Demand heater for SHW backup [RE-wrenches]

[Matt Tritt]

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On the other hand, in the counties I've visited in various parts of the 
world, one seldom sees anything other than on-demand units - so either 
only Americans have it all figured out and everyone else is all wet 
(couldn't help myself!) or the other way around? This doesn't include 
those places where COLD water is a luxury. ;-)

Matt

Todd Cory, Mt. Shasta Energy Services wrote:

>
> Right, an electric water heater on an off grid system is not 
> practical. Off grid folks are limited to solar with propane / wood 
> backup. The standby loss on a propane tank heater mandate an on demand 
> unit.
>
> If anodes do not work, then why are they put in the tanks and why to 
> the "extended life" tanks have two of them? Our tanked heater is now 
> over 25 years old. I change the anode every other year. I expect it to 
> last indefinitely, which is great because I hate plumbing. Perhaps the 
> calcium build up issue is related to high mineral content water, which 
> will also cause scaling in a tankless heater's heat exchanger.
>
> While I do not do SDHW installations anymore, I get inquiries about 
> this all the time from my off grid solar electric customers. Most of 
> them do not have SDHW systems, so go with propane demand units as they 
> have little other options. I am mostly commenting on the on grid folks 
> that erroneously think they are going to "save so much energy" by 
> changing out their electric tank heater with a demand use one... or 
> adding a time clock (sigh) to their existing tank heater.
>
> There are sure lots of myths out there about water heaters.
>
> Todd
>
>
>
>
> Matt Tritt wrote:
>
>>
>> Todd,
>>
>> If you take into account the rapid buildup of calcium carbonate on 
>> electrical water heater anodes, and the resulting loss of efficiency, 
>> how do you figure that electric is the way to go? In my experience, 
>> people rarely (if ever) service their water heaters, and that 
>> especially includes the heater elements. Also, the huge hit from 
>> electric on an off-grid system seems counter intuitive for folks with 
>> smaller battery banks, no?
>
>
>
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