On-Demand Tankless Hot Water Heater power

[MDsurffishing]

I have a new slide in and was wondering if it is normal for the Girard tankless water heater to turn on by default when the 12V disconnect switch is turned on or AC power is connected to the camper. I don't use the hot water very often and would like it to default to off and have to manually turn it on with the remote control panel in the camper.

 

[Henry J Fate]

what model girard is it ?

if you manually turn it off before disconnecting 12 volt power then turn 12 volt power on, does the unit turn back on ?

 

[MDsurffishing]

Yes

 

[DonTom]

Yes

Define "on".

Is the water getting hot? If not, what difference does it make if it is "on" or "off"? It is just an indicator light.

-Don- Yuma, AZ

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The green indicator light shows that the Girard heater has power, not that it is actively heating water. So you only consume LP gas if a hot water faucet is opened, right. In other words, it's on "stand-by". I think the On/Off switch controls whether the "on-demand" function is operative. I can't tell from the User Manual whether it defaults to On or Off.

 

[MDsurffishing]

Mine defaults to on and shows the set temperature of the water heater

 

[John From Detroit]

On Demand tankless water heaters do not heat water unless they detect water flowing through them.. At least that's how I understand them.. They "Fire up" soon as you open a hot valve.

So the green light means "Ready" not "Heating" in all likelihood.

 

[CharlesinGA]

Yes, I looked at the owners manual the other day and decided to not even link to it as it had no redeeming qualities, worst manual I have seen in a long time.

My travel buddy had a 2015 Winnebago Micro Minnie, 1706 I think, the ONLY model they offered that year, as it was the first year after WBO had acquired the trailer manufacturer SunnyBrookRV. The trailer had a tankless water heater, I think it was a Girard water heater. They tried to use it once or twice and it worked poorly and they never used it again. Nothing beats a 6 gal tank heater and a Navy shower in an RV.

Charles

 

[DonTom]

Mine has two switches in series, I can keep them both on and the water heater will only come on when there is water flow at a more than reasonable amount. To get these stupid RV tankless water heaters to work you need to have the hot water on full blast.

i think the reason mine has two switches in series, one on the main panel and another in the bathroom, is because my motorhome was designed to have a "normal" water heater. The tankless was an option and it has its own switch with the temperature setting and reading of the water temp. Also displays a "flame" when it is actually heating (won't display the flame if the flow is too low to activate it).

-Don- Barstow, CA

 

[MDsurffishing]

I was mainly wanting to have it switched off normally to conserve the battery when boondocking until I gat a solar panel installed

 

[Henry J Fate]

if it is defaulting to on and the control board cannot be changed, install a wall switch that turns the 12 volt power to it on/off. this will give you full control. switches are easily found in auto parts stores.