We plumbers call it the sandwich effect when you start, stop and start a tankless water heater and get that burst of cold water. I installed a 18” section of 4” pvc reduced down to 1/2”on both sides to connect to the hot water line. This creates a little reservoir of hot water to absorb the sandwich effect.
I have this problem in my house system, because after I get started washing dishes, I only turn the water on to rinse. Otherwise it's off. Would this "18” section of 4” pvc reduced down to 1/2”on both sides to connect to the hot water line" be a suitable size for a house system? Would it prevent the luke warm water burst I get 2 minutes into each shower?
So you installed a 1 gallon accumulator for tempering changes in water temps by mixing them so you don't get that cold blast. Very clever. No recirculation pump needed , more efficient.
Jared, to your points regarding tankless water heaters, I'd add the following: • *Flow rate* - The average shower flow rate is 2.1GPM/7.9LPM. Take that into consideration when choosing a tankless water heater. Can it deliver the quantity of water needed at the desired temperature? • *Temperature rise* - The average shower temperature is 105°F/40°C. Average municipal water supply is 55°F/13°C. A 50°F/10°C differential. Tankless water heaters are rated for a maximum temperature rise for a specific flow rate. Generally speaking, the higher the flow rate, the lower the maximum temperature rise. Also, if supply temperature is too low for the heater to deliver comfortable 105°F/40°C water... • *Supply pressure* - Tankless water heaters require a minimum supply pressure. Typically 30PSI/2.1BAR. Also, tankless water heaters operate best with a constant supply pressure, not the pulsating output of some water pumps. An accumulator tank might be needed for some applications. • *Elevation* - As with any propane appliance, performance begins to diminish over 2,500' above sea level and is pretty much none existent over 5,000'. For best performance, look for devices with automatic elevation compensation. Alternatively, obtain the appropriate replacement orifice for operation at higher elevations. Lastly, while your video covered RV-specific tankless water heaters, some might be tempted to opt for outdoor models. *These must not be installed/used in enclosed spaces!* Unfortunately, this is far too common an occurrence to ignore. So, if choosing a model other than Atwood, Girard, Suburban or Truma, be sure that it's an indoor model and properly vented to atmosphere.
Being on a catamaran sailboat, water conservancy is critical, even with an unlimited amount of water to desalinate. Installing a residential three way diverter saves us over a gallon of water getting hot water from the “other side” of the boat. One selection goes to a shower head. The second to an adjustable shower bar. And the third goes back to the water tank. Run for thirty seconds and you have “instant HOT”. Zero wasted water, which is even more critical while boondocking.
I love it when the boating community brings their knowledge and experience to the RVing community. I think the two are far more connected than most people realize. Thank you.
It's incredible, while I was watching the video, I was thinking the exact same thing about the diverter back to the tank. I am a cruising sailor and delivery captain. I am unfamiliar with the adjustable shower bar, exactly what is it? Great video however! Thanks
I stayed at a house and it had a pump under the sink in the bathroom that you could press a button for that would simply pump the water from the hot line into the cold line for 1 minute to bring the warm water to the bathroom. I think that is kind of the same idea.
Thanks for the tip! Getting ready to buy our first RV and just started looking into the tankless options, I'll definitely use the diverter, this looks like a great way to keep the hot water going while lathering in the shower without wasting any water, though I suppose you'll burn a little more propane which appears to be nominal. Can't wait to RV with endless hot water!
If someone was on top of things with arduino, I’ll bet it wouldn’t be terribly difficult to automate this process in an RV so the recirculating valve would stay open at first for a pre-determined number of seconds and then push the water through the shower. The automation would be sweet
While wintering in the baken oil patch I put one in my 32' class A, before installing it I added a light bulb to the inside of the unit and a switch in the cabin. Then ran a 75 watt weather duty bulb, on the colder days and nights (20° down to -40°). Never had it freeze up and the first burst of water was always warm. ... HB
I’m a full time rv guy and totally off any grid, I haul all my water and do solar and gen for power, since I installed my girard tankless I seem to actually use less water as I only use the hot tap, have temp set where I want it before I constantly used 80 to 120 gallons of water a week now its in the 50 to 80 gallon range and I take longer showers the big difference is propane use about 60% less , I’ll never go back to a tank
What kind of water heater do you use? I "Flip" RVs (on my 25th one right now!!) I am keeping my 1972 Vintage Travel Trailer for myself and need a new water heater. I want to be able to be off grid and have solar too... I (think) I want a Electric water heater, because I'm 66 years old and truthfully do not want to tote heavy propane bottles around (I can do it, just don't want to as much, LOL). Thank you for your help.
That's a very smart move, and makes a ton of sense. Why keep the hot water temp up high if you need to mix it with an almost equal amount of cold water in order to get it back down to a comfortable temperature at the shower head? That's what we call addition by subtraction. Less Water + Less Propane = More Boondocking Time.
Hi Jared, regarding your comment about a recirculation pump: An inexpensive and possibly less complicated alternative would be simply running a "T" fitting off of the hot line near your shower or fixture and run it back to your fresh water tank. Put a valve inline that is normally closed. When you open it, it will accomplish the same thing as running a faucet but it will dump the un-heated water back in the the storage tank. This way, you keep the limited resource of water within the sanitary fresh water system, instead of down the drain. A solenoid valve would be ideal, that way you just install a button near the fixture, hold it down for 10s before using the faucet and you should have no wasted water. Hope this is helpful. Thanks for the videos!
I have that in my motorhome but in the bathroom, on the opposite side of the water heater. It is a 12v activated valve that dumps back into the water tank. Press it count to 10, let go and turn on your faucet. I call it the Elkmont Special. 😎
Has any evolution or enhancements in the past two years been made? You’d think it’d be a no-brainer for the system itself to recirculate before it releases that initial 10 second blast. Thus preventing a need to recirculate from the faucet. Recirculate from the source! Right?
Can you control the temperature by adding cold water coming in when using tankless.. or is it set to a specific temperature and no cold water can be added?
@@christinaholligan8299ya can adjust temp either way. Boondocking we adjust temp to use less water and only use hot knob, hooked up we use hottest setting and use cold water knob to increase water pressure and adjust temp.
We boondock often, we run the water into a bucket next to the shower, when we turn it off and on during the shower, again, we let it flow into the bucket. Then we use the water in the bucket for washing dishes or flushing toilets. We don’t let a drop of water go to waste! Thank you.
I’ve been debating on Girard and then found Suburban and decided to go with it. Then your video popped up today and solidified my decision. Thanks for the great info!
Excellent topic, well covered. For comparison's sake, we have a Girard unit in a 24' Lance trailer, used mostly in the Rockies. It fires up in 2-3 seconds, so the additional 'lost water' is negligible. We see no benefit to mixing cold with hot water since the unit has a digital thermostat. Patricia likes 104F, while I prefer 102F...so set the thermostat and get exactly what you want by just using the hot water valve. As for that 'cold column of water' at start up and then when rinsing, Jared says he likes to use it on his face while we find it best used to rinse our legs (not so temperature sensitive). The point is that there are ways to adapt to a tankless system which minimize the issues while giving us the benefits.
UPDATE: To keep everyone updated with our current water heater, we are having issues with a consistent water temp from the Suburban tankless water heater. We hope to figure it out but we are having a problem with the temp holding steady for more than a few minutes and then with no change at the faucet or use the temp will swing up 5 or 6 degrees or down 5 or 6 degrees. I will let you know if we can resolve the problem.
Thanks for the update! Have you reached out to customer service and if so how has that been? I have been looking to purchase this water heater but since it is a fairly new model it is hard to find reviews so very interested in your take on everything. Thanks!
We have the I60 and we winter in AZ. We have the same problem. Are park has low water pressure. It's at 38 lbs. The repair guy said for the water heater to work properly, it should be at 45lbs at the lowest point otherwise it will fluctuate. So I took off the pressure gauge, with 38lbs, we don't have to worry about busting lines. That did help. Now we have hot water ninety percent of the time.
I was wondering if you ever figured out the problem. Ive went through 2 of these within a year span. The first one would turn off and on and fluctuate temps so amazon sent me another after i couldnt get a hold of anyone at suburban or airxcell. Ive had this one for 6 months or so and now the temps will shoot way down and then go back up and be good for a few minutes, then get cold for another second. Its like it shuts down very quickly and turns back on. The ambient temp has been much cooler than before( around 41 degrees) and am wondering if that has something to do with it. Any thoughts would be much appreciated !!!
We have the Atwood. Have had several issues with cold to hot to cold to hot. Finally figured out we had to set our manual pressure regulator outside to no more then 42psi or the sensors on the inside would not read correctly and you would constantly get cold water.
