Hey everybody! We hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for watching! If you have any questions about what door you will need for your future install, details + links are in the video description. See you all in the comments! 😎
Can you help me find the correct door? I’m using the same tankless heater to replace my Atwood 6 gallon and the door measures 18” wide 14.5” tall and I’m having no luck finding one!
Hey I am a little concerned about how this all goes together, my current water heater is both electric and propane. I have the plug in for the trailer but I also have a solar panel on the roof. so I need to somehow disconnect that before I start working on things or will i get shocked? I am not sure how that all works but I have seen enough to actually take the old one out on my own. But I would like to put in a tankless so that when I sell the trailer it will hopefully be worth more since I am also having to put in a new furnace also. any suggestions?
I just recently discovered your videos. I can't believe how patient you seem with all the hang ups, road repairs, small projects where you don't have the correct parts, etc. I'd be cursing my way through someone videoing me doing these things. Great job and thanks for sharing your RV life with us.
Not sure if you’re all still active in those channel but this video saved my bacon big time! I had the same wiring configuration on my 2002 Four Winds 5000 and this helped to clear up confusion around the wiring!! Thanks a million!!
I have the same Atwood 6gal wh in my RV and the drain outlet at the bottom is supposed to have a plastic plug and nothing else. Many people do the petcock trick, but it is not advised as the Atwood has an aluminum tank with aluminum threads that can be stripped easily. It also causes the tank to be subject to corrosion caused by dissimilar metals coming in contact with each other.
Put in a Truma instant hot water two years ago in my older RV. Works like a charm, no problems. Love it and I do a lot of boondocking. Uses very little propane.
Had the Girard 1st Gen installed in 08' and used it for 12yrs... Best add-on ever in our TT. We have just upgraded our 05' TrailVision to a 2018 Rockwood MiniLite, and are contemplating doing the install ourselves... Your video is very well done and I will save me $250 to do myself... Thanks.
I had not watched your channel since you started. Im glad I refound you. I find you guys to be easy to follow and very thorough while being pleasant . You guys have a great relationship and it shows
I installed the Girard Propane Tankless in 2018 in my 2016 Fleetwood Storm 35SK. The problem that you had with the door, I just used the original door and used wood to block in the heater to where I needed it to be. I was lucky that it worked out this way because of the paint scheme on the Fleetwood was also on the door. With the problem that you had finding the correct door, I just would have drilled a new vent hole to match the vent pipe in the heater, (I was almost done with my comments when I remembered) The most important thing to remember is the temp. of the cold water coming into the Tankless water heater. The unit only increases the temp of the water by so many degrees. So if your water is coming out of your holding tank, the temp is the same for all of the gallons, BUT when you are hooked up to city water the temp will change. You have water in the hose and in the RV's water lines that is one temp. After you use all of that up then the water coming out of the ground will be colder. I had problems with the unit staying on while my wife was in the shower and giving her cold water for several minutes then it would get hot again. I called Girard for help and they were GREAT. It was suggested to make sure that there was no air in the water lines, like the outside shower. Air compresses so the water pressure going through the lines can change. Still having problems working with Girard again I was asked to check the temp. of the water lines that are part of the unit with a Laser Thermonitor. There were 2 bad sensors, and they sent me 2 new ones. I didn't want to wait so I asked if they could next day them to me if I paid half of the shipping. Again they were very helpful, BUT still had problems with the unit turning off while the water was running. We did a water flow test at the shower. I finally found a factory water restrictor fitting in the water line just past the kitchen sink. Made a world of difference. The tech guy at Girard asked if I could send him the pictures. (If you need the tech support contact info just email me PancoastJ@bellsouth.net) Now understand that every time that you turn off the hot water at the kitchen sink while doing the dishes the unit turns off because there is NO water flow. When you turn the hot water back on to rinse the dishes the water is cold for several seconds. The control panel is great, the display tells you the temp of the water, when the burner is on. In 2019, I added an electric 20 amp water heater next to the rear shower hoping that this would keep the water at the perfect water temp for my wife's shower. No such luck. When the water temp going into the electric would be too warm it would shut down to prevent the water from being too hot coming out. I was running the Girard to pre-heat the water, and I tried not turning on the Girard, and still had problems. So this year, 2021, I installed a 7-gallon electric water heater by the shower. I added a 2-1/2 gallon electric at the kitchen sink which also supplies hot water to the 1/2-bath. I also terminated the hot water line at the 1/2-bath to keep the shower hot water separated. I figured that every night I plug into the RV park electricity and heating the water is free, no propane to pay for. The electric water heater takes less than one hour to heat.
Great vide. I was thinking of getting this unit to replace my Atwood heater and I came across this video which helped me to decide to move forward with this unit.. Install is much less daunting after viewing this video. Thanks for your video.
I just ordered this heater the other day and got it installed yesterday. It was really not to bad of an install at all. It took me about 3 hrs or so and thats with stopping to go get parts from the hardware store. It was really nice to be able to take an almost 20 min shower with hot water without running out.
I'm curious about how much propane is required to do a long shower. Obviously these things don't run cheap, so I'm wondering if it's really worth the cost ratio to how much per gallon of water, in propane cost. Maybe after a month or two, you could fill me in on the added cost of propane???
