Electric water heaters

[Morrisman]

Thank you I had thought about these would need 2 so a bit more expensive something to consider for sure

Thanks for the suggestion. Looks very similar to what is there I’d have thought? So easier to replace as i wouldn’t need a new feed only a slight change to connections

My only concern with ones with an internal tank is if I’d need to remember to turn it off at night/weekends so it’s not constantly trying to maintain temperature. My current unit neighbours have one that’s under the sink and they found they save around £20-30 a month by switching off at night.

£20-30 a month??
My whole electricity bill is only £38 a month, how much power do these little water heaters consume?

I was just thinking of getting one for the kitchen, reading this thread, as my gas combi boiler is right down the far end of the garage, as far as physically possible from the kitchen sink. I have to run a whole washing up bowl of water before the hot even begins to get through to the sink.

 

[RWD3M]

£20-30 a month??
My whole electricity bill is only £38 a month, how much power do these little water heaters consume?

I was just thinking of getting one for the kitchen, reading this thread, as my gas combi boiler is right down the far end of the garage, as far as physically possible from the kitchen sink. I have to run a whole washing up bowl of water before the hot even begins to get through to the sink.

Read my post!

Electric water heaters

So I’m taking on a new unit in the coming months one of things to tackle on the list is the water heater for the bathroom and kitchen sinks (both are basically back to back ) this is what is currently fitted leaky and I can’t imagine it’s the most efficient unit. I’ve been looking at units...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

 

[Morrisman]

Read my post!

Electric water heaters

So I’m taking on a new unit in the coming months one of things to tackle on the list is the water heater for the bathroom and kitchen sinks (both are basically back to back ) this is what is currently fitted leaky and I can’t imagine it’s the most efficient unit. I’ve been looking at units...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

That sounds more realistic.

 

[GRW]

I recently fitted an lpg heater to my Campervan. A tankless job, but not one of the Chinese ones- an Italian one.
A Ferroli 11 litre unit.
You can flue these as designed for Static caravan fitment.
3v batteries for ignition (though you could fit a power supply).
Can't comment on efficiency & cost v electric, but you do get hot water very quickly indeed.

FERROLI - PEGASO ECO

PEGASO ECO

www.ferroli.com

 

[TEO]

I recently fitted an lpg heater to my Campervan. A tankless job, but not one of the Chinese ones- an Italian one.
A Ferroli 11 litre unit.
You can flue these as designed for Static caravan fitment.
3v batteries for ignition (though you could fit a power supply).
Can't comment on efficiency & cost v electric, but you do get hot water very quickly indeed.

FERROLI - PEGASO ECO

PEGASO ECO

www.ferroli.com

o

Does the 11ltr represent flow rate? & Are you using refillable propane cylinders?

 

[GRW]

I believe that yes the 11 litre is max flow rate. No doubt it'd not get as hot at that flow rare (they do a smaller "6L" but I decided to build in some wiggle room).

Mines on a Shurflo 12v water pump pressurised system (it only needs 1 bar), and a 6kg Calor Propane cylinder.
I've run quite a lot of water through it testing it, but in use it's only on for a very short time to give me enough hot water for camping needs - so I won't use much gas.
Consumption rates etc are all in the manual - it's pretty efficient for what it is.

 

[gaz1]

Doubt it would be any cheaper than electric ( probably dearer if anything) and then you’ve got the hassle of keeping gas cylinders, swapping them, rent of cylinders…

for a unit or small workshop electric is fine within them

for a house id rather use wood, pellets or coal

is electric cheaper to use than gas no never has been put it near central heating and its really costly

was the emersion heater any good in the olden days well yes it was but cheap gas prices pushed that out the door, its either bring back that emersion heater as a storage unit
used in solar, wood boiler, or wood stove or use the electric central heating systems whilst electric water systems is not for me

the issue here is many like the pre instant hot water whilst electric brings instant hot water to the tap
costs are incured on which system you choose so price up over years whilst the emersion tank will last over 30 years
price up the difference on energy used and replacement of the instant hot water at the tap

many out there dont want to bring back the emersion heater but theyve changed there better insulated nowadays

 

[DAPPH]

Thank you I had thought about these would need 2 so a bit more expensive something to consider for sure

Thanks for the suggestion. Looks very similar to what is there I’d have thought? So easier to replace as i wouldn’t need a new feed only a slight change to connections

My only concern with ones with an internal tank is if I’d need to remember to turn it off at night/weekends so it’s not constantly trying to maintain temperature. My current unit neighbours have one that’s under the sink and they found they save around £20-30 a month by switching off at night.