Just bought a 2021 Grand Design and it has a tankless water heater. Haven’t even used it yet but I’m used to the old 6 gallon water heaters. This video brought me up to speed. Thanks.
Thank you for explaining that to me. I have been researching tank less water heaters but there isnt any really good real time experience videos that i could find and TRUST. Thanks for the information.
Thanks Jarret, this was the first video that I have seen actually doing a good review on the plus and minuses for instant hot water heaters. Thanks for the details.
I haven’t read all the posts, (so might have been mentioned already), but I would think the perfect system in an rv would be using the same solution as with a home: a hybrid system. This is where a tankless unit fills a holding tank. Water is drawn from this tank. This allows for endless warm water and less wear and off/on of the tankless heater.
Its called the Truma AquaGo Comfort.... As Jared stated the Truma Aquago 'Comfort' has a setting which keeps 1 liter of water heated at all times. To conserve LP the "Comfort" model also features an 'eco' mode. In eco mode water is heated on-demand like the base model Aquago and most other on-demand systems. I've become used to washing my hands with cold water most of the year. In winter the heated underbelly keeps the PEX lines warm. When I turn on the tap the water is actually warm. To further conserve water I use diluted hand soap (30% soap to 70% water). Lather your hands before turning on the tap to rinse. The dishwasher, washing machine, and bidet heat their own water. By the time hot water reaches the dishwasher it's just about done filling. On the rare occasion I need to wash laundry in hot I'll use the water heater. Everything in my unit is electric except for the water heated. In my case it doesn't make sense to leave the Truma on until I take a shower just before bed or when I need hot water for other tasks. A simple turn for the control dial turns the water heater on. To sanitize my coffee mug or something else I simply use the electric kettle. Upgrading to the Truma AquaGo Comfort and adding the CheapHeat (variable output 5000W electric coil) furnace add-on were the absolute best modifications. On average I refill one 40# LP tank every four months. If the power goes out I simply flip a switch to run the furnace in LP mode and still have on-demand hot water.......that is until the batteries run out of juice. Knock on wood.... power has always been restored before the batteries run out. If a storm is forecasted I top off the two 40lb LP tanks and ensure the batteries are fully charged. The one upgrade I have on the list to do is converting the refrigerator compressor to 12v. But I'll wait until this one quits or the refrigerator requires major repair. I don't dry camp often enough to warrant changing out a perfectly functioning component. In my opinion tankless is king. I'll never go back to wasting energy and waiting for a tank full of water to heat up.😢
Just bought the Suburban IW60, didn't realize you have to buy the exterior door and vent completely separate of the water heater as well as each other. My gas line off my old Dometic runs all the way to the left side so I'm having to do some plumbing to get it connected. I've considered just using an appliance gas line to connect the old connection point to the water heater. Glad to find this video as it's the closest thing to an actual install video as I've found.
I have a Suburban, propane only water heater. I removed the anode rod and installed a HotRod electric powered heating element in its place. I removed the pressure relief valve and reinstalled the anode rod there instead. I was able to keep the pressure valve by using a coupling and a T-fitting. Now I have a hybrid heater that works off solar and propane, but I very rarely need the propane anymore. It's one of the best upgrades I've done so far and it has paid for itself many times over by not using propane. Can't beat having instant, free hot water 24 hours a day.
We have a water saver on our shower. It’s great and would save you from the hot/cold cycles. It just redirects the water from the shower head to the fresh water tank. It’s how we fill our fresh water tank, too. We just run a cold “shower” through it for about 10 mins before we leave a campsite.
My previous water heater was propane only. My current one is electric and/or propane. I am amazed how quick the water gets warm enough to shower with both the propane and electric on. Thanks for the great info. I will consider a unit like this in the future.
Great video. Very informative and production quality is awesome. I'd add one thing: If planning on using the rv during the winter, get a tankless water heater with a winter mode to protect the unit from freezing. Thanks!
I have a furrion unit and full time for the last year. I’m at 25 degrees outside this winter. I have hot water in 1-3 minutes. I can add cold water to increase water pressure. Temp stays regular with very little fluctuation. I use a freeze miser to keep the water in the hose line at 37 degrees. Furrion heats it up to 124 degrees fairly easily. I’ve been happy with it.
We were quoted a $1400 to install the Truma. There’s two switches on the Truma. You can set the inside switch to ECO, Regular, off, and clean. Winterization is very easy. Just open the drain. The present RV came with the AquaGo.
Terry French I have a Furrion hot Water Heater, in my 337rls Reflection and it works great but I installed a 12 v water solenoid in between the hot water line going to the kitchen sink and routed it back in to the fresh water tank with a on and off switch. This way you don't lose a drop of water, it returns back to the fresh water tank, when the water gets hot ( you can time how long it takes to get hot) you turn the switch off and the hot water go's to the tap. This works great when you show also.
Form and function and possible pitfalls are my main concerns when replacing or repairing anything at all. I appriciate the heads up on the differenes between models in which you have actually used for more than a hour or two. I watch you because of your real-world usage of products that you endorse and also your upfront transparency of the products that the company provided ( that will get an unbiased review). Keep up the great work and build memories that can't be replaced.
Easy fix, add a recirculation system to each fixture with switch or Bluetooth control. Switch it on before water use and instant hit water. Any plumber can do it.
I noticed you cleaned off the caulking using a metal razor blade. I have purchased plastic blades which I use to make sure to never scratch the paint. I've also used them to take off long sticker graphics from the sides of my class A that would normally be a big pain to remove without causing damage to the outside walls. Also, Teflon tape for gas fittings, also known as gas-rated Teflon tape, is yellow in color and clearly states it is for gas lines and connections. The tape works on all gas line types, including butane, propane and natural gas lines.
I was thinking recirculating pump myself and then you covered it. Won't install a tankless unit unless the cold wait time after lathering up can be solved. Thanks for the thorough report
Our bathroom, tub/shower is directly above the 10 gallon water heater and our hot water is only 3 to 5 seconds away. I have a tankless at home and would love to go back to a tank water heater at home and have no desire to have a tankless in our RV. What you described about using the shower and pausing the flow and then you get 7 seconds of cold water,noooo thank you. Love your channel and reviews. Safe travels.
I designed and installed a recirc system in my class B van. With small fresh water tank and small gray tank, I waste no water or gray tank space waiting for hot water, and the water is almost instantly hot. Makes that small 2.5 gallon Truma water heater last a long time.
Jared, great video. I have the typical gas/electric Suburban 6 gal water heater. I was wondering about converting to tankless and now I know I should with your great educational/instructional guidance video. And when I checked Amazon, there is only a $100 difference between the standard Suburban water heater and the new tankless. I think I'll bite the bullet and press ahead with the tankless. Thanks again for a great video--I've been watching your channel now for 3 years and enjoy learning from a passionate RVer!
Just ordered a new caravan here in Australia and it comes with the suburban hot water system, great video I know what to expect from the system now. Keep the videos coming I enjoy watching them and all the tips and hacks you post stay safe mate.
Our 2022 Entegra Vision motorhome came with a tankless heater, I think it's a Girard, and we don't like it at all. A lot of water has to run in the shower before it gets hot, then it goes cold and then back to hot. I like the tank type water heater we had on our old motorhome, it gave us consistent hot water and it would recycle very quickly. Thanks for your video.
Thanks Jared, ( hope I spelled your name right ), I really appreciate your explaining the in's and out's of tank-less water heater usage in a RV. I assumed they operated on 110 volts and I was very confused on how these would work in the RV experience. Well you cleared that up and now I'm in tune with the tank-less features. As a single person I don't think this would be a need for me but with a family it sure makes sense. Thank you and keep those great , well presented, lessons on RV living. I appreciate it really BIG. bill in Florida
Thanks to the stimulus pay, we were able to get our unit put in. We have never been happier! There is only 3 of us so the 42,000 BTU Girard has worked great for our needs. We don't mind adjusting the temp up and down for different uses. We already know that when we upgrade our trailer we will either be negotiating one to be put in or taking this one with us. We paid $1000 for the unit and complete install and removal of old unit. We don't have the knowledge to do it ourselves, so it was worth it to us.
While boondocking, daily showers are forbidden. Also, to supplement our water heater, I always keep a solar shower bag full and sitting outside, to use for dishes, handwashing and occasional showers outside. This saves a ton of energy.
Very good video. Very knowledgeable. We went to a tankless and love it. Ours is a Suburban . We go to Arizona for the winter, so we have hook up. Like taking long hot showers. But water pressure can be a problem. You should have around fifty lbs to have a consistent flow. Our pressure was a little low so our hot water was not as consistent as it should have been. But we survived and stayed clean. LOL.