I totally want to troll the whole "wingnut thing" comment, but it truly is evidence that anyone can do this conversion and save some good labor dollars! Well done sir!
What a great video. I love that you go over the process of figuring it out and putting in the mistakes you make on the way. You're really good at explaining the full process.
I pulled the old propane water heater in my 1991 Motorhome and discovered it has a 120 volt element in the rear. So I’m plugging the propane line as I dont want to fix whatever is wrong with it. In the new age of cheap solar I’m going all electric and a diesel heater. Every propane appliance is going except the stove burners. I know the recovery time on the 10 gallon water heater won’t be very fast with a 1400 watt heating element but I can live with that. I don’t use very much hot water and can plan my showers and washing. My door is missing too. Since I’m going all electric I can fabricate a solid piece of tin for a cover. Dont forget a zinc anode in your aluminum water heater.
Great job.i have a similar c class and was considering the tankless unit but I felt your pain after the second door thing. I think I'll leave mine as is for now. Way too much work. But you did an amazing job. I just don't have your patience.
I’m sure that if a waded through all the comments SOMEONE must have written there is no need to heat hot water. It’s simply a water heater. The information and video quality is great. Just a little too long. You probably could have eliminated about 10 minutes and still covered all the necessary information. I make this suggestion on the probability I am not the only attention deficit senior citizen out here 😜 Anyway on a scale of 1 to 10 this video is a solid 8 1/2. Good job!
I have had no hot water pressure since I moved into mine and when you showed the bypass I went looking and found out mine was almost completely shut off thanks for the info if not I would have had to buy a new heater.
Hi, with respect I say it's not a "hot water heater" it's a water heater. Good vid thanks helped me make up my mind but you drove me crazy with the HWH jargon. Thanks.
Good job! We had a 2017 Thor Challenger built, we had many upgrades added on this coach, and yes, one was the Atwood tankless hot water heater. This upgrade cost Approximately 4,500. About the cover/ door to the New unit, they painted the door to match the coach. Awesome job! Looks great! Can’t wait to use it! Thanks for sharing
Love these DIY vids (doubt if we try it, though .. haha) ... but, these projects just prove most "mechanically intuitive" people can save TONS of money making repairs/improvements themselves ... thanks for sharing (very informative) ..
Great video. I noticed the warning printed just below the lp connection stating that there must be a gas pressure reducing valve installed for that model. how did you determine that the pressure in the line was correct?
I've watched a few install videos of this unit and have yet to see anyone install a pressure reducing valve - hoping to find more information about it because I am installing this unit myself this weekend.
Super informative. Watched several Vids on WH replacement and this is Top Notch. Wish I would have purchased a tankless. Note: There is no such thing as a hot water heater. Its water Heater. Thanks for the vid!
So enjoyed your video . Inline hot water systems are the responsible and sensible choice. Should be mandatory in all homes and MoHos on this continent. Water being heated all day everywhere on this continent while we are out and about is irresponsible. Apparently the U.K. is very progressive in this respect. So enjoyed the little project. Sincerely thanks for sharing.
Just want to say your video has been the best help when installing our Girard tankless! We came across a few little issues and we were able to resolve them by referring to your video...so thank you!
Thank you for the information, however I don't think I will do it myself because I like others live in the RV full-time and cannot afford to be without hot water. So maybe I will take it somewhere to have it put it. But thinking about that, that does not guarantee that they will not have problems either! lol I love your attitude of "Jumping right in!" lol That is how I do things! You put a "REAL" touch to the video and you made me laugh too. Thank you so much!
We had ours for six months and it began to leak when several screws rusted and sheered at an elbow section within the unit. I replaced the screws and it was fine again for another few months. Again leaked, when several other screws sheared from rusting. It is VERY difficult to work on and frankly there should not have been issues with something that new. A year later and the unit completely failed when the copper pipes burst when draining it for storage over the winter. That could possibly be owner error on my part, as it was being done with a compressor, albeit a tiny pancake one, which I have done hundreds of times before with old units.
@@vincentjoyce455 your screws different material.need an electric barrier. use lil teflon or some nonconductive grease. alum-alum steel-steel no problems. steel screws alum frame bad!
I too have ran into several issues with the quality of parts on this Girard tankless water heater. I too had similar issue with my screws. I also had the heat exchanger pipes burst not in freezing temperatures. The copper most of the parts are designed out of is really flimsy and thin. I had to order several parts along with the heat exchanger from Girard. I received damaged parts twice from this company. I really wish somebody made something similar but better quality. Also I ran into a forums on Forest River forums with a guy depicting of the same type of issue. Girard constantly blames it on the consumer and alleviates accountability from their own manufacturer defects. By the way it's worth mentioning that the new parts he sent me came with different types of screws than my original model so what does that mean?
I know this video is old but I just wanted to say a big thank you for providing such detailed information, our RV looks pretty similar to yours (1994 Allegro Bay 34ft) and we are thinking about the tankless heater
Great job. The three words I fear the most are, "some assembly required". The three words I like the most are, "hire it done!" This is usually after I have screwed it up so much that it cost a lot more than it would have in the first place if I had just "hired it done".
