"Jeff Wisnia" wrote in message
...
Jeff Wisnia wrote:


A friend who's facing replacement of a 60 gallon gas water heater asked
me what I knew about electric tankless heaters.

The "family" is two adults living in a single family house in the Boston
Area.

I've no firsthand experience with tankless heaters. The bit of stuff I've
read leads me to believe that installing a whole house tankless unit as a
replacement for their gas fired heater is very likely going to require
increasing the capacity of the electric service to their house, along
with the installation a new panel and heavier conductors from the panel
to the tankless heater location.

The incoming water supply temperature around here gets into the low 40s
during the winter, requiring a pretty powerful tankless heater in order
to raise that to a comfortable temperature for showering, even with a low
flow showerhead.

And, if one person is showering and the other starts the clothes washer
and then decides to do the dishes, things could get coolish in the
shower, huh?

I'm thinking they'll be needing at least a 125 amp 220v circuit for the
heater, which will almost certainly necessitate the electrical changes
mentioned above.

Comments from those in the know?

Jeff


Thanks guys, I think I'll tell my friend to "fughedit" and just get
another gas water heater (with tank) installed.


I don't know, I would seriously consider a GAS tankless though, but I've got
a wood stove and live in redneck country.......




Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.