Thanks for your always very interesting video, one of the best Chanel’s for RVers. I have a standard water heater and like the previous comment, I turn it On in the morning for about 15 mins and good for the rest of the day. It stay hot/warm a long time in this insulated tank it is surprising. In the evening If I want hot water for a shower I do the same thing. If I want to heat-up realy fast, in campground I can put propane and electric at the same time. I think that by only turning On the water heater for 15 mins at the time reduce wear and scale build-up. But I mostly RV alone...it would be different If I had a wife and children to manage with the water heater I supposed 😉 but in a RV, unless you have a recirculating loop, you will always have to waste some water before you have hot water at faucets. You have to manage this water and use it for other task, especially when you boom dock. Cleaning your teeth, dishwashing, coffee etc.
Just bought a new camper with a Girard Tankless. First time use, I did not like it. \ It was pretty cold outside and it took what seemed like a very long time for the water to heat up. I was using tank water and I was wasting the precious resource. Thanks for the great info! I think it will be very helpful.
Thanks Jered, As a further note...in cold weather we noticed if our 1 30 gallon tank was not full and it was pretty cold [20's-30's] our tankless would not get the water warmed up to our settings...a LP tank heater blanket solved the problem.
I like our tank water heater because you can adjust the hot and cold faucets any way you want, just like at home. My tankless (on another rig) was hard to control the temp (no temp display) and it seemed to change temps all by itself. Wife and I have never had a cold shower and we have never needed to have the propane and electrical on together but it is nice to know you can if you need to.
Awesome video and great comparison of the different offerings. We have had the Truma since last September and we are beyond happy with it. Never had an issue and it’s made showering a joy! I hear what you’re saying about the installation. We were at the Newmar service center getting service last September and Truma came right to Newmar and installed it while we were there so that was awesome. It’s definitely been worth the higher cost for us. Thanks for a great video! - MJ
Great video Jarred, I learnt a lot. I didn’t realize there were so many different models on the market. My only concern was watching you tighten that gas fitting without a backup wrench. It’s always good practice to use a wrench or some type of pliers to hold the male fitting while you turn the nut in order to reduce stress on the fitting itself and prevent bending the internal gas line 👍
Thanks for this video, saved me from switching my new system out. Definitely a dealbreaker wasting that cold water in the beginning, as we boondock a lot
I put a suburban on demand hot water tank in my rv you are right it takes about 3 seconds from the tank to the kitchen faucet and about 15 seconds to the bathroom. But I can take a 50 minute shower which is great. I would never go back to a normal rv hot water tank 😃
I have an older tank-less model Atwood that I installed myself under a test program they had. We really like it and enjoy the endless hot water. I was wondering about the de-scaling process. I've never done it and it's been on my mind for sometime now. Could you explain how you get the vinegar in the system and do you leave it sit in the lines or what. Thanks for the great video. Roger
I have a Rinnai home tankless water heater, you can find video recordings of the process used to flush these water heaters. I doubt there would be much difference with an RV water heater, you circulate vinegar for an hour maybe once a year through the heat exchanger with a pump. Very straightforward if plumbing access is good and plumbing design accounted for this preventive maintenance.
This is a great explanation of these. I was thinking of getting one but your information about boondocking (pretty much all I do) has me reconsidering. Thanks for posting!
Thanks for pointing out the delay in heating. We have a Girard GSWH-1M (probably one of the earliest models) and heating begins virtually instantly when the hot water line flows. We've had other issues with it not lighting and having to press a hidden reset button, but when it works it's instant so during showers, even if you turn off the water to lather, you will not get a slug of cold water, or very little. I think you said yours was 7 sec before it ignites? That's a substantial amount of unheated water being drawn into the hot water line, but by altering your habits you can probably get by without many problems. I had no idea that there were units with that kind of delay. I would guess that most who say "why would you want a tankless?" are not even showering in their units and manually turning on and off their water heaters when they anticipate using it. I say to them "why would you want to do that?" :) Thanks.
Good pros and cons review. I'd still opt for a tank. Water capacity and conservation being key. The added 6 gallons is welcome, and saving water while in use doubly welcome. Not a concern in destination trailers.
It's called a "submarine shower", shutting off water while you soap up. Plus, unless you're REALLY slow, water in pipe stays plenty warm and you might get a shot of cooler water after restart has been my experience. Insulating pipes makes a HUGE difference, plus fresh water tank heater helps too if your planning cold weather camping (but will use power). Recirculation pump is key and SO WORTH it.
Had a first gen.Girard, could never get it to work properly. Replaced it with a regular 6 gal. propane water heater, now have all the hot water I need. As mentioned in the comments flow/pressure has alot to do with function.
In the process of install a tankless water heater now. After ours developed a problem I could see it would cost hundreds to fix it so looked at options and got one from Amazon for $170. It's a Camplux 1.3gpm heater. It's only 2 of us so that fits our need and flow rate. As it's so small I was able to get it within 4' of our bathroom sink and we get hot water in about 3 seconds or I estimate with 1 cup of wasted cold water. The shower is a bit further so will probably waste 2 cups. In the past we'd be forced to heat up 6 gallons of water only to use 1-2 of them at most. So I'd guess we'll save 70% in propane costs. Another big plus not mentioned anywhere is that 6 gallons is almost 50 lbs of water. Now with the smaller heater and no water, we're almost 60 lbs lighter.
Even at my house I save the pre-hot water cold water to water plants. I'm sure there's something you could save that water for. Maybe not drinking, but something.
@@fayemarshall2254 Coming from an area where water is really expensive, it caused me near-physical pain to watch someone pour 2-1/4 cups of unused water down the drain.
Thank you for the info.....Thinking about switching over to a tankless water heater since the last time we went camping with the 'Family' - 3 females adults, one teenage granddaughter and one grandson(4yr old)..Ran out of hot water - completely forgot that we ONLY had a 6 gals....Everyone was complaining....😢😢😢😢😢
Thanks Jarrod for the very informative video. Now I need to check what tankless water heater was installed prior to taking possession of our TT. Your videos are really professional!
Great video. We have the Gerard and have had all the same issues. Without hookups, I’ll run my sink to start the water and fill a cup then turn in the shower and turn off the sink. Or, I fill the dog’s water which we keep in the shower anyway. We can do all this while standing in the shower because we have a very tiny bathroom. Our RV is in the shop right now for the water heater not working. If it’s needing replacement, I might just have to upgrade. That is for a great video.
Our first tankless was the Girard, never, ever, never again, had I not paid $500 for it that thing would have went straight into the dumpster! On our next RV I replaced the 6 gallon Suburban tank heater with a tankless by “Precision Temp”, it has been worth every extra penny we paid for it. The Precision Temp works flawlessly and we truly have endless hot water that we do mix with cold just like any shower in a house. It’s completely quiet when running, that took some getting use to after having the Girard that sounded like a jet engine. It’s insanely efficient, I can put my hand over the outside exhaust port and it’s barely warm what blows out, all the heat goes into the water, not out the exhaust, just like a high efficiency house on demand system it could be exhausted through pvc pipe. It uses next to no LP also, like mind blowing how it works so perfectly and our LP tank level seems to never drop. I replaced our rooftop AC’s with the new Dometic NXT Blizzard heat pumps (works awesome as well), so unless the temps are down to single digits we don’t use the propane heater any more, I set the CCC2 thermostat to kick LP heat on when it gets to single digits outside just to make sure the water pipes under the floor don’t freeze. We use electric for cooking and with the Precision Temp on demand water heater our full time RVing family of 4, all taking 1 shower per day, summer or winter we only use a single 40lb tank of LP every 6 months.
I forgot to add, the only down side to the Precision Temp tankless water heater is it isn’t an exact replacement fit from the 6 gallon tank Suburban water heater. I did have to cut the hole 1” wider to the side and 1” taller at the top to fit. Cutting the hole bigger is no big deal, simple to do, however I wanted to point this out so anyone thinking about putting one in checks to make sure you have the extra inch on one side or the other and top or bottom you can cut out without anything else being in your way. They do also sell one model you can install inside and exhaust vent it through the floor with just pvc pipe if mounting it traditionally on the outside wall of your RV isn’t an option.
Thanks for the video, I ordered my Oliver Travel Trailer with the Truma. I never had a cold water blast when shutting off/on the water during a shower.
Good honest video. I just got a new RV with my first tankless water heater. I really don't like it because of the cold spirts every time I stop and start the water in the shower. Do you think I could just change it to a regular tank style pretty easy like you've shown?