Great video. I watched another video about these. They set there’s at the temp they want the shower so they don’t have to fool around and waste water trying to get the temperature they want by mixing in cold. Thought that was pretty smart. Thanks for sharing this.
Duet Justus if you update could you include cost? By the way the solar videos are super helpful. I’m going to be doing some of this stuff to mine next spring. Thanks!
We have a Girard tankless WH in our rig...I think it's the 1st generation though. I think we have a solenoid that gets stuck in ours because the first couple of times it tries firing up, it comes back with an error and I have to bang on the WH with a hammer to get it to light. Other than that, we have no problems with ours so we're gonna have it looked at when we bring it in for some other warranty work.
Good work. But one question. You consistently refer to it as a "hot water heater". If the water is already hot, why do you need a heater? As the code on the product suggests, how about calling it a "water heater". Haha. thanks for your video.
Love your videos and have subscribed. I like that you are 'common folks' (speaking financially) and not one of the many showing us how they do it, roughing it in their brand new few hundred thousand dollar custom coach. Your 'not' brand new RV gives me hope and inspiration that I can do it in mine. -- Sorry, that did come across rather snide. ::Sigh:: Anyway, you guys along with David and Jenni of Fate Unbound are two of my favorites. It's kind of funny, Michael and Jenny, David and Jenni, and we also watch some of Dan and Jen's videos. I told my wife, if we ever go on RUclips she needs to change her name to Jennifer. Cash in on name recognition. 😅 Thanks for the help.
The "wingnut" is called a petcock (yes, funny name) and IS the drain. Though, it looks like yours wasn't working anyway. You can find the same petcock valve on most pressurized water systems, including on the bottom of your engine's radiator. Love your video btw. Can't wait until you hit the road again.
Hello I own a 1976 Winnebago and hot water heater was missing when I bought it but I bought the GSWH-2 tankless hot water heater but I too are struggling to find the right door what is the Dimensions of the current door you have my opening is 16 inches wide 12 1/4 tall thanks
That first door was bigger than the door you have now installed in the video? I have this unit just got it but I ran into the corners exposed so the door is slightly too small and I'm in a rut any help that would be great
how does the butyl tape fill the gaps between the low points of the coach corrugated siding when the case is resting on the high points of the corrugated siding?
My wife and I are set up in our fifth wheel on her uncle's property. We have a tank water heater using zero propane. The problem is that the hot water runs out very quickly. Would getting a tankless water heater require us to begin to need propane to heat the water? Or would it run off of electricity?
+Tammy Sherman I believe the only need for insulation is to keep the hot water hot... since this is a tankless and it doesn’t store water, there’s no need for insulation. Great question! 👍🏼
Hope you like it and that it works wonderfully for you and how you envision it. I'd love to have one, but from watching many videos about them the cons definitely out weigh the pros for us. You definitely need to do a follow up after being out on the road again and let us know if it worked how you planned and how you like it and a performance review as well. Thanks and happy trails.
Did you measure the temperature of the water coming from the faucets? I was told 4 years ago that RV instant water heaters didn't have a long enough coil to get water adequately hot. What is your experience. I am unable to find a follow up in your videos.
That was an objection for us. We “set” for the max of 131 at the thermostat but it couldn’t keep it at temp. If another faucet/toilet was used a low pressure interrupt kicked in and instantly the burner cycle was off. I called California Gerard, never got a person or response. Called Jayco and they genuinely wanted to help but there is only 1 temp adjustment on the back of unit which let me get out a few degrees over factory set of 127 to a max 131. System is
Continued: System is very sensitive and pressure dependent. Probably with perfect conditions it is fine. But campgrounds are notoriously unpredictable on erratic water pressure.
Just a comment from the fact I live with a licensed plumber. It's not a "Hot" water heater. The water isn't hot going into the heater.. It's simply a Water Heater. Just cause my husband has made this statement so many times, I notice it anytime someone states it's a "Hot" water heater..
*Just bought the Suburban IW60 and can't find the door either if you're still here in Nashville and could tell me where to go to get the Suburban door that would be awesome! i haven't gotten my water heater yet but it should be here in a couple days. the ad didn't say anything about the door or the controller which usually means that it doesn't come with it, i need that door*
?????QUESTION????? I am under the impression that the on-demand water heater only uses 12V power. If this is the case the 120V wires would have to be capped. Do I understand correctly?
In the process of installing the same unit in my Class A. I believe you answered the question but wanted to make sure. The wiring of this unit...On the old unit (Atwood 6 Gal) I had a green (hooked to ground), Blue (hooked to a factory plug), Red ( hooked to the burner connection ). Based on your wiring of this unit, you are stating that the blue & green are both ground, red is 12vdc? Thanks for the video.
Paul, I have the same dilemma. The Atwood 6 gal I removed had a Green, Blue, and Brown wire. The Green is clearly the ground. The Brown seems to be the 12V+. I guess the Blue is 12V-. I'm wondering if I should wire the Blue and Green together as shown in this video...?
