flow. Buy a good adjustable water pressure valve and keep the pressure at 40-60 psi which works good for me. Set the temperature on the thermostat to 100 or so, then turn the hot water on full. You don't need the cold water cause the shower temp is set at the thermostat. Mine works fine with this method. A good adjustable quality water pressure valve is a Renator. You can find it on amazon. My Girard will run for 20 minutes, then it cycles off to protect the electronics from too much heat.

This ^ might be a good solution.
I will keep it in mind, just in case we would like to try again, so thanks for sharing your experience, T18skyguy.

[JaxDad]

magicbus wrote:

JaxDad wrote:
Don't forget, as soon as you plumb in propane, 120 volt electric, potable water and or wastewater plumbing you may have problems finding camping spots unless the unit is certified to meet the appropriate standards, I.E. NFPA 1192 / ANSI 119.2.


If you only ever boondock on private land it will likely never be an issue, but elsewhere it's a legal requirement.

You may also have insurance issues without it.

Seriously? I can’t recall that ever being an issue when registering at a park or getting insurance. Any chance you can provide some evidence of those statements?

Dave

If you open the drivers door of your car you’ll see a plate that certifies that it meets the requirements of the FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) as required by law.

Has anyone ever asked you about it? No, I doubt anyone has, or ever will. It’s just taken for granted that your [insert make here] is compliant.

Ditto your RV, because it’s required by law for all it’s just taken for granted that your [insert make here] is compliant also. So no, nobody is likely to ask about it.

But since you asked, as for campground rules, not seeing them, or they being enforced by unknowing (or uncaring) employees, does not mean they do not exist. Below is just one example of the many I’ve seen, at a park I frequent myself. A friend who did a converted cargo trailer, finally sold it because he was being refused a site so often.

Click here and see Rule # 24.4 in the middle of page 11.

As for State laws, in Texas for example, under the Transportation Code it’s illegal to even tow a trailer on a public road if it has a built in propane system unless it meets NFPA 1192 standards and bears proof of same.

In California the Health and Safety Code - HSC Div 13, PART 2 , CHAPTER 4, Section 18027.3.

"h) It is unlawful for any person to do either of the following:

(2) Alter or convert, or cause to be altered or converted, any recreational vehicle in a manner that is inconsistent with ANSI Standard No. A119.2 or A119.5 or the NFPA 1192 Standard on Recreational Vehicles when the recreational vehicle is used, occupied, sold, or offered for sale within this state."

I just don’t understand why it’s so difficult to understand that there are life safety laws.

[T18skyguy]

If your going to get a tankless get the Truma. If you do a lot of boondocking or desert camping it's pointless to have it. I have a Girard, it works well, but with any tankless you operate differently than your home shower.First you need acceptable water pressure and flow. Buy a good adjustable water pressure valve and keep the pressure at 40-60 psi which works good for me. Set the temperature on the thermostat to 100 or so, then turn the hot water on full. You don't need the cold water cause the shower temp is set at the thermostat. Mine works fine with this method. A good adjustable quality water pressure valve is a Renator. You can find it on amazon. My Girard will run for 20 minutes, then it cycles off to protect the electronics from too much heat.

[B_O__Plenty]

JaxDad wrote:
Don't forget, as soon as you plumb in propane, 120 volt electric, potable water and or wastewater plumbing you may have problems finding camping spots unless the unit is certified to meet the appropriate standards, I.E. NFPA 1192 / ANSI 119.2.


If you only ever boondock on private land it will likely never be an issue, but elsewhere it's a legal requirement.

You may also have insurance issues without it.

Really like someone is going to check ?????

B.O.

[B_O__Plenty]

DrewE wrote:
I have yet to hear of anyone really happy with an RV tankless water heater. Maybe there are some people I haven't heard of yet; I am certainly not all-knowing. But they seem to have trouble with maintaining anything like an even temperature with the rather widely varying flow rates that are common in an RV.