As Jared explained the Truma Aquago 'Comfort' has a setting which keeps 1 liter of water heated at all times. Don't bother with any other on demand system. Pay the few bucks to have the best on-demand water heater installed. Dealership installation reduces warranty claims, RV damage, and failures due to improper installation. To conserve LP the "Comfort" model features an 'eco' mode. In eco mode water is heated on-demand like the base model Aquago and most other on-demand systems. I installed the Girard 2 in my last DRV Houston. I enjoyed that system. However I did experience cold points when turning the water on and off and when the pressure in parks drop between 8 and noon. Before having modifications made to my current DRV Houston I did my homework. The Truma AquaGo Comfort was a perfect match. Having 1 liter of hot water always ready is perfect when needed. I've become used to washing my hands with cold water most of the year. In winter the heated underbelly keeps the PEX lines warm. When I turn on the tap the water is actually warm. To further conserve water I use diluted hand soap (30% soap to 70% water). Lather your hands before turning on the tap to rinse. The dishwasher, washing machine, and bidet heat their own water. By the time hot water reaches the dishwasher it's just about done filling. On the rare occasion I need to wash laundry in hot I'll use the water heater. Everything in my unit is electric except for the water heated. In my case it doesn't make sense to leave the Truma on until I take a shower just before bed or when I need hot water for other tasks. A simple turn for the control dial turns the water heater on. To sanitize my coffee mug or something else I simply use the electric kettle. Upgrading to the Truma AquaGo Comfort and adding the CheapHeat (variable output 5000W electric coil) furnace add-on were the absolute best modifications. On average I refill one 40# LP tank every four months. If the power goes out I simply flip a switch to run the furnace in LP mode and still have on-demand hot water.......that is until the batteries run out of juice. Knock on wood.... power has always been restored before the batteries run out. If a storm is forecasted I top off the two 40lb LP tanks and ensure the batteries are fully charged. The one upgrade I have on the list to do is converting the refrigerator compressor to 12v. But I'll wait until this one quits or the refrigerator requires major repair. I don't dry camp often enough to warrant changing out a perfectly functioning component. In my opinion Truma AquaGo Comfort is the tankless king. I'll never go back to wasting energy and waiting for a tank full of water to heat up. Jared has installed a few different water heaters. The most recent Suburban is giving him issues. If he would have gone with a dealer or authorized mobile tech install the Truma AquaGo Comfort he likely would have saved time, money, and frustration. Not to mention no more cold water during pauses. My Truma AquaGo Comfort has performed flawlessly for nearly five years. Not a single hiccup.
I have a Truma AquaGo Comfort Plus in my 2018 PleasureWay Ascent. I can’t say enough good about it-it’s really great. With the built in circulation pump, decent hot water is available within a couple of seconds at the kitchen faucet and immediately at the bathroom faucet. Winterizing it is a snap-it has a huge drain that eliminates any water in it. The outlet temperature is fixed at 120F, so mixing with cold is essential for showering but less necessary for just washing dishes or hands. The decalcification process is automatic (takes 4 tablets), but the clean out process afterwards takes more water than Truma says it will, maybe as much as 3 times as much. But that’s only done once a year or every 1500 gallons, whichever comes first. Anyway, I love my Truma. I would never replace it with any other brand.
Realizing it depends on preferences, why do manufacturers drive half their customers away by not making it an option? I Don’t want one…so I walk past dozens of units until I get to Flagstaff or Rockwood.
Our LTV Unity has a recirculating system as soon as the comfort switch is turned on so there is no wasted water or time as discussed in the video. So there are options with tankless water heaters.
Probably the best comparison of products I have ever watched on RUclips! Great job, and thanks for doing this. I'm in the process of converting a 2001 Aljo Toy Hauler into a mobile dog grooming salon, and have been swamped with trying to figure out which water heating solution would be best. With the help of this video, I'm much closer to making the decision on which tankless propane water heater to get, so thanks again.
Would it make sense to add another pump and line back to the water heater input? This would create a recirculation loop like they run in homes. You would only need to run this when you want hot water in the lines at all times. i.e. showers
I was replacing my 6gal Atwood heater every couple of years so bought the Girard tankless hoping for less problems... nope! From installation to a year of use, it has been an absolute nightmare. It doesn't fit in the old spot so had to cut out some wall plus had to re-pipe the entire system to get it to fit and not leak. Had pressure issues, heating problems and error beeping everytime I turned on hot. I finally figured out to ignore the annoying beeping and eventually it would stop. My main issue was in hot climate. If the tap water is hot then this tank shuts down. It can't cool the water so if it's hotter then your temperature setting then you're not getting water. I had to put in a bypass just to get water at all. I tried boondocking and it just quit on me. No burner, no blower fan and no water. Throwing it away forever now!
The recirculating systems require power, so you would need to have excess power while boondocking for that to make sense. I use excess solar to heat water, and while slower, a little planning and patience means that I don't have to use propane at all. I can also switch that excess power over to radiant heat pads under most of my floor area for chilly mornings when I don't have any need to heat water with it.
Thanks Jarred for another informative video. Are warm up process is probably one that many have already done which is to shower with a bucket and fill it with the cold then dump it back in the water tank or use it for filling the toilet which being from drought stricken Cali is how we use our shower water to do are part and flush our toilet with it. 😉
Fantastic video! Thanks for sharing your expertise regarding tankless water heaters. I am researching replacing my 6 gal water heater on my Airstream with a tankless. Your information was very useful. You have a new subscriber!
To conserve water for washing, get foaming soap. Bath and Body Works sells it. I refill the empty foaming dispenser with Dawn to use for dishes and greasy hands. Much less water used. 8 parts water then add 1 part dish soap. Dawn sells it too, just hard to find.
Excellent! Very detailed, informative and paced just right amen! I live in a conversion and am torn between an RV style like yours or a single/pair of vertical wall mount types such as camping styles.
I am thinking of this. Install a Tankless and let it feed into my standard water heater. Then all issues are solved. Endless hot water, mix it, don't mix it do what you want. Forget setting a temperature. And while you are at it get the biggest water pump you can find. Yaaaaaaaaaaaa Hoooo!
It surprised me when I moved to the US that homes did not typically have tankless. Been the norm in Europe for decades. The only thing that would concern me is if I boon docked but my rv tanks are too small for that anyway
I think that if you wanted to install a Truma on your own, you might be able to get one cheap from a used RV parts and salvage yard. Accidents happen, and even new RV's can end up totaled and sold at auction to parts dealers, so pulling a unit from one of those might be a viable option if you can get one at a decent price.
A great fox to the water east/wait would be to install a return line to heater with a recirc pump and a on/off switch. This would allow the heater to kick on and start heating before you step into the shower or wash your hands in the sink.
No re-charge time, mine does have a recharge time but is short. just time it and turn off water during shower, works kind of. We use the State Parks showers for a long hot shower.
We plumbers call it the sandwich effect when you start, stop and start a tankless water heater and get that burst of cold water. I installed a 18” section of 4” pvc reduced down to 1/2”on both sides to connect to the hot water line. This creates a little reservoir of hot water to absorb the sandwich effect.
I have this problem in my house system, because after I get started washing dishes, I only turn the water on to rinse. Otherwise it's off. Would this "18” section of 4” pvc reduced down to 1/2”on both sides to connect to the hot water line" be a suitable size for a house system? Would it prevent the luke warm water burst I get 2 minutes into each shower?
YOU are so smart!
@@joellen3972 yes
So you installed a 1 gallon accumulator for tempering changes in water temps by mixing them so you don't get that cold blast.
Very clever.
No recirculation pump needed , more efficient.
Brilliant !
Jared, to your points regarding tankless water heaters, I'd add the following:
• *Flow rate* - The average shower flow rate is 2.1GPM/7.9LPM. Take that into consideration when choosing a tankless water heater. Can it deliver the quantity of water needed at the desired temperature?
• *Temperature rise* - The average shower temperature is 105°F/40°C. Average municipal water supply is 55°F/13°C. A 50°F/10°C differential. Tankless water heaters are rated for a maximum temperature rise for a specific flow rate. Generally speaking, the higher the flow rate, the lower the maximum temperature rise. Also, if supply temperature is too low for the heater to deliver comfortable 105°F/40°C water...
• *Supply pressure* - Tankless water heaters require a minimum supply pressure. Typically 30PSI/2.1BAR. Also, tankless water heaters operate best with a constant supply pressure, not the pulsating output of some water pumps. An accumulator tank might be needed for some applications.