Thanks for the wiring instructions, I was wondering about that extra blue wire to the ignition light and this was very helpful! I am about to install this into my camper to replace an Atwood 6.0 gallon as well. My only concern is that I don't think my old hot water heater is connected to a fuse. It is connected to the switch which is connected directly to the battery. Did you install a 10 amp inline fuse for the new hot water heater or was your old Atwood attached to your DC panel by a fuse, and you just tapped into that one?
Hey Danny. Thanks for watching. The 0.5 GPM aerator restricts the water flow so much that the unit can’t detect when to kick on. A 1.0-1.5 GPM aerator should work better but all we do is just remove the aerator when we need hot water for dishes. Hope this helps 👍🏼
I also have a tankless. Mine is slightly different from yours though. Mine is not a hot water heater, it is a COLD water heater. Why would you want to heat hot water?
Outstanding video, the lighting and sound quality is perfect. You should consider a video on making such videos if you have not done so already. As this unit is much smaller than the old Atwood, I am curious about maintenance on/inside the new unit. There must be a burner inside there and perhaps some sort of electrical element. I wonder how difficult it would be to replace such items or would it require the unit to be removed completely, disassembled and then reassembled. Furthermore, I am curious about operation in colder climates (-10 to 20 F). Its my understanding that this unit requires a "Cold Weather" kit.
Im curious, how much actual propane does this unit use when you say take a 20 min shower? I am building a tiny home and am curious about how I'm going to set up the hot water..
What about for 12 gallon heater replacement - Our current door flange size is 18 x 18, and all of the ones you provide links for are the wrong size. Did you have a site link with all the choices, as you describe in your video (ie the cartoon illustrations of the doors?) Thank you.
Hi I just got a project Rv and I must say its a lot of work but I rather go tankless then the propene one that was in the rv...my quest stands should I update the whole electrical wiring sine this rv is a 2000 Mallard ?...plus it got flooded during Harvey.... This vet mom is doing all the work herself...plus Also looking for sponsors who want their product advertised as well. I am accepting all types....I got a working project with a lot of help I am in need of......
Hey everybody! We hope you enjoyed the video and thanks for watching! If you have any questions about what door you will need for your future install, details + links are in the video description. See you all in the comments! 😎
Duet Justus have you been able to use it off grid?
And what are your thoughts?
Can you help me find the correct door? I’m using the same tankless heater to replace my Atwood 6 gallon and the door measures 18” wide 14.5” tall and I’m having no luck finding one!
I purchased mine on Amazon for $26.99 about 5 days ago.. just shipped yesterday.. hope to get it tomorrow.
Thia UNIT and ALL heaters of water in general are Water Heaters not Hot water heaters. FYI, great video though, as usual.
Hey I am a little concerned about how this all goes together, my current water heater is both electric and propane. I have the plug in for the trailer but I also have a solar panel on the roof. so I need to somehow disconnect that before I start working on things or will i get shocked? I am not sure how that all works but I have seen enough to actually take the old one out on my own. But I would like to put in a tankless so that when I sell the trailer it will hopefully be worth more since I am also having to put in a new furnace also. any suggestions?
5 years later and this video helped me out immensely. Finally making the switch to a tankless unit. Thank you for the time and effort for the video!
I install Rinnai tankless water heaters for new construction and finally install a tankless unit in our RV.
I just recently discovered your videos. I can't believe how patient you seem with all the hang ups, road repairs, small projects where you don't have the correct parts, etc. I'd be cursing my way through someone videoing me doing these things. Great job and thanks for sharing your RV life with us.
Not sure if you’re all still active in those channel but this video saved my bacon big time! I had the same wiring configuration on my 2002 Four Winds 5000 and this helped to clear up confusion around the wiring!! Thanks a million!!
I have the same Atwood 6gal wh in my RV and the drain outlet at the bottom is supposed to have a plastic plug and nothing else. Many people do the petcock trick, but it is not advised as the Atwood has an aluminum tank with aluminum threads that can be stripped easily. It also causes the tank to be subject to corrosion caused by dissimilar metals coming in contact with each other.
Put in a Truma instant hot water two years ago in my older RV. Works like a charm, no problems. Love it and I do a lot of boondocking. Uses very little propane.
Yes but uses a bunch of water?
Thank you so much. I was lost until I saw our campers had the same wiring. Did it just like you did and BOOM worked. Thanks
Had the Girard 1st Gen installed in 08' and used it for 12yrs... Best add-on ever in our TT. We have just upgraded our 05' TrailVision to a 2018 Rockwood MiniLite, and are contemplating doing the install ourselves... Your video is very well done and I will save me $250 to do myself... Thanks.
I'm building a tiny house and I only hope as I progress through this I maintain the attitude you display! Thanks for the vid.
