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Water heater quandary - Foggy - 11-08-2018

Tankless propane water heater is going out. It has never been quite right [LOML not happy] so I want to go to tank type power vent gas or  electric. Next summer natural gas will become available and will be installed in the house. If I go with propane I would hire the installation. Propane would have to be converted to natural gas next summer, which, as I understand it, would require changing the burner. If I go with electric I could do most or all of the installation myself. The electric water heater is less expensive to buy but more expensive to run. Should I look short term and go with the electric, or look long term and go with gas, having to have it converted later, or go with a real cheap electric water heater and replace it with gas when it goes out? 

Confused
Confused
Confused


RE: Water heater quandary - TDKPE - 11-08-2018

No chance of hanging onto the existing until NG is installed?


RE: Water heater quandary - Foggy - 11-08-2018

(11-08-2018, 11:11 AM)TDKPE Wrote: No chance of hanging onto the existing until NG is installed?
I don't have a dog house to live in,  so not if I want to stay married.


RE: Water heater quandary - carwashguy - 11-08-2018

I recently switched from NG to a heat pump water heater. In my case I did it to be able to remove the old chimney to gain some space in my basement to accommodate a new bathroom. It hasn't been long enough to see if there is any $ savings.
One of the sales reps at the supply house has had one for a few years, he told me to run it on "heat pump only" mode. That's what he has his set on and he claims he never runs out of hot water. The other options are "Hybrid" which will turn on the regular heating elements if the temp drops to a certain level, or "Electric only" which disables the heat pump and runs like a traditional electric water heater. Greatest savings is to use heat pump only.


RE: Water heater quandary - whatline - 11-08-2018

Are you sure you dont have to change just the nozzle?


RE: Water heater quandary - blackhat - 11-08-2018

Other than perhaps your wife's expectations, what is not quite right with your tankless?  Perhaps you should wait until round toit's go on sale and the arrival of a NG service will save you.
Wink  Is a rental of an electric an option?  We have a bunch of folks that rent water heaters and softeners in this area.


RE: Water heater quandary - lift mechanic - 11-09-2018

Normally when you buy a gas appliance it comes as natural gas. The appliance is then switched to Propane. I have propane kitchen stove / oven which the jets at the burners had to be replaces and a oriface where the gas connects to the appliance had to be replaced. I kept the natural gas parts which are easy to reinstall.


RE: Water heater quandary - Tapper - 11-13-2018

(11-08-2018, 09:58 AM)Foggy Wrote: Tankless propane water heater is going out. It has never been quite right [LOML not happy] so I want to go to tank type power vent gas or  electric. Next summer natural gas will become available and will be installed in the house. If I go with propane I would hire the installation. Propane would have to be converted to natural gas next summer, which, as I understand it, would require changing the burner. If I go with electric I could do most or all of the installation myself. The electric water heater is less expensive to buy but more expensive to run. Should I look short term and go with the electric, or look long term and go with gas, having to have it converted later, or go with a real cheap electric water heater and replace it with gas when it goes out? 

Confused
Confused
Confused

Have had a tankless propane water for several years now. Works fine EXCEPT when the stink bugs swarm, crawl through the vent and and gum up the fan! DAMHIKT!!! Were I to do it again, I would go with traditional electric. No venting, easy installation and electricity is cheap where I live.

Doug


RE: Water heater quandary - jteneyck - 11-13-2018

Where I live, NG is much cheaper than electricity, so I'd go with a propane unit and convert it to NG when your house gets hooked up to that utility.  You already have a plenty large enough propane line and venting available so it shouldn't be a large job to have done.  Electric is easy but your panel would have to have enough additional capacity to handle the load.  

John


RE: Water heater quandary - Stwood_ - 11-13-2018

Yes, used to be gas came with the LP orfices. Now you have to order/buy one or the other.

Our last NG range came with a bag of LP orfices, but that was 10 years ago.

I would ck your options on whether a new LP can be changed over with just switching orfices.
Surely the whole burner doesn't have to be changed.