• *Elevation* - As with any propane appliance, performance begins to diminish over 2,500' above sea level and is pretty much none existent over 5,000'. For best performance, look for devices with automatic elevation compensation. Alternatively, obtain the appropriate replacement orifice for operation at higher elevations.
Lastly, while your video covered RV-specific tankless water heaters, some might be tempted to opt for outdoor models. *These must not be installed/used in enclosed spaces!* Unfortunately, this is far too common an occurrence to ignore. So, if choosing a model other than Atwood, Girard, Suburban or Truma, be sure that it's an indoor model and properly vented to atmosphere.
Also, a gas tankless coupled with an electric tank can be a great way to store excess solar energy if done right
Thank you got your information
Being on a catamaran sailboat, water conservancy is critical, even with an unlimited amount of water to desalinate. Installing a residential three way diverter saves us over a gallon of water getting hot water from the “other side” of the boat. One selection goes to a shower head. The second to an adjustable shower bar. And the third goes back to the water tank. Run for thirty seconds and you have “instant HOT”. Zero wasted water, which is even more critical while boondocking.
I love it when the boating community brings their knowledge and experience to the RVing community.
I think the two are far more connected than most people realize.
Thank you.
It's incredible, while I was watching the video, I was thinking the exact same thing about the diverter back to the tank. I am a cruising sailor and delivery captain. I am unfamiliar with the adjustable shower bar, exactly what is it? Great video however! Thanks
I stayed at a house and it had a pump under the sink in the bathroom that you could press a button for that would simply pump the water from the hot line into the cold line for 1 minute to bring the warm water to the bathroom. I think that is kind of the same idea.
Thanks for the tip!
Getting ready to buy our first RV and just started looking into the tankless options, I'll definitely use the diverter, this looks like a great way to keep the hot water going while lathering in the shower without wasting any water, though I suppose you'll burn a little more propane which appears to be nominal.
Can't wait to RV with endless hot water!
If someone was on top of things with arduino, I’ll bet it wouldn’t be terribly difficult to automate this process in an RV so the recirculating valve would stay open at first for a pre-determined number of seconds and then push the water through the shower. The automation would be sweet
While wintering in the baken oil patch I put one in my 32' class A, before installing it I added a light bulb to the inside of the unit and a switch in the cabin. Then ran a 75 watt weather duty bulb, on the colder days and nights (20° down to -40°). Never had it freeze up and the first burst of water was always warm. ... HB
I’m a full time rv guy and totally off any grid, I haul all my water and do solar and gen for power, since I installed my girard tankless I seem to actually use less water as I only use the hot tap, have temp set where I want it before I constantly used 80 to 120 gallons of water a week now its in the 50 to 80 gallon range and I take longer showers the big difference is propane use about 60% less , I’ll never go back to a tank
What kind of water heater do you use?
I "Flip" RVs (on my 25th one right now!!) I am keeping my 1972 Vintage Travel Trailer for myself and need a new water heater. I want to be able to be off grid and have solar too... I (think) I want a Electric water heater, because I'm 66 years old and truthfully do not want to tote heavy propane bottles around (I can do it, just don't want to as much, LOL).
Thank you for your help.
That's a very smart move, and makes a ton of sense. Why keep the hot water temp up high if you need to mix it with an almost equal amount of cold water in order to get it back down to a comfortable temperature at the shower head? That's what we call addition by subtraction.
Less Water + Less Propane = More Boondocking Time.
Q
Hi Jared, regarding your comment about a recirculation pump: An inexpensive and possibly less complicated alternative would be simply running a "T" fitting off of the hot line near your shower or fixture and run it back to your fresh water tank. Put a valve inline that is normally closed. When you open it, it will accomplish the same thing as running a faucet but it will dump the un-heated water back in the the storage tank. This way, you keep the limited resource of water within the sanitary fresh water system, instead of down the drain. A solenoid valve would be ideal, that way you just install a button near the fixture, hold it down for 10s before using the faucet and you should have no wasted water. Hope this is helpful. Thanks for the videos!
I have that in my motorhome but in the bathroom, on the opposite side of the water heater. It is a 12v activated valve that dumps back into the water tank. Press it count to 10, let go and turn on your faucet. I call it the Elkmont Special. 😎
Has any evolution or enhancements in the past two years been made? You’d think it’d be a no-brainer for the system itself to recirculate before it releases that initial 10 second blast. Thus preventing a need to recirculate from the faucet. Recirculate from the source! Right?
Can you control the temperature by adding cold water coming in when using tankless.. or is it set to a specific temperature and no cold water can be added?
@@christinaholligan8299ya can adjust temp either way. Boondocking we adjust temp to use less water and only use hot knob, hooked up we use hottest setting and use cold water knob to increase water pressure and adjust temp.
recirc pump would be rad!
We boondock often, we run the water into a bucket next to the shower, when we turn it off and on during the shower, again, we let it flow into the bucket. Then we use the water in the bucket for washing dishes or flushing toilets. We don’t let a drop of water go to waste! Thank you.
I’ve been debating on Girard and then found Suburban and decided to go with it. Then your video popped up today and solidified my decision. Thanks for the great info!
Build-It Brock hey did you install the suburban? I have and need a little help with wiring if you have a minute
You’re really good at teaching. Clear, concise, good balance of tell and show. Just perfect-an instant subscribe. Thank you!
Excellent topic, well covered. For comparison's sake, we have a Girard unit in a 24' Lance trailer, used mostly in the Rockies. It fires up in 2-3 seconds, so the additional 'lost water' is negligible. We see no benefit to mixing cold with hot water since the unit has a digital thermostat. Patricia likes 104F, while I prefer 102F...so set the thermostat and get exactly what you want by just using the hot water valve. As for that 'cold column of water' at start up and then when rinsing, Jared says he likes to use it on his face while we find it best used to rinse our legs (not so temperature sensitive). The point is that there are ways to adapt to a tankless system which minimize the issues while giving us the benefits.
UPDATE: To keep everyone updated with our current water heater, we are having issues with a consistent water temp from the Suburban tankless water heater. We hope to figure it out but we are having a problem with the temp holding steady for more than a few minutes and then with no change at the faucet or use the temp will swing up 5 or 6 degrees or down 5 or 6 degrees. I will let you know if we can resolve the problem.
Thanks for the update! Have you reached out to customer service and if so how has that been? I have been looking to purchase this water heater but since it is a fairly new model it is hard to find reviews so very interested in your take on everything. Thanks!
sure its not the incoming water pressure coming in to it ? Many won't operate if the pressure falls below a certain psi and maybe thats it.
We have the I60 and we winter in AZ. We have the same problem. Are park has low water pressure. It's at 38 lbs. The repair guy said for the water heater to work properly, it should be at 45lbs at the lowest point otherwise it will fluctuate. So I took off the pressure gauge, with 38lbs, we don't have to worry about busting lines. That did help. Now we have hot water ninety percent of the time.
I was wondering if you ever figured out the problem. Ive went through 2 of these within a year span. The first one would turn off and on and fluctuate temps so amazon sent me another after i couldnt get a hold of anyone at suburban or airxcell. Ive had this one for 6 months or so and now the temps will shoot way down and then go back up and be good for a few minutes, then get cold for another second. Its like it shuts down very quickly and turns back on. The ambient temp has been much cooler than before( around 41 degrees) and am wondering if that has something to do with it. Any thoughts would be much appreciated !!!
We love our truma comfort plus. Consistent hot water. No cold issues. We have a water miser at the shower.
We have the Atwood. Have had several issues with cold to hot to cold to hot. Finally figured out we had to set our manual pressure regulator outside to no more then 42psi or the sensors on the inside would not read correctly and you would constantly get cold water.
Just bought a 2021 Grand Design and it has a tankless water heater. Haven’t even used it yet but I’m used to the old 6 gallon water heaters. This video brought me up to speed. Thanks.
Thank you for explaining that to me. I have been researching tank less water heaters but there isnt any really good real time experience videos that i could find and TRUST. Thanks for the information.
Thanks Jason! I got your email and will be in touch.
Thanks Jarret, this was the first video that I have seen actually doing a good review on the plus and minuses for instant hot water heaters. Thanks for the details.
I haven’t read all the posts, (so might have been mentioned already), but I would think the perfect system in an rv would be using the same solution as with a home: a hybrid system. This is where a tankless unit fills a holding tank. Water is drawn from this tank. This allows for endless warm water and less wear and off/on of the tankless heater.
That's what I was thinking too, having heard that recommended before.
Its called the Truma AquaGo Comfort....
As Jared stated the Truma Aquago 'Comfort' has a setting which keeps 1 liter of water heated at all times. To conserve LP the "Comfort" model also features an 'eco' mode. In eco mode water is heated on-demand like the base model Aquago and most other on-demand systems.
