On 4/15/2014 11:24 AM, trader_4 wrote:

Two points to that:
1 - The electric power that it takes to heat the water that you
use is going to be the same, regardless of whether you heat it slowly
in a tank, or fast in a tankless.

SM1: Yes, fast or slow, a watt is still, uh,
can't remember watt.

The tankless has the advantage of
not having the standy losses, but as I said they can't be that much.

SM2: More standby loss in winter, when the
tank loses more heat.

My whole gas bill is just $18 in summer. I would think the vast
majority of that is heating water that is actually used.

SM3: Perhaps pilot lights? I've got a couple of those.

A related
point that in many cases could make the tank type less expensive is
that a lot of utilities have reduced rates for electric power during
non-peak periods. With a timer, the electric water heater can be set
to only come on when the rates are low. Even decades ago, I remember
water heaters being on a seperate meter, with a timer, where you
got a much lower rate for electricity. With move to smart meters, I
would think that's the future for more people.

SM4: I used to know a guy who had 82 gal water
heater, which only ran night time, "off peak"
side of the meter. Lived alone, so he didn't
often run out of hot. No teenagers with bottomless
showers (ha, ha).


2 - With a tank type, it will put an upper limit on exceesive usage.
Once the hot water is gone, it's gone.

SM5: Yes, the recovery rate and all. Good idea in
some families. I split your two points down a bit
finer, sorry.

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Christopher A. Young
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