Tankless water heater issues

[lumpymike]

Originally Posted by hoppers4

Yeah, that's basically what happened to me Lumpy. Didn't like diddling with it, wasting water, and wasting propane so gave up and put in a 6 gallon DSI. Must be a Washington thing as I see you're right across the water .

Indeed I am. Near the Airport.

[jschulz1720]

We used our tank less water heater all weekend. It worked great. Turned the hot water on and within seconds we had hot water. Added the cold to it and was taking a shower before the water was even on a minute. Maybe the new ones are better then the old version.

[norty1]

Originally Posted by jschulz1720

Maybe the new ones are better then the old version.

I have heard they were better. Would you mind posting the model of your tankless heater?

[andruscp]

Bill,
What model of Suburban water heater did you get? I see there are two or three different 6 gal models. I agree completely with your assessment. I've jerked around with the tankless (I have a tankless at home and I love them - when they work) for two years and i've finally had enough. I think I save $60 worth of propane every year but hot water is an ENDLESS issue. maybe the Jayco & Girard techs should have taken this out of the lab and actually gone RVin with it. Thanks for your commenst which finally pushed me over the edge.
Chris

Originally Posted by hoppers4

I had the same experience with mine. Figured out you can't use a low flow shower head, you must turn the hot water on full to get sufficient flow, you have to fiddle with temp control in the head to get it right. I hated it enough to change it out. A 6 gallon Suburban fits right in the hole.

That being said, other folks have had good luck with them and really like them. Here's a link to somebody else that had the same experience I had.
http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...7ts-31841.html

So if you don't mind fiddling around with the temp control to get it right and you don't mind wasting the water, you can get there. Just don't use a low flow shower head.

FYI, there's a search button up toward the top of this screen. You can dig up more comments about these water heaters using that button. However, you really won't have to as I'm sure other folks will chime in with their opinions shortly.

[hoppers4]

I had a Suburban SW6DE installed. The installer preferred the Suburban because it fit the space and opening better than the Atwood. It's a DSI and has worked as expected. My previous 2 MHs had the 6 gallon Atwood DSI and they worked fine for me too.

[jschulz1720]

Originally Posted by norty1

I have heard they were better. Would you mind posting the model of your tankless heater?

Girard GSWH-2 water heater.

[2JayBirds]

We have a 2014 Seneca with the tankless hot water heater. So far I have hated it. Very inconsistant water temps, at times too hot, then almost cool enough for drinking. My husband had to call Jayco techs for a different question about our front tv. While he had the guy on the phone he question him about the hot water operation. {Now please don't hold me to this till we try it out.} The tech told my husband that we should be setting the temp at the hot water heater temp control by the sink, we knew that part. To do this he said we should turn on the hot water only on at the sink, set the temp control at our desired temperature then turn water at sink off. {This we did not know.} When in the shower turn ONLY the hot water on, leave the cold water OFF and we should have a comfortable water temp for our shower. I don't think this is or should be normal operation, but if it works I'm ok with it. Rather do this and have constant hot water than go back to a 6 gal. tank. We are going out next week for a long weekend with our Seneca, will let you all know if this fix works.

[WaltW]

Sandy, would be interested to know how the WH works at altitudes over 7k feet. Having zero hot water convinced me that 6 gal DSI was a better choice. If I had known that the 10 gal could be made to fit, I would have gotten that instead. We had 10 gal in or DP and were quite satisfied with it. However, we are satisfied with the 6 gal.

[2JayBirds]

Not sure when I might be able to answer that. We will be in the Ozarks next June for a week but elevation there is just a little over 1200 feet from what I found when I googled Harrision, AR.

[Mnwelsh]

We set the temp control by the sink and only use the hot water in the shower with out turning on any cold water. It works perfect. If it does get a little to hot near the end of the shower we just slightly turn on a little cold water. It works fine for us. Have never been above 2000 feet of terrain elevation however. Camped in weather we between 25 to 70F and it's worked fine.

[Jopopsy]

Originally Posted by 2JayBirds

We have a 2014 Seneca with the tankless hot water heater. So far I have hated it. Very inconsistant water temps, at times too hot, then almost cool enough for drinking. My husband had to call Jayco techs for a different question about our front tv. While he had the guy on the phone he question him about the hot water operation. {Now please don't hold me to this till we try it out.} The tech told my husband that we should be setting the temp at the hot water heater temp control by the sink, we knew that part. To do this he said we should turn on the hot water only on at the sink, set the temp control at our desired temperature then turn water at sink off. {This we did not know.} When in the shower turn ONLY the hot water on, leave the cold water OFF and we should have a comfortable water temp for our shower. I don't think this is or should be normal operation, but if it works I'm ok with it. Rather do this and have constant hot water than go back to a 6 gal. tank. We are going out next week for a long weekend with our Seneca, will let you all know if this fix works.