I've become used to washing my hands with cold water most of the year. In winter the heated underbelly keeps the PEX lines warm. When I turn on the tap the water is actually warm. To further conserve water I use diluted hand soap (30% soap to 70% water). Lather your hands before turning on the tap to rinse.
The dishwasher, washing machine, and bidet heat their own water. By the time hot water reaches the dishwasher it's just about done filling. On the rare occasion I need to wash laundry in hot I'll use the water heater. Everything in my unit is electric except for the water heated.
In my case it doesn't make sense to leave the Truma on until I take a shower just before bed or when I need hot water for other tasks. A simple turn for the control dial turns the water heater on. To sanitize my coffee mug or something else I simply use the electric kettle.
Upgrading to the Truma AquaGo Comfort and adding the CheapHeat (variable output 5000W electric coil) furnace add-on were the absolute best modifications. On average I refill one 40# LP tank every four months. If the power goes out I simply flip a switch to run the furnace in LP mode and still have on-demand hot water.......that is until the batteries run out of juice. Knock on wood.... power has always been restored before the batteries run out. If a storm is forecasted I top off the two 40lb LP tanks and ensure the batteries are fully charged. The one upgrade I have on the list to do is converting the refrigerator compressor to 12v. But I'll wait until this one quits or the refrigerator requires major repair. I don't dry camp often enough to warrant changing out a perfectly functioning component.
In my opinion tankless is king. I'll never go back to wasting energy and waiting for a tank full of water to heat up.😢
Just bought the Suburban IW60, didn't realize you have to buy the exterior door and vent completely separate of the water heater as well as each other. My gas line off my old Dometic runs all the way to the left side so I'm having to do some plumbing to get it connected. I've considered just using an appliance gas line to connect the old connection point to the water heater. Glad to find this video as it's the closest thing to an actual install video as I've found.
I have a Suburban, propane only water heater. I removed the anode rod and installed a HotRod electric powered heating element in its place. I removed the pressure relief valve and reinstalled the anode rod there instead. I was able to keep the pressure valve by using a coupling and a T-fitting. Now I have a hybrid heater that works off solar and propane, but I very rarely need the propane anymore. It's one of the best upgrades I've done so far and it has paid for itself many times over by not using propane. Can't beat having instant, free hot water 24 hours a day.
We have had three truma water heaters and have loved every one!
God & Country We have the AquaGo on our Riverstone
We are so spoiled. Any kind of hot water is a luxury. Like some of us we started camping in a tent or just under the stars.
We have a water saver on our shower. It’s great and would save you from the hot/cold cycles. It just redirects the water from the shower head to the fresh water tank. It’s how we fill our fresh water tank, too. We just run a cold “shower” through it for about 10 mins before we leave a campsite.
Can you explain this a little more? I don’t understand…
My previous water heater was propane only. My current one is electric and/or propane. I am amazed how quick the water gets warm enough to shower with both the propane and electric on. Thanks for the great info. I will consider a unit like this in the future.
Great video. Very informative and production quality is awesome. I'd add one thing: If planning on using the rv during the winter, get a tankless water heater with a winter mode to protect the unit from freezing. Thanks!
I have a furrion unit and full time for the last year. I’m at 25 degrees outside this winter. I have hot water in 1-3 minutes. I can add cold water to increase water pressure. Temp stays regular with very little fluctuation.
I use a freeze miser to keep the water in the hose line at 37 degrees. Furrion heats it up to 124 degrees fairly easily. I’ve been happy with it.
Maybe you adrerss this later, but the Truma has a "Comfort" setting, and a small storage tank that works well to minimize water loss
We were quoted a $1400 to install the Truma. There’s two switches on the Truma. You can set the inside switch to ECO, Regular, off, and clean. Winterization is very easy. Just open the drain. The present RV came with the AquaGo.
Terry French I have a Furrion hot Water Heater, in my 337rls Reflection and it works great but I installed a 12 v water solenoid in between the hot water line going to the kitchen sink and routed it back in to the fresh water tank with a on and off switch. This way you don't lose a drop of water, it returns back to the fresh water tank, when the water gets hot ( you can time how long it takes to get hot) you turn the switch off and the hot water go's to the tap. This works great when you show also.
That is a great idea.
Form and function and possible pitfalls are my main concerns when replacing or repairing anything at all. I appriciate the heads up on the differenes between models in which you have actually used for more than a hour or two. I watch you because of your real-world usage of products that you endorse and also your upfront transparency of the products that the company provided ( that will get an unbiased review). Keep up the great work and build memories that can't be replaced.
I just love your channel. Your research of the issues you cover is thorough, which leads me to trust your information. Thanks!
Easy fix, add a recirculation system to each fixture with switch or Bluetooth control. Switch it on before water use and instant hit water. Any plumber can do it.
I noticed you cleaned off the caulking using a metal razor blade. I have purchased plastic blades which I use to make sure to never scratch the paint. I've also used them to take off long sticker graphics from the sides of my class A that would normally be a big pain to remove without causing damage to the outside walls. Also, Teflon tape for gas fittings, also known as gas-rated Teflon tape, is yellow in color and clearly states it is for gas lines and connections. The tape works on all gas line types, including butane, propane and natural gas lines.
I don't think you need Teflon tape on compression fittings, only on threaded pipe for gas ( yellow stuff )
I was thinking recirculating pump myself and then you covered it. Won't install a tankless unit unless the cold wait time after lathering up can be solved. Thanks for the thorough report
I have an electric on demand on my motorhome, works great. Especially if we bath the way you explained.
What kind of water heater do you have... and what size?
Thank you for your help.
Our bathroom, tub/shower is directly above the 10 gallon water heater and our hot water is only 3 to 5 seconds away. I have a tankless at home and would love to go back to a tank water heater at home and have no desire to have a tankless in our RV. What you described about using the shower and pausing the flow and then you get 7 seconds of cold water,noooo thank you. Love your channel and reviews. Safe travels.
I designed and installed a recirc system in my class B van. With small fresh water tank and small gray tank, I waste no water or gray tank space waiting for hot water, and the water is almost instantly hot. Makes that small 2.5 gallon Truma water heater last a long time.
Do you use a Diesel liquid heater with heat exchangers?
Jared, great video. I have the typical gas/electric Suburban 6 gal water heater. I was wondering about converting to tankless and now I know I should with your great educational/instructional guidance video. And when I checked Amazon, there is only a $100 difference between the standard Suburban water heater and the new tankless. I think I'll bite the bullet and press ahead with the tankless. Thanks again for a great video--I've been watching your channel now for 3 years and enjoy learning from a passionate RVer!
Just ordered a new caravan here in Australia and it comes with the suburban hot water system, great video I know what to expect from the system now. Keep the videos
coming I enjoy watching them and all the tips and hacks you post stay safe mate.
Thanks!
Our 2022 Entegra Vision motorhome came with a tankless heater, I think it's a Girard, and we don't like it at all. A lot of water has to run in the shower before it gets hot, then it goes cold and then back to hot. I like the tank type water heater we had on our old motorhome, it gave us consistent hot water and it would recycle very quickly. Thanks for your video.
Thanks Jared, ( hope I spelled your name right ), I really appreciate your explaining the in's and out's of tank-less water heater usage in a RV. I assumed they operated on 110 volts and I was very confused on how these would work in the RV experience. Well you cleared that up and now I'm in tune with the tank-less features. As a single person I don't think this would be a need for me but with a family it sure makes sense. Thank you and keep those great , well presented, lessons on RV living. I appreciate it really BIG. bill in Florida
Thanks to the stimulus pay, we were able to get our unit put in. We have never been happier! There is only 3 of us so the 42,000 BTU Girard has worked great for our needs. We don't mind adjusting the temp up and down for different uses. We already know that when we upgrade our trailer we will either be negotiating one to be put in or taking this one with us. We paid $1000 for the unit and complete install and removal of old unit. We don't have the knowledge to do it ourselves, so it was worth it to us.
While boondocking, daily showers are forbidden. Also, to supplement our water heater, I always keep a solar shower bag full and sitting outside, to use for dishes, handwashing and occasional showers outside. This saves a ton of energy.
Very good video. Very knowledgeable. We went to a tankless and love it. Ours is a Suburban . We go to Arizona for the winter, so we have hook up. Like taking long hot showers. But water pressure can be a problem. You should have around fifty lbs to have a consistent flow. Our pressure was a little low so our hot water was not as consistent as it should have been. But we survived and stayed clean. LOL.