I believe you mean 2.5 gpm, not 2.5 gph; 2.5 gph is a small trickle, a third of a cup per minute.

We have a Suburban in our Cedar Creek. Very happy with it. Comes with a learning curve. Turn the hot open all the way and regulate the temp with the cold. Otherwise it will cycle on and off. No complaints here.

B.O.

[ajriding]

magicbus wrote:

JaxDad wrote:
Don't forget, as soon as you plumb in propane, 120 volt electric, potable water and or wastewater plumbing you may have problems finding camping spots unless the unit is certified to meet the appropriate standards, I.E. NFPA 1192 / ANSI 119.2.


If you only ever boondock on private land it will likely never be an issue, but elsewhere it's a legal requirement.

You may also have insurance issues without it.

Seriously? I can’t recall that ever being an issue when registering at a park or getting insurance. Any chance you can provide some evidence of those statements?

Dave

Haha, my wiener just fell off

[kedanie]

Love our Precision Temp RV500 that came in the coach when new. Uses less propane than a tank style. Provides plenty of hot water as long as the pressure is above 40 psi. Is it perfect, no, but what RV product is?

Keith

[magicbus]

JaxDad wrote:
Don't forget, as soon as you plumb in propane, 120 volt electric, potable water and or wastewater plumbing you may have problems finding camping spots unless the unit is certified to meet the appropriate standards, I.E. NFPA 1192 / ANSI 119.2.


If you only ever boondock on private land it will likely never be an issue, but elsewhere it's a legal requirement.

You may also have insurance issues without it.

Seriously? I can’t recall that ever being an issue when registering at a park or getting insurance. Any chance you can provide some evidence of those statements?

Dave

[JaxDad]

Don't forget, as soon as you plumb in propane, 120 volt electric, potable water and or wastewater plumbing you may have problems finding camping spots unless the unit is certified to meet the appropriate standards, I.E. NFPA 1192 / ANSI 119.2.


If you only ever boondock on private land it will likely never be an issue, but elsewhere it's a legal requirement.

You may also have insurance issues without it.

[Fizz]

paddykernahan wrote:

I plumbed a line with a "Y" and valves from the hot water low point drain back to the fresh water tank drain.

Excellent post THANK YOU.
A problem was fixed and shared.

[paddykernahan]

ajriding wrote:
I wanted to have one but then did the research.

It will work if you are hooked up to a water source such that when showering you can let the water run the whole time, and are great if you plan to take long showers and waste water…

Bad if you want to conserve water if not hooked up. As soon as you stop the flow the water in the tankless gets hotter, then when you resume you get that hotter water, and when you let it run longer the temp goes back down. No steady temp is possible with the military shower method. Unfortunately the hot water heater is the only way for this. I wish I had a two gallon water heater as I take 1 gallon showers…

In the summer I have learned to just take cold showers. This helps a lot to save water since I boondock it is important. After two showers you get used to cold water and it is not different than washing your hands in cold water.

Agree.

We dry camp mostly so water conservation is needed.
I plumbed a line with a "Y" and valves from the hot water low point drain back to the fresh water tank drain.

When diverter valve is on, hot water constantly runs through the system and dumps back into the fresh water tank. Seems to stabilize the temperature when shutting off and turning on the shower hot water.

When done showering, turn off the water pump.
Turning the valve in the "Y" diverter puts the system back into original configuration so pump can be turned back on for normal operation.

This also save the extra water wasted waiting for the hot water to get to the bathroom. Still needs to purge cold water from the shower head hose so less ware wasted.

[paddykernahan]

Had a tank water heater in a pop-up and it worked great.
Bought a MH and it came with an on demand water heater.
Failed the first trip due to a sticky sail switch.
Got it working with dry Teflon lube.
Water temperature varies from warm to scalding hot.
I got the temperature to be slightly more stable by plumbing in a hot water recirculation system.
Wish I had a tank water heater. Less to go wrong and constant temperature.
I will have to say winterization is easier with the on demand system we have.