Yep - that's essentially how they tell you to run it off Girard's website as well.

While its a bit of a pain to get it set up at first, and every campground will be different, I've found it to be very good once configured.

One thing I really REALLY wish it had? A delay before firing up. So many times we push the water knob straight up (calling for warm water) before we swing it to the cold side; the heater fires up and makes noise for a small bit every time. I don't like that.

[rgolding]

We are in our Seneca semi-full time, since October the 9th, when we picked it up in Grand Rapids. Yes, we still have a house, but basically using it for storage and when we went home for Thanksgiving and Christmas and left the Seneca below the freeze.

Our Girard took a little getting used to and we also do the thing of setting the temp at the sink. For fine tuning we do the setting of the hot water knob in the shower in the middle and then if too hot turn it on more, if too cool cut it back a little.

One thing we have done, is quit using the pressure from the "city water". We have found the water pump pressure of the Seneca far more consistent. Currently on private property in the middle of Florida with about 25 psi of pressure.

[Red90vette]

Once I took the restrictor out of our water hose it worked great. Adjust the temperature so that you only use hot water when taking a shower.

[Mnwelsh]

You have learned the same secrets to make the system work as I have as well. The only thing I don't like is I'm now using more water than I ever have in any of my previous RVs . Face it, you won't turn the shower water on your body until it warms up, and that takes time and water flow before its at the proper temp. Especially if the incoming water and water stored in the pipes within the camper are already cold. What ever future improvements are made to the Gerard, I hope our current systems can be upgraded to the same.

[rgolding]

Originally Posted by Mnwelsh

You have learned the same secrets to make the system work as I have as well. The only thing I don't like is I'm now using more water than I ever have in any of my previous RVs . Face it, you won't turn the shower water on your body until it warms up, and that takes time and water flow before its at the proper temp. Especially if the incoming water and water stored in the pipes within the camper are already cold. What ever future improvements are made to the Gerard, I hope our current systems can be upgraded to the same.

No argument! I hate to use more water and we do, also. But things have changed and we've adjusted.

[WaltW]

After a month long trip with the 6 gal WH we feel it is way better than the Girard. Only thing better would have been 10 gal WH. Propane usage was way down.

[fred639]

We will use our grey hawk around four times a year where there are no hook ups and the one time we used coach last year we went through 33 gal water in day a half and that was getting wet turn water off soap up and rinses off and it was either cold or scalding hot so we not pleased with it at all

[Robbbyr]

Exactly why I swapped out my Girard for a 10-gallon Atwood XT tank-style WH.

Next spring I plan to install either a hot water recirculation or a purge system system to provide almost instantaneous hot water to the fixtures. The purge system would incorporate a momentary switch operating a solenoid valve that would dump hot water back into the fresh water tank. To be used mostly when not hooked up to campground water. That way water isn't "wasted" waiting for it to get hot. Push the switch for 10 - 15 seconds and cold water will be purged from the line. I may get fancy and install an automatic (but adjustable) delay circuit to operate the valve.

Also with a traditional tank-style water heater when someone is showering and reduces the flow to a trickle, the temperature will remain constant unlike the Girard where the heater shuts off the burner at very low water flows to prevent scalding temperatures.

For those owners who spend most of the time with full hookups the Girard, (and probably especially the newer model with electronic controls) is probably a good fit. But for those of us who camp frequently without hookups wasting water waiting for it to get hot is a "big deal". We also shouldn't forget having a finite amount of grey water holding capacity when not at a sewer site. Dumping water into the grey tank waiting to get hot eats up two of our resources!

[hoppers4]

Originally Posted by Robbbyr

The purge system would incorporate a momentary switch operating a solenoid valve that would dump hot water back into the fresh water tank.

Wow, what a great idea! You're more ambitious than I am so I wouldn't do it myself, but it's a really good way to conserve and be able to have instant hot water.

[fred639]

Rob if I keep my Grey Hawk dealer is going to swap heater out its not going to work on the trips we take they are 3 to 5 nights with no hook ups, but I have a fight on my hands cause of a vibration problem as well, between Rv dealer and Ford I had coach in our possession for 2 weeks since September So come next week something is getting resolved
May have to push lemon law