Thanks for your always very interesting video, one of the best Chanel’s for RVers. I have a standard water heater and like the previous comment, I turn it On in the morning for about 15 mins and good for the rest of the day. It stay hot/warm a long time in this insulated tank it is surprising. In the evening If I want hot water for a shower I do the same thing. If I want to heat-up realy fast, in campground I can put propane and electric at the same time. I think that by only turning On the water heater for 15 mins at the time reduce wear and scale build-up. But I mostly RV alone...it would be different If I had a wife and children to manage with the water heater I supposed 😉 but in a RV, unless you have a recirculating loop, you will always have to waste some water before you have hot water at faucets. You have to manage this water and use it for other task, especially when you boom dock. Cleaning your teeth, dishwashing, coffee etc.
Just bought a new camper with a Girard Tankless. First time use, I did not like it. \ It was pretty cold outside and it took what seemed like a very long time for the water to heat up. I was using tank water and I was wasting the precious resource. Thanks for the great info! I think it will be very helpful.
I’m gonna try and think of all this information every time I’m showering in my camper while relaxing on my RV vacation 😂
Thanks Jered, As a further note...in cold weather we noticed if our 1 30 gallon tank was not full and it was pretty cold [20's-30's] our tankless would not get the water warmed up to our settings...a LP tank heater blanket solved the problem.
Keep up the great information n videos you provide
I like our tank water heater because you can adjust the hot and cold faucets any way you want, just like at home. My tankless (on another rig) was hard to control the temp (no temp display) and it seemed to change temps all by itself. Wife and I have never had a cold shower and we have never needed to have the propane and electrical on together but it is nice to know you can if you need to.
There’s no temp control on RV water heaters
I wish
They’re way too hot!
Awesome video and great comparison of the different offerings. We have had the Truma since last September and we are beyond happy with it. Never had an issue and it’s made showering a joy! I hear what you’re saying about the installation. We were at the Newmar service center getting service last September and Truma came right to Newmar and installed it while we were there so that was awesome. It’s definitely been worth the higher cost for us. Thanks for a great video! - MJ
I'm absolutely doing this. Did a tankless at my house and it was amazing. Great video!
Great video Jarred, I learnt a lot. I didn’t realize there were so many different models on the market. My only concern was watching you tighten that gas fitting without a backup wrench. It’s always good practice to use a wrench or some type of pliers to hold the male fitting while you turn the nut in order to reduce stress on the fitting itself and prevent bending the internal gas line 👍
Thanks Jared, it's good to see there are different options out there.
Thanks for this video, saved me from switching my new system out. Definitely a dealbreaker wasting that cold water in the beginning, as we boondock a lot
If you want a tankless the Truma is worth a look. Zero wasted water with its features. ruclips.net/video/fhVusjZgWQY/видео.htmlsi=Nk6bmZKP4pgzBU0t
Just scheduled an appointment with Truma. Can’t wait!
Thank you for all the information on the tankless hot water heaters I had no idea they could be that touchy in certain situations
I put a suburban on demand hot water tank in my rv you are right it takes about 3 seconds from the tank to the kitchen faucet and about 15 seconds to the bathroom. But I can take a 50 minute shower which is great. I would never go back to a normal rv hot water tank 😃
I have an older tank-less model Atwood that I installed myself under a test program they had. We really like it and enjoy the endless hot water. I was wondering about the de-scaling process. I've never done it and it's been on my mind for sometime now. Could you explain how you get the vinegar in the system and do you leave it sit in the lines or what.
Thanks for the great video.
Roger
I have a Rinnai home tankless water heater, you can find video recordings of the process used to flush these water heaters. I doubt there would be much difference with an RV water heater, you circulate vinegar for an hour maybe once a year through the heat exchanger with a pump. Very straightforward if plumbing access is good and plumbing design accounted for this preventive maintenance.
This is a great explanation of these. I was thinking of getting one but your information about boondocking (pretty much all I do) has me reconsidering. Thanks for posting!
Thanks for pointing out the delay in heating. We have a Girard GSWH-1M (probably one of the earliest models) and heating begins virtually instantly when the hot water line flows. We've had other issues with it not lighting and having to press a hidden reset button, but when it works it's instant so during showers, even if you turn off the water to lather, you will not get a slug of cold water, or very little. I think you said yours was 7 sec before it ignites? That's a substantial amount of unheated water being drawn into the hot water line, but by altering your habits you can probably get by without many problems. I had no idea that there were units with that kind of delay. I would guess that most who say "why would you want a tankless?" are not even showering in their units and manually turning on and off their water heaters when they anticipate using it. I say to them "why would you want to do that?" :) Thanks.
Good pros and cons review. I'd still opt for a tank. Water capacity and conservation being key. The added 6 gallons is welcome, and saving water while in use doubly welcome. Not a concern in destination trailers.
It's called a "submarine shower", shutting off water while you soap up. Plus, unless you're REALLY slow, water in pipe stays plenty warm and you might get a shot of cooler water after restart has been my experience. Insulating pipes makes a HUGE difference, plus fresh water tank heater helps too if your planning cold weather camping (but will use power). Recirculation pump is key and SO WORTH it.
I have the Truma and love it.
It has a setting to keep the water hot or keep it warm in eco mode. You get the hot water almost instantly in the normal mode
Had a first gen.Girard, could never get it to work properly. Replaced it with a regular 6 gal. propane water heater, now have all the hot water I need. As mentioned in the comments flow/pressure has alot to do with function.
In the process of install a tankless water heater now. After ours developed a problem I could see it would cost hundreds to fix it so looked at options and got one from Amazon for $170.
It's a Camplux 1.3gpm heater. It's only 2 of us so that fits our need and flow rate. As it's so small I was able to get it within 4' of our bathroom sink and we get hot water in about 3 seconds or I estimate with 1 cup of wasted cold water. The shower is a bit further so will probably waste 2 cups. In the past we'd be forced to heat up 6 gallons of water only to use 1-2 of them at most. So I'd guess we'll save 70% in propane costs. Another big plus not mentioned anywhere is that 6 gallons is almost 50 lbs of water. Now with the smaller heater and no water, we're almost 60 lbs lighter.
Nicely done with both pros and cons. Thank you.
Even at my house I save the pre-hot water cold water to water plants. I'm sure there's something you could save that water for. Maybe not drinking, but something.
@@fayemarshall2254 Coming from an area where water is really expensive, it caused me near-physical pain to watch someone pour 2-1/4 cups of unused water down the drain.
Thank you for the info.....Thinking about switching over to a tankless water heater since the last time we went camping with the 'Family' - 3 females adults, one teenage granddaughter and one grandson(4yr old)..Ran out of hot water - completely forgot that we ONLY had a 6 gals....Everyone was complaining....😢😢😢😢😢
Have you explored the Fogatti?
as to scalling, why not put a three inline filter system before it goes into thetankless system
Great video and good points that most won’t think about when going tankless 👍🏻
Thanks Jarrod for the very informative video. Now I need to check what tankless water heater was installed prior to taking possession of our TT. Your videos are really professional!
I use a cold water mix with my Girard II. No issues. Mine was installed in Mar 2020.
Great video. We have the Gerard and have had all the same issues. Without hookups, I’ll run my sink to start the water and fill a cup then turn in the shower and turn off the sink. Or, I fill the dog’s water which we keep in the shower anyway. We can do all this while standing in the shower because we have a very tiny bathroom. Our RV is in the shop right now for the water heater not working. If it’s needing replacement, I might just have to upgrade. That is for a great video.
Our first tankless was the Girard, never, ever, never again, had I not paid $500 for it that thing would have went straight into the dumpster! On our next RV I replaced the 6 gallon Suburban tank heater with a tankless by “Precision Temp”, it has been worth every extra penny we paid for it. The Precision Temp works flawlessly and we truly have endless hot water that we do mix with cold just like any shower in a house. It’s completely quiet when running, that took some getting use to after having the Girard that sounded like a jet engine. It’s insanely efficient, I can put my hand over the outside exhaust port and it’s barely warm what blows out, all the heat goes into the water, not out the exhaust, just like a high efficiency house on demand system it could be exhausted through pvc pipe. It uses next to no LP also, like mind blowing how it works so perfectly and our LP tank level seems to never drop. I replaced our rooftop AC’s with the new Dometic NXT Blizzard heat pumps (works awesome as well), so unless the temps are down to single digits we don’t use the propane heater any more, I set the CCC2 thermostat to kick LP heat on when it gets to single digits outside just to make sure the water pipes under the floor don’t freeze. We use electric for cooking and with the Precision Temp on demand water heater our full time RVing family of 4, all taking 1 shower per day, summer or winter we only use a single 40lb tank of LP every 6 months.
