Tankless, LP water heater for mobile home?

System

Hello,

I'm looking for recommendations for an LP gas tankless hot water heater with sealed combustion approved for use in a mobile home. Preferably one that doesn't require power for ignition or venting. We have a small solar array, but power is precious in the winter here and would rather not run the genny for anything but days of darkness.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

John

BB.

Re: Tankless, LP water heater for mobile home?

A couple of threads:

Tankless water heating
tankless water heater and solar
tankless water heater off gird

-Bill

icarus

Re: Tankless, LP water heater for mobile home?

I personally don't know of a sealed combustion unit that requires NO power. I think the auto ignition bosches use no power, but they are not sealed combustion.

Personally I would look at Rinnai, or Takagi.

Tony

PS. A little further info on the Takagi, (and I would suspect it to follow for the Rinnai as well) I think it uses less than 5 watts in standby, but if you put a switch on it, it would then use nothing in standby. I believe that it uses ~50 watts while running full bore, so if you take a 6 minute shower you would use ~5 wh, not to many in the grand scheme. Do that 10 times a day for showers, laundry dishes etc, 50 WH, still not too much, abou the same as burning a 15 watt CFL for ~ 3 hours. (The spec for the TK Jr is .51 amps at 120vac) which would be 61 watts.

T

System2

Re: Tankless, LP water heater for mobile home?

Thanks!

All good info. Looking at the Takagi now. Have written them with some specific questions about power consumption and code compliance. Have heard elsewhere that the Takagi Jr is approved for mobile homes, but want it in writing before making a purchase. I'm not the code stickler. The LP company is.

Thanks again,

John

PhilS

Re: Tankless, LP water heater for mobile home?

John,

Please post your findings. One of these has been on my "want" list for awhile, hopefully before my tank heater goes belly up. I am in a mobile too.

Phil

icarus

Re: Tankless, LP water heater for mobile home?

Takagi's installation instructions read:

"Manufactured Home (Mobile Home) Installation
This appliance must be installed in accordance with the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standard, (Title 24, CFR; Part 3280) and ANSI A119.5/NFPA 501D. In addition, install in accordance with the following instructions, the instructions supplied with any venting, local codes, utility company requirements for the installation of water heaters in manufactured homes (mobile homes), and the latest edition of the National Fuel Gas Code, ANSI Z221.3/NFPA 50.
Locate the heater in an enclosure separating the unit from the internal atmosphere of the manufactured home or trailer. All combustion air must be obtained from the outside atmosphere, and the flue gases must be discharged directly outdoors through a gas vent. There must be no opening from the interior of the home or trailer into the water heater enclosure."

I am not clear on the second paragraph regarding locating in a separate enclosure. I assume that this would be a water heater closet with a gasketed door. The Takagi sealed combustion kit is very simple. It involves a hood that screws to the front of the heater, and connects to a flex pipe (~6") that you drill through the wall or the floor. Very to install.

Tony

PhilS

Re: Tankless, LP water heater for mobile home?

icarus wrote: »

Takagi's installation instructions read [for mobilehomes]...

...I am not clear on the second paragraph regarding locating in a separate enclosure. I assume that this would be a water heater closet with a gasketed door.
Tony

Our mobilehome has an exterior door to access the water heater, and vents in the door for incoming air. There's a vent pipe through the roof for exhaust gases. There is no access to this compartment from inside the house. This would be different if our home didn't come originally with a gas water heater, I'm sure.

Phil

icarus

Re: Tankless, LP water heater for mobile home?

Phil,

Every "manufactured" home I have ever worked on, (not many) had the water heater accessible from the outside, in a little enclosure, even it it had an electric water heater. I assume that is so that they meet the standard set above in any event. I can't imagine why a Direct vent Takagi (or Rinnai for that matter) would be acceptable to the building dept.

Tony