I had not watched your channel since you started. Im glad I refound you. I find you guys to be easy to follow and very thorough while being pleasant . You guys have a great relationship and it shows
Thank you! This comment means a lot and we so happy to have you back on board 😎
I installed the Girard Propane Tankless in 2018 in my 2016 Fleetwood Storm 35SK. The problem that you had with the door, I just used the original door and used wood to block in the heater to where I needed it to be. I was lucky that it worked out this way because of the paint scheme on the Fleetwood was also on the door. With the problem that you had finding the correct door, I just would have drilled a new vent hole to match the vent pipe in the heater, (I was almost done with my comments when I remembered) The most important thing to remember is the temp. of the cold water coming into the Tankless water heater. The unit only increases the temp of the water by so many degrees. So if your water is coming out of your holding tank, the temp is the same for all of the gallons, BUT when you are hooked up to city water the temp will change. You have water in the hose and in the RV's water lines that is one temp. After you use all of that up then the water coming out of the ground will be colder. I had problems with the unit staying on while my wife was in the shower and giving her cold water for several minutes then it would get hot again. I called Girard for help and they were GREAT. It was suggested to make sure that there was no air in the water lines, like the outside shower. Air compresses so the water pressure going through the lines can change. Still having problems working with Girard again I was asked to check the temp. of the water lines that are part of the unit with a Laser Thermonitor. There were 2 bad sensors, and they sent me 2 new ones. I didn't want to wait so I asked if they could next day them to me if I paid half of the shipping. Again they were very helpful, BUT still had problems with the unit turning off while the water was running. We did a water flow test at the shower. I finally found a factory water restrictor fitting in the water line just past the kitchen sink. Made a world of difference. The tech guy at Girard asked if I could send him the pictures. (If you need the tech support contact info just email me PancoastJ@bellsouth.net) Now understand that every time that you turn off the hot water at the kitchen sink while doing the dishes the unit turns off because there is NO water flow. When you turn the hot water back on to rinse the dishes the water is cold for several seconds. The control panel is great, the display tells you the temp of the water, when the burner is on. In 2019, I added an electric 20 amp water heater next to the rear shower hoping that this would keep the water at the perfect water temp for my wife's shower. No such luck. When the water temp going into the electric would be too warm it would shut down to prevent the water from being too hot coming out. I was running the Girard to pre-heat the water, and I tried not turning on the Girard, and still had problems. So this year, 2021, I installed a 7-gallon electric water heater by the shower. I added a 2-1/2 gallon electric at the kitchen sink which also supplies hot water to the 1/2-bath. I also terminated the hot water line at the 1/2-bath to keep the shower hot water separated. I figured that every night I plug into the RV park electricity and heating the water is free, no propane to pay for. The electric water heater takes less than one hour to heat.
Great vide. I was thinking of getting this unit to replace my Atwood heater and I came across this video which helped me to decide to move forward with this unit.. Install is much less daunting after viewing this video. Thanks for your video.
I just ordered this heater the other day and got it installed yesterday. It was really not to bad of an install at all. It took me about 3 hrs or so and thats with stopping to go get parts from the hardware store. It was really nice to be able to take an almost 20 min shower with hot water without running out.
It is so nice for that! Glad it’s working as well for you as it is for us 😊
I'm curious about how much propane is required to do a long shower. Obviously these things don't run cheap, so I'm wondering if it's really worth the cost ratio to how much per gallon of water, in propane cost. Maybe after a month or two, you could fill me in on the added cost of propane???
20 minute shower???
I totally want to troll the whole "wingnut thing" comment, but it truly is evidence that anyone can do this conversion and save some good labor dollars! Well done sir!
What a great video. I love that you go over the process of figuring it out and putting in the mistakes you make on the way. You're really good at explaining the full process.
I pulled the old propane water heater in my 1991 Motorhome and discovered it has a 120 volt element in the rear. So I’m plugging the propane line as I dont want to fix whatever is wrong with it. In the new age of cheap solar I’m going all electric and a diesel heater. Every propane appliance is going except the stove burners. I know the recovery time on the 10 gallon water heater won’t be very fast with a 1400 watt heating element but I can live with that. I don’t use very much hot water and can plan my showers and washing. My door is missing too. Since I’m going all electric I can fabricate a solid piece of tin for a cover. Dont forget a zinc anode in your aluminum water heater.
Your wiring labels at 22:22 saved me!!!
Great job.i have a similar c class and was considering the tankless unit but I felt your pain after the second door thing. I think I'll leave mine as is for now. Way too much work. But you did an amazing job. I just don't have your patience.
Haha. So glad to hear I wasn't the only one confused! 👍🏼
I’m sure that if a waded through all the comments SOMEONE must have written there is no need to heat hot water. It’s simply a water heater.
The information and video quality is great. Just a little too long. You probably could have eliminated about 10 minutes and still covered all the necessary information.
I make this suggestion on the probability I am not the only attention deficit senior citizen out here 😜
Anyway on a scale of 1 to 10 this video is a solid 8 1/2. Good job!
I have had no hot water pressure since I moved into mine and when you showed the bypass I went looking and found out mine was almost completely shut off thanks for the info if not I would have had to buy a new heater.
Hi, with respect I say it's not a "hot water heater" it's a water heater. Good vid thanks helped me make up my mind but you drove me crazy with the HWH jargon. Thanks.
Just bought a new to us pop up truck camper and now I want to do this. Thanks a ton for all your work showing this entire process.
It's simply a 'water heater'. It doesn't need to heat water if it's already hot. Every time you say "hot water heater", god kills a kitten. lol
We are using an instant water heater in our bus conversion. It will be smaller than the one you have there. thanks for sharing.
