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--></style></head><body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Dan,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">If your customers are gone for more than a few days, they should turn the heater off and drain the water out of it. That is what I do with my 25 year-old Aquastar, although I don\u2019t have to turn it off because it doesn\u2019t use electricity. But I do drain it to keep it from freezing. In fact, I drain the whole house in the winter when I leave since the wood stove is not keeping it warm if I\u2019m not there. I did come back to broken pipes a time or two before I got smart.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Brian</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">AEE Solar</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> RE-wrenches [mailto:<a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Dan Fink<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, September 11, 2015 11:03 AM<br><b>To:</b> RE-wrenches<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] off-grid propane tankless water heater advice</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><div><p class="MsoNormal">Louis; I have seen that pilot light save off-grid on-demand water heaters from freezing many times! </p><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Often old technology has advantages that don't make it into new, high-tech equipment press releases.</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><div><p class="MsoNormal"> Since I work so far off grid and only with small systems, the newer water heaters needing 120VAC supply don't let inverters go into Search Mode when the residents are away for days, weeks or months. I know Search Mode is a relic from a decade ago when PV was expensive, but smaller systems still rely on it. </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">Best regards;</p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><br clear="all"></p><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">Dan Fink</span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">Adjunct Professor, Ecotech Institute</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">IREC Certified Instructor\u2122 for: </span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">~ PV Installation Professional</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">~ Small Wind Installer</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">Executive Director, Buckville Energy</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">NABCEP / IREC / ISPQ Accredited Continuing Education Providers\u2122<br><a href="tel:970.672.4342" target="_blank"><span style="color:#1155cc">970.672.4342</span></a></span></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><div><p class="MsoNormal">On Fri, Sep 11, 2015 at 11:20 AM, <<a href="mailto:louis@solarcowboyz.com" target="_blank">louis@solarcowboyz.com</a>> wrote:</p><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black">Hello Rebekah,</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black"> </span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black">I have had no luck in getting the older style without AC required either.</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black">I agree that these newer devices that require AC are better performers.</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black"> </span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black">Some of these(most ?) have a built in anti-freeze protection scheeme.</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black">It is made from a ceramic heating element(HI-WATT RES.) that will come on at a default internal temp.(typ=36 to 38deg F).</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black">When this antifreeze circuit turns ON there is around 100 to 200W(I would have to go measure to be sure) of power consumed.</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black">When installed in cold climates this circuit will be used.</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black"> </span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black">On the older non-ac units the standing pilot light can protect against some freezing;However I would not count on this alone in cold climates.</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black"> </span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black">This is something to be aware of.</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black">Hope this helps.</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black"> </span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black">Louis Segarra</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black"> </span></p></div><blockquote style="border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:6.0pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black"> </span></p></div></blockquote></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>