I have a 2022 crossroads zinger 290kb, My wife and I are wanting to put in a tankless water heater. The current water heater is located on the backside right by the city water hook up. Never done this do looking for how hard this will be and how big do I need. Also do they make them gas or electric or can I get one to use both functions. Thanks
Tankless
- Thread starter Bhenley
- Start date
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Kirk
Well-known member
There are several options available for use in an RV. I suggest you look over this Amazon listing to get a feel for what is available first.
Alontheway
Well-known member
Don't do it!
Big beginner RVer mistake.
Unless you will always and only ever be hooked up to city, and I mean always, then the tankless will be problematic.
The tankless is meant for the water to flow constantly while in use.
If you RV off your water tanks then you are using water sparingly, and turning off the shower flow while you suds up. Then on a tankless you get hit with vey hot water when you turn it back on a min or two later. This alone is the biggest reason to NOT get tankless.
People still use these off grid, but they just have to deal with the problems.
Just use a 6 gallon water tank boiler and be done with it. Use the money you save by not getting tankless to buy 10 years worth of the extra propane you would use on a tank vs a tankless.
Tip: heat the boiler just enough so you can use only the hot tap.
Boiler will heat to 180 if you let it. 120-140 is plenty for a shower.
IF you are asking us if they are gas or electric then you have not looked into it at all. Do a little research and then if you have things you cannot understand, then ask the community. Don't use forum for a sounding board for your whims.
Big beginner RVer mistake.
Unless you will always and only ever be hooked up to city, and I mean always, then the tankless will be problematic.
The tankless is meant for the water to flow constantly while in use.
If you RV off your water tanks then you are using water sparingly, and turning off the shower flow while you suds up. Then on a tankless you get hit with vey hot water when you turn it back on a min or two later. This alone is the biggest reason to NOT get tankless.
People still use these off grid, but they just have to deal with the problems.
Just use a 6 gallon water tank boiler and be done with it. Use the money you save by not getting tankless to buy 10 years worth of the extra propane you would use on a tank vs a tankless.
Tip: heat the boiler just enough so you can use only the hot tap.
Boiler will heat to 180 if you let it. 120-140 is plenty for a shower.
IF you are asking us if they are gas or electric then you have not looked into it at all. Do a little research and then if you have things you cannot understand, then ask the community. Don't use forum for a sounding board for your whims.
Lou Schneider
Site Team
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- Mar 14, 2005
- Posts
- 13,312
Most tankless water heaters in off the grid houses are right next to the shower they serve. Even so there's a bit of a lag between when you start the water flow and when the heater fires up, then adjusts it's flame size to match the water flow.
Putting a tankless heater where a typical RV water heater is located, some distance away from the shower, only magnifies the temperature instability because you're also having to deal with the time delay as water travels the distance between the heater and showerhead.
As far as a tankless heater using less propane, this is pretty much a myth. The Atwood tankless heater the previous owner installed in my trailer had a 50,000 BTU flame, almost twice as large as the flame in a typical RV furnace. The Furion tankless water heater uses 60,000 BTUs to achieve it's 2.4 gallon flow rate.
The 6 gallon Atwood tank style heater I bought to replace the tankless water heater uses 8,800 BTUs. Yes, the tank heater takes longer to heat up but because of the way the flame is routed through the tank, more of the flame's heat is transferred to the water.
Putting a tankless heater where a typical RV water heater is located, some distance away from the shower, only magnifies the temperature instability because you're also having to deal with the time delay as water travels the distance between the heater and showerhead.
As far as a tankless heater using less propane, this is pretty much a myth. The Atwood tankless heater the previous owner installed in my trailer had a 50,000 BTU flame, almost twice as large as the flame in a typical RV furnace. The Furion tankless water heater uses 60,000 BTUs to achieve it's 2.4 gallon flow rate.
The 6 gallon Atwood tank style heater I bought to replace the tankless water heater uses 8,800 BTUs. Yes, the tank heater takes longer to heat up but because of the way the flame is routed through the tank, more of the flame's heat is transferred to the water.
Mark_K5LXP
Well-known member
If I'm not mistaken don't tankless systems also incorporate a recirculation pump to mitigate burner cycling? Can't disagree that tankless heaters are often a solution seeking a suitable problem but I'm guessing there's enough of them deployed in RV's to mitigate the major issues.
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
14.25x14.25 is the dimensions of the current water heater box. 6 gallon tank with it. I don’t see anything like my dimensions, the door is 15” and something.
Lou Schneider
Site Team
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2005
- Posts
- 13,312
If you're talking about having a loop from shower back to a tankless heater to keep a constant water flow through the heater, it may be part of a custom house but I've yet to see it in an RV. Too complicated by the time you include the recirculating pump.
Mark_K5LXP
Well-known member
Reason I mentioned it is I saw it listed for a Winnebago View 24D:
Truma AquaGo on demand hot water heater with recirculation pump
That's not to say it's common or typical, but at least "possible". And if the OEM is putting it in, there's a probably a consumer need or demand for it.
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
Rob&Deryl
Well-known member
We have a 6 gal water heater and we get all the hot water we want.
Kirk
Well-known member
My advice would be to try using what you have now for a time before making any changes. Like most responders here, I have used the RV's standard water heater for years and find it quite sufficient for our needs.
CharlesinGA
Well-known member
Gas or Electric....... There are no ELECTRIC on demand water heaters for RV's. They require too much current. I installed a small electric on demand water heater in a friends old house while she was renovating and it was just barely enough for a shower and required a dedicated 60 amp 240v circuit. RV's don't have the power to spare.
A friend bought a 2015 Winnebago Micro Mini. That was the first year and Winnebago installed a gas on demand water heater in all of them. the 2016 models went back to a tank unit. My friend said the unit sucked gas and didn't do a good job of heating water.
Recirculating loops consume 12v power to run the pump and gas to keep the water heater running. That system is simply not suited to an RV.
Learn to take Navy showers with minimal water and switching it one and off and the 6 gal tank heater will do just fine. Otherwise, all of your gas and water will be gone and your gray tank will be full after just one shower.
Charles
A friend bought a 2015 Winnebago Micro Mini. That was the first year and Winnebago installed a gas on demand water heater in all of them. the 2016 models went back to a tank unit. My friend said the unit sucked gas and didn't do a good job of heating water.
Recirculating loops consume 12v power to run the pump and gas to keep the water heater running. That system is simply not suited to an RV.
Learn to take Navy showers with minimal water and switching it one and off and the 6 gal tank heater will do just fine. Otherwise, all of your gas and water will be gone and your gray tank will be full after just one shower.
Charles
Alontheway
Well-known member
There are 120 volt electric tankless heaters of course and people do use them in campers and do run them off generators, but I still would not unless I was always at a hook-up where I could shower without turning the water off during the shower time.
Seems like a good and smart idea, but just is not for most RVers.
Seems like a good and smart idea, but just is not for most RVers.