Good job! We had a 2017 Thor Challenger built, we had many upgrades added on this coach, and yes, one was the Atwood tankless hot water heater. This upgrade cost Approximately 4,500. About the cover/ door to the New unit, they painted the door to match the coach. Awesome job! Looks great! Can’t wait to use it! Thanks for sharing
Love these DIY vids (doubt if we try it, though .. haha) ... but, these projects just prove most "mechanically intuitive" people can save TONS of money making repairs/improvements themselves ... thanks for sharing (very informative) ..
unless you have to order a bunch of doors.
Great video. I noticed the warning printed just below the lp connection stating that there must be a gas pressure reducing valve installed for that model. how did you determine that the pressure in the line was correct?
He was using a hacksaw to cut his wood. I'm sure he doesn't know wci means nor does he have a gauge to check it.
@@davidnuzum7776
How presumptuous on your part.
Where is the faith. Lol
I've watched a few install videos of this unit and have yet to see anyone install a pressure reducing valve - hoping to find more information about it because I am installing this unit myself this weekend.
It’s strange that none of the replies try to answer the question asked. Just showing how clueless they are or should say we are.
Super informative. Watched several Vids on WH replacement and this is Top Notch. Wish I would have purchased a tankless. Note: There is no such thing as a hot water heater. Its water Heater. Thanks for the vid!
So enjoyed your video .
Inline hot water systems are the responsible and sensible choice.
Should be mandatory in all homes and MoHos on this continent.
Water being heated all day
everywhere on this continent
while we are out and about
is irresponsible.
Apparently the U.K. is very progressive in this respect.
So enjoyed the little project.
Sincerely thanks for sharing.
Cutting wood with a hacksaw is a little different, but whatever gets the job done! Enjoyed the video!
I hope for your sake this heater works better than the one I have in my NEW Gulf Stream Vista Cruiser travel trailer first vacation no hot water!
Just want to say your video has been the best help when installing our Girard tankless! We came across a few little issues and we were able to resolve them by referring to your video...so thank you!
Thanks! I taight there were no option besides using tank on rv's. Question: How is it working soo far???
I just purchased a new Girard 2GWHAM. I kept having problem with my old 6 gal. tank suburban. I hope mine goes in smoothly.
Was it a direct fit? No extra cutting to make it fit?
Thank you for the information, however I don't think I will do it myself because I like others live in the RV full-time and cannot afford to be without hot water. So maybe I will take it somewhere to have it put it. But thinking about that, that does not guarantee that they will not have problems either! lol I love your attitude of "Jumping right in!" lol That is how I do things! You put a "REAL" touch to the video and you made me laugh too. Thank you so much!
Good job Mike installing your new tankless instant water heater, Enjoy it ! Cheers !
Now that you've had the heater for a while are you happy with its performance? Anything you would do different?
We had ours for six months and it began to leak when several screws rusted and sheered at an elbow section within the unit. I replaced the screws and it was fine again for another few months. Again leaked, when several other screws sheared from rusting. It is VERY difficult to work on and frankly there should not have been issues with something that new. A year later and the unit completely failed when the copper pipes burst when draining it for storage over the winter. That could possibly be owner error on my part, as it was being done with a compressor, albeit a tiny pancake one, which I have done hundreds of times before with old units.
@@vincentjoyce455 your screws different material.need an electric barrier. use lil teflon or some nonconductive grease. alum-alum steel-steel no problems. steel screws alum frame bad!
I too have ran into several issues with the quality of parts on this Girard tankless water heater. I too had similar issue with my screws. I also had the heat exchanger pipes burst not in freezing temperatures. The copper most of the parts are designed out of is really flimsy and thin. I had to order several parts along with the heat exchanger from Girard. I received damaged parts twice from this company. I really wish somebody made something similar but better quality.
Also I ran into a forums on Forest River forums with a guy depicting of the same type of issue. Girard constantly blames it on the consumer and alleviates accountability from their own manufacturer defects. By the way it's worth mentioning that the new parts he sent me came with different types of screws than my original model so what does that mean?
What is the temperature of the water while only using electric or do you need propane also?
Do you need to cut out the bypass valves? Or can I just keep them on
I know this video is old but I just wanted to say a big thank you for providing such detailed information, our RV looks pretty similar to yours (1994 Allegro Bay 34ft) and we are thinking about the tankless heater
WOW you are a rock star, a brave rock star, to tackle that! Amazing. Glad you got it done. That water heater is going to last 20 years!!
Great job. The three words I fear the most are, "some assembly required". The three words I like the most are, "hire it done!" This is usually after I have screwed it up so much that it cost a lot more than it would have in the first place if I had just "hired it done".
worst words for me ,dentist or nurse ,this may be a little uncomfortable .......... great pain follows!
Great video. I watched another video about these. They set there’s at the temp they want the shower so they don’t have to fool around and waste water trying to get the temperature they want by mixing in cold. Thought that was pretty smart. Thanks for sharing this.
+cygnet1963 So true! I forgot to mention this. I will most likely do an update in the future... thanks for the reminder 😊😊😊
Duet Justus if you update could you include cost? By the way the solar videos are super helpful. I’m going to be doing some of this stuff to mine next spring. Thanks!
