Water heater

[Rosorbetw]

I've read all the bad reviews on the tankless water heaters and quite frankly it scares me a bit. Looks like they are all made by the same company or at the very least similar design. Does anyone use a small tank water heater and could give some recommendations? Do you drain it each time you leave or just in winter? How long before water is hot?
I have electric and the water heater would just be used for taking showers in an unheated shed. A 20lb propane tank is always an option as well.
I use my cabin on weekends and typically work on the land or hunt then want to shower before getting a bite to eat. Tankless would be perfect for this but like I said the reviews aren't so good.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

 

[Pikser]

We have a tankless natural gas heater for over 5 years. Works great and no issues.

 

[thatJeepguy]

I've read all the bad reviews on the tankless water heaters and quite frankly it scares me a bit. Looks like they are all made by the same company or at the very least similar design. Does anyone use a small tank water heater and could give some recommendations? Do you drain it each time you leave or just in winter? How long before water is hot?
I have electric and the water heater would just be used for taking showers in an unheated shed. A 20lb propane tank is always an option as well.
I use my cabin on weekends and typically work on the land or hunt then want to shower before getting a bite to eat. Tankless would be perfect for this but like I said the reviews aren't so good.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

My bro inlaw and I ripped out a failed tank heater and installed a tankless at our house and the thing is great . Endless hot showers. Only draw back is that when in kitchen it takes a really long time to get hot water to the tap to wash pots and pans etc. otherwise GTG. I dont think id go back to a tank.

 

[Whoops]

I have 2 for my home. The first is a Challenger tankless boiler for radiant heat for the whole house as well as hot water. The second one is a small Rinnai for the MBA/Laundry rm because it's so far away from the boiler. Both are propane fired and have been trouble free for a decade. No, they're never drained but I do pump a diluted solution of CLR through them annually only because of the high iron content of our well water

I also have a little portable one for glamping

 

[GordoJay]

Tankless electric takes a lot of current. Does your cabin have service that will support that? If you go with propane, you could just turn off the gas when you leave. And/or you could put a water valve on the inlet side of the heater and turn it off when you leave. What problem are you worrying about?

 

[GCATX]

If it's just for a shower, in a shed, check one of these out. If you have a low flow shower head, I bet it's fine. Worth a try for the price.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7U5S0G/?tag=fordraptorforum-20

 

[The Car Stereo Company]

black pipe around or on top of the cabin. heats up all day so when you shower in the evening, its warm for you.

that will be $2499.99 please. the service charge is an excellent deal. i take paypal, venmo, and msrp raptor r allocations as forms of payment

 

[Bracamonte]

Had a tankless 15 years ago. Ripped it off and installed a gas water heater. The thing couldn't keep up, and wouldn't get that hot. Hot water would run out soon. Couldn't do laundry, dishwasher, and then shower consecutively. Had to space it out. Tankless units must be better these