I forgot to add, the only down side to the Precision Temp tankless water heater is it isn’t an exact replacement fit from the 6 gallon tank Suburban water heater. I did have to cut the hole 1” wider to the side and 1” taller at the top to fit. Cutting the hole bigger is no big deal, simple to do, however I wanted to point this out so anyone thinking about putting one in checks to make sure you have the extra inch on one side or the other and top or bottom you can cut out without anything else being in your way. They do also sell one model you can install inside and exhaust vent it through the floor with just pvc pipe if mounting it traditionally on the outside wall of your RV isn’t an option.
Great video we’re going to go tankless as well thanks for the comparison
Thanks for the video, I ordered my Oliver Travel Trailer with the Truma. I never had a cold water blast when shutting off/on the water during a shower.
The Truma does a great job with that problem with the mixing vessel
Good honest video. I just got a new RV with my first tankless water heater. I really don't like it because of the cold spirts every time I stop and start the water in the shower. Do you think I could just change it to a regular tank style pretty easy like you've shown?
As expected, your review and explanation? Awesome! thanks for the up.
As Jared explained the Truma Aquago 'Comfort' has a setting which keeps 1 liter of water heated at all times. Don't bother with any other on demand system. Pay the few bucks to have the best on-demand water heater installed. Dealership installation reduces warranty claims, RV damage, and failures due to improper installation.
To conserve LP the "Comfort" model features an 'eco' mode. In eco mode water is heated on-demand like the base model Aquago and most other on-demand systems. I installed the Girard 2 in my last DRV Houston. I enjoyed that system. However I did experience cold points when turning the water on and off and when the pressure in parks drop between 8 and noon. Before having modifications made to my current DRV Houston I did my homework. The Truma AquaGo Comfort was a perfect match. Having 1 liter of hot water always ready is perfect when needed.
I've become used to washing my hands with cold water most of the year. In winter the heated underbelly keeps the PEX lines warm. When I turn on the tap the water is actually warm. To further conserve water I use diluted hand soap (30% soap to 70% water). Lather your hands before turning on the tap to rinse.
The dishwasher, washing machine, and bidet heat their own water. By the time hot water reaches the dishwasher it's just about done filling. On the rare occasion I need to wash laundry in hot I'll use the water heater. Everything in my unit is electric except for the water heated.
In my case it doesn't make sense to leave the Truma on until I take a shower just before bed or when I need hot water for other tasks. A simple turn for the control dial turns the water heater on. To sanitize my coffee mug or something else I simply use the electric kettle.
Upgrading to the Truma AquaGo Comfort and adding the CheapHeat (variable output 5000W electric coil) furnace add-on were the absolute best modifications. On average I refill one 40# LP tank every four months. If the power goes out I simply flip a switch to run the furnace in LP mode and still have on-demand hot water.......that is until the batteries run out of juice. Knock on wood.... power has always been restored before the batteries run out. If a storm is forecasted I top off the two 40lb LP tanks and ensure the batteries are fully charged. The one upgrade I have on the list to do is converting the refrigerator compressor to 12v. But I'll wait until this one quits or the refrigerator requires major repair. I don't dry camp often enough to warrant changing out a perfectly functioning component.
In my opinion Truma AquaGo Comfort is the tankless king. I'll never go back to wasting energy and waiting for a tank full of water to heat up.
Jared has installed a few different water heaters. The most recent Suburban is giving him issues. If he would have gone with a dealer or authorized mobile tech install the Truma AquaGo Comfort he likely would have saved time, money, and frustration. Not to mention no more cold water during pauses. My Truma AquaGo Comfort has performed flawlessly for nearly five years. Not a single hiccup.
very honest review i like it keep it up need more person like you
I have a Truma AquaGo Comfort Plus in my 2018 PleasureWay Ascent. I can’t say enough good about it-it’s really great. With the built in circulation pump, decent hot water is available within a couple of seconds at the kitchen faucet and immediately at the bathroom faucet. Winterizing it is a snap-it has a huge drain that eliminates any water in it. The outlet temperature is fixed at 120F, so mixing with cold is essential for showering but less necessary for just washing dishes or hands. The decalcification process is automatic (takes 4 tablets), but the clean out process afterwards takes more water than Truma says it will, maybe as much as 3 times as much. But that’s only done once a year or every 1500 gallons, whichever comes first. Anyway, I love my Truma. I would never replace it with any other brand.
Realizing it depends on preferences, why do manufacturers drive half their customers away by not making it an option? I Don’t want one…so I walk past dozens of units until I get to Flagstaff or Rockwood.
Our LTV Unity has a recirculating system as soon as the comfort switch is turned on so there is no wasted water or time as discussed in the video. So there are options with tankless water heaters.
Great video my girard water heater just froze up and leaking profusely wondering if it’s salvageable??
Probably the best comparison of products I have ever watched on RUclips! Great job, and thanks for doing this. I'm in the process of converting a 2001 Aljo Toy Hauler into a mobile dog grooming salon, and have been swamped with trying to figure out which water heating solution would be best. With the help of this video, I'm much closer to making the decision on which tankless propane water heater to get, so thanks again.
Would it make sense to add another pump and line back to the water heater input? This would create a recirculation loop like they run in homes. You would only need to run this when you want hot water in the lines at all times. i.e. showers
I was replacing my 6gal Atwood heater every couple of years so bought the Girard tankless hoping for less problems... nope! From installation to a year of use, it has been an absolute nightmare. It doesn't fit in the old spot so had to cut out some wall plus had to re-pipe the entire system to get it to fit and not leak. Had pressure issues, heating problems and error beeping everytime I turned on hot. I finally figured out to ignore the annoying beeping and eventually it would stop. My main issue was in hot climate. If the tap water is hot then this tank shuts down. It can't cool the water so if it's hotter then your temperature setting then you're not getting water. I had to put in a bypass just to get water at all. I tried boondocking and it just quit on me. No burner, no blower fan and no water. Throwing it away forever now!
The recirculating systems require power, so you would need to have excess power while boondocking for that to make sense. I use excess solar to heat water, and while slower, a little planning and patience means that I don't have to use propane at all. I can also switch that excess power over to radiant heat pads under most of my floor area for chilly mornings when I don't have any need to heat water with it.
Thanks Jarred for another informative video.
Are warm up process is probably one that many have already done which is to shower with a bucket and fill it with the cold then dump it back in the water tank or use it for filling the toilet which being from drought stricken Cali is how we use our shower water to do are part and flush our toilet with it. 😉
Ok, I just re-watched your tankless water heater video about an hour ago and then you put this one out. Perfect timing.
Fantastic video! Thanks for sharing your expertise regarding tankless water heaters. I am researching replacing my 6 gal water heater on my Airstream with a tankless. Your information was very useful. You have a new subscriber!
To conserve water for washing, get foaming soap. Bath and Body Works sells it. I refill the empty foaming dispenser with Dawn to use for dishes and greasy hands. Much less water used. 8 parts water then add 1 part dish soap. Dawn sells it too, just hard to find.
Excellent!
Very detailed, informative and paced just right amen! I live in a conversion and am torn between an RV style like yours or a single/pair of vertical wall mount types such as camping styles.
I am thinking of this. Install a Tankless and let it feed into my standard water heater. Then all issues are solved. Endless hot water, mix it, don't mix it do what you want. Forget setting a temperature. And while you are at it get the biggest water pump you can find. Yaaaaaaaaaaaa Hoooo!
It surprised me when I moved to the US that homes did not typically have tankless. Been the norm in Europe for decades. The only thing that would concern me is if I boon docked but my rv tanks are too small for that anyway
I think that if you wanted to install a Truma on your own, you might be able to get one cheap from a used RV parts and salvage yard. Accidents happen, and even new RV's can end up totaled and sold at auction to parts dealers, so pulling a unit from one of those might be a viable option if you can get one at a decent price.
A great fox to the water east/wait would be to install a return line to heater with a recirc pump and a on/off switch.
This would allow the heater to kick on and start heating before you step into the shower or wash your hands in the sink.
Just wondering if you had problems with your first tankless water heater. Did it break down?
Very good and honest review. Giving both pro and con of all units... Just as I agree there is. A++++ video.
so helpful as i am renovating my airstream and am trying to figure out what to get. thanks!
No re-charge time, mine does have a recharge time but is short. just time it and turn off water during shower, works kind of. We use the State Parks showers for a long hot shower.
I'll be installing my 1st tankless water heater this week. I can't wait to see if it lives up to the hype - I'm sure my son and I will love it! 👍