My daugther had similar fitted in under their sink in their flat it was darned expensive to run as it was 3kw , unless you need it super hot , you'll be heating up 5 or 10 litres of water that gets replaced & reheating take place each time you run the hot .
My Redring sink heaters only heated the water running through them , that saved a lot of money as they were mainly on for thirty seconds top a minute at a time for hand washing and dish rinsing ( cold fill dish washer & washing machine both on a home built 24 hr timer set up's to take advantage of "Economy 7 rates ".

 

[DAPPH]

Works well in Portugal but I know in the UK the price of Propane tends to vary greatly depending on supplier.

Think our last big cylinder in Oct 2023 was just over £100 inc. delivery & fitting

 

[DAPPH]

At my Dad's old house in Portugal we have a wall mounted gas water heater. Very similar to the electric ones. Runs off a Propane cylinder. Mind you I suspect Propane not cheap here.

That heater is magic as it works on demand of water drawn , no big reservoir of water to cool or heat just that in the pipework

 

[Morrisman]

I remember a house I rented in the Philippines some 25 years ago. There was a hot shower, which consisted of a heated shower head, electric, screwed onto a cold water pipe that poked out of the wall….. and plugged into a 2 pin 220v mains socket conveniently installed in the wall, about 8” away from the shower head…….

Oddly enough whenever you adjusted the water tap there was a rather thrilling tingle through your arm.

 

[daleyd]

for a unit or small workshop electric is fine within them

for a house id rather use wood, pellets or coal

is electric cheaper to use than gas no never has been put it near central heating and its really costly

was the emersion heater any good in the olden days well yes it was but cheap gas prices pushed that out the door, its either bring back that emersion heater as a storage unit
used in solar, wood boiler, or wood stove or use the electric central heating systems whilst electric water systems is not for me

the issue here is many like the pre instant hot water whilst electric brings instant hot water to the tap
costs are incured on which system you choose so price up over years whilst the emersion tank will last over 30 years
price up the difference on energy used and replacement of the instant hot water at the tap

many out there dont want to bring back the emersion heater but theyve changed there better insulated nowadays

Gaz, as ever context is everything. - he was talking about using lpg (my original comment was that if you don’t have Nat gas then the cost difference is irrelevant) - Nat gas is of course cheaper but by the time you’ve faffed with bottles and rentals and found a boiler unit that will run on lpg then I can see any savings over electric being negligible…

 

[GRW]

That heater is magic as it works on demand of water drawn , no big reservoir of water to cool or heat just that in the pipework

That's how my Ferroli Pegaso (& pretty much all the tankless ones) works. Essentially the difference with my one is you can use it indoors (in a ventilated space) as you can fit a flue. I bought mine with a flue so I ensured exhaust heat & fumes vent above the rear van door into free air. There's a makeshift but functional stowage next to the heater for the flue to sit upside-down on its weather cowl (I made-do as I was rushing to get it ready for last weekends Maiden outing... but it does the job):

(Calor bottle now moved inboard to join the one feeding the kitchen, I've run a solid copper 8mm feed through the trunking that also carries the H&C water pipes).

Remove the cover & you've essentially got a cold water feed into a serpentine heater matrix, and a 3 banks of burners (you can mix/match temp & heat by adjusting the 2 knobs to set it how you want - so lower temp and burners to set a temp for a shower, or full blast if you want very hot water as quickly as possible).

Mines on the latter setting - it ignites & runs better if there's any wind on full chat, plus it'd go through way too much onboard water storage run as a shower without a water supply. I get hot water quickly & then add cold - so the heater is only needed for short bursts.

 

[Theblackbox]

Thanks everyone for their input. Visited the unit today and tore into the bathroom area drained all the system down etc. don’t think it’ll take genius to figure out why the old unit failed

Will add a 7 day timer and look for a new replacement unit that’s got a stainless tank to it!

 

[DAPPH]

If you put bog side grab rails back in also give a lot of thought as to where the bog roll holder/dispenser will go , even if it means repositioning the hand basin . So many are almost way out of reach when you are pan sitting .

 

[colnerov]

You could have a twin toilet roll holder, so one can be the right way and one the other way.

 

[Gareth J]

£20-30 a month??
My whole electricity bill is only £38 a month, how much power do these little water heaters consume?

I was just thinking of getting one for the kitchen, reading this thread, as my gas combi boiler is right down the far end of the garage, as far as physically possible from the kitchen sink. I have to run a whole washing up bowl of water before the hot even begins to get through to the sink.

Do a quick back of the envelope calc. Or measure if you can. And include the value of the water you have to drain off (unless you're very cunning and use it form something else) and sewerage. You might find that it's cheaper to boil the kettle for the dishes.