That's a really awesome upgrade. I travel with 3 woman and that would come in handy.
If I’m hooked up to city water with a hose do I have to turn the pump on
I added this exact unit in my rv, and the12 volt seems sketchy? The thermostat will randomly blink or shut off? Any advice?
We have a Girard tankless WH in our rig...I think it's the 1st generation though. I think we have a solenoid that gets stuck in ours because the first couple of times it tries firing up, it comes back with an error and I have to bang on the WH with a hammer to get it to light. Other than that, we have no problems with ours so we're gonna have it looked at when we bring it in for some other warranty work.
Hmm, That's interesting. We will be keeping an eye out for that issue. Thanks! 😊
Chasing Abnormal a
maybe u can help, im trying to replace my atwood water heater 8.2 gallons serial # g6a-73 and the one I want to buy is a g62-8e 6 gallon, can I do it
I’m a full timer and needed to no more info on this product. Thanks for the video great job I’m ready to buy!
Good work. But one question. You consistently refer to it as a "hot water heater". If the water is already hot, why do you need a heater? As the code on the product suggests, how about calling it a "water heater". Haha. thanks for your video.
Would that tankless water heater Freeze? Also if water is limited you will have more cold water out of the tap before any hot water comes out
you are very brave to do this repair. I could never. the people that disliked this video like cold showers
+ae4xo Lol thanks 😂
Love your videos and have subscribed. I like that you are 'common folks' (speaking financially) and not one of the many showing us how they do it, roughing it in their brand new few hundred thousand dollar custom coach. Your 'not' brand new RV gives me hope and inspiration that I can do it in mine.
-- Sorry, that did come across rather snide.
::Sigh::
Anyway, you guys along with David and Jenni of Fate Unbound are two of my favorites. It's kind of funny, Michael and Jenny, David and Jenni, and we also watch some of Dan and Jen's videos. I told my wife, if we ever go on RUclips she needs to change her name to Jennifer. Cash in on name recognition. 😅
Thanks for the help.
The "wingnut" is called a petcock (yes, funny name) and IS the drain. Though, it looks like yours wasn't working anyway. You can find the same petcock valve on most pressurized water systems, including on the bottom of your engine's radiator. Love your video btw. Can't wait until you hit the road again.
+Mikayla Schultz Great information Mikayla! Thank you for watching and taking the time to share 😊👍🏼
Hello I own a 1976 Winnebago and hot water heater was missing when I bought it but I bought the GSWH-2 tankless hot water heater but I too are struggling to find the right door what is the Dimensions of the current door you have my opening is 16 inches wide 12 1/4 tall thanks
If you have the old door, retro fit it to new heater
That first door was bigger than the door you have now installed in the video? I have this unit just got it but I ran into the corners exposed so the door is slightly too small and I'm in a rut any help that would be great
Use your original door, and retro fit it to the new heater. Cover unused holes and make any new ones needed with hole saw.
how does the butyl tape fill the gaps between the low points of the coach corrugated siding when the case is resting on the high points of the corrugated siding?
Da center heater, how do you like it
How about searching by the Model and Serial #s for the door??????
Awesome video. Btw....it's a water heater. If the water was hot you wouldn't need it! 😅🤣😂
My wife and I are set up in our fifth wheel on her uncle's property. We have a tank water heater using zero propane. The problem is that the hot water runs out very quickly. Would getting a tankless water heater require us to begin to need propane to heat the water? Or would it run off of electricity?
I’m very curious too what is a “Socket Wrench” 🔧 ?
Where did the 12 volt source come from? The wires from old water heater?
Informative video. Is it not necessary to install insulation around the tankless water heater?
+Tammy Sherman I believe the only need for insulation is to keep the hot water hot... since this is a tankless and it doesn’t store water, there’s no need for insulation. Great question! 👍🏼
Tammy Sherman Yeah There is a large empty void next to the heater. I would have filled it with insulation too.
Hope you like it and that it works wonderfully for you and how you envision it. I'd love to have one, but from watching many videos about them the cons definitely out weigh the pros for us. You definitely need to do a follow up after being out on the road again and let us know if it worked how you planned and how you like it and a performance review as well. Thanks and happy trails.
Did you measure the temperature of the water coming from the faucets? I was told 4 years ago that RV instant water heaters didn't have a long enough coil to get water adequately hot. What is your experience. I am unable to find a follow up in your videos.
That was an objection for us. We “set” for the max of 131 at the thermostat but it couldn’t keep it at temp. If another faucet/toilet was used a low pressure interrupt kicked in and instantly the burner cycle was off. I called California Gerard, never got a person or response. Called Jayco and they genuinely wanted to help but there is only 1 temp adjustment on the back of unit which let me get out a few degrees over factory set of 127 to a max 131. System is
Continued:
System is very sensitive and pressure dependent. Probably with perfect conditions it is fine. But campgrounds are notoriously unpredictable on erratic water pressure.
Great job! Glad you are enjoying the water heater! Keep up the good work!
Thanks again, Jared. We love it so far!
Just a comment from the fact I live with a licensed plumber. It's not a "Hot" water heater. The water isn't hot going into the heater.. It's simply a Water Heater. Just cause my husband has made this statement so many times, I notice it anytime someone states it's a "Hot" water heater..
Kinda like dethawing a freezer. 😉😬🤣
I have this one for many years,best thing ever could happen with
Confused on if you have to light the pilot everytime still
*Just bought the Suburban IW60 and can't find the door either if you're still here in Nashville and could tell me where to go to get the Suburban door that would be awesome! i haven't gotten my water heater yet but it should be here in a couple days. the ad didn't say anything about the door or the controller which usually means that it doesn't come with it, i need that door*
Use old door, and retrofit it to new heater. Cover unused holes, add any needed ones.
So after 3 years what are you thoughts on the unit?
wonder how its working, heard lots of bad things about these and their reliability
So how much hot water does it give you? Enough for 2 showers back to back ?
Just wondering how long a 20 lb propane tank last? for this kind of heater? thanks!
Where can I get the bigger door for a new suburban 6det heater. My hole on the Rv is 18 inches long. Please help someone
Love the real life struggles when it comes to remodeling, like on your video
I heavily insulated my hot water lines. Helps prevent waste water tremendously. Gets hot water much faster especially noticible in cold temps.
Where did you get the hardware to mount it with? And for the door to the unit?
?????QUESTION????? I am under the impression that the on-demand water heater only uses 12V power. If this is the case the 120V wires would have to be capped. Do I understand correctly?
Yes.
Is the Girrard made for RV
Did you put some soapy water to that propane fitting? I like to double check, especially on reused flare fittings.
In the process of installing the same unit in my Class A. I believe you answered the question but wanted to make sure. The wiring of this unit...On the old unit (Atwood 6 Gal) I had a green (hooked to ground), Blue (hooked to a factory plug), Red ( hooked to the burner connection ). Based on your wiring of this unit, you are stating that the blue & green are both ground, red is 12vdc? Thanks for the video.
Paul, I have the same dilemma. The Atwood 6 gal I removed had a Green, Blue, and Brown wire. The Green is clearly the ground. The Brown seems to be the 12V+. I guess the Blue is 12V-. I'm wondering if I should wire the Blue and Green together as shown in this video...?
Love that you use a hacksaw to cut wood!!!
Wouldn’t using the battery cut off be easier to shut off the 12V Power to the RV?
I was wondering what the flow rate is on the original aerator.
Water heater, not hot water heater. Hot water doesn’t need to be heated. Great vid though, good upgrade!
Thanks for the wiring instructions, I was wondering about that extra blue wire to the ignition light and this was very helpful! I am about to install this into my camper to replace an Atwood 6.0 gallon as well. My only concern is that I don't think my old hot water heater is connected to a fuse. It is connected to the switch which is connected directly to the battery. Did you install a 10 amp inline fuse for the new hot water heater or was your old Atwood attached to your DC panel by a fuse, and you just tapped into that one?
Did it work ??? It says tankless H2O heater
Awesome instructions. How does the aerator affect the hot water though?
Hey Danny. Thanks for watching. The 0.5 GPM aerator restricts the water flow so much that the unit can’t detect when to kick on. A 1.0-1.5 GPM aerator should work better but all we do is just remove the aerator when we need hot water for dishes. Hope this helps 👍🏼
Water heater..not hot water heater. Hubby finally broke me from saying this😉. Love the channel! Yall r fun!
Only took 30 years😡. He's nothing if not persistent 😰n patient 🤨🤯😦😔😘😍😎
Why do you need to heat hot water?
I appreciate your videos and find them useful & informational. You do a great job, keep up the interesting RUclips content! Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you Robert! Wishing you a Merry Christmas!
I also have a tankless. Mine is slightly different from yours though. Mine is not a hot water heater, it is a COLD water heater. Why would you want to heat hot water?
Outstanding video, the lighting and sound quality is perfect. You should consider a video on making such videos if you have not done so already. As this unit is much smaller than the old Atwood, I am curious about maintenance on/inside the new unit. There must be a burner inside there and perhaps some sort of electrical element. I wonder how difficult it would be to replace such items or would it require the unit to be removed completely, disassembled and then reassembled. Furthermore, I am curious about operation in colder climates (-10 to 20 F). Its my understanding that this unit requires a "Cold Weather" kit.
Im curious, how much actual propane does this unit use when you say take a 20 min shower? I am building a tiny home and am curious about how I'm going to set up the hot water..
Great video! Explained every step. Thanks
What about for 12 gallon heater replacement - Our current door flange size is 18 x 18, and all of the ones you provide links for are the wrong size.
Did you have a site link with all the choices, as you describe in your video (ie the cartoon illustrations of the doors?)
Thank you.
Hi
I just got a project Rv and I must say its a lot of work but I rather go tankless then the propene one that was in the rv...my quest stands should I update the whole electrical wiring sine this rv is a 2000 Mallard ?...plus it got flooded during Harvey....
This vet mom is doing all the work herself...plus Also looking for sponsors who want their product advertised as well. I am accepting all types....I got a working project with a lot of help I am in need of......
Hi, how is this water heater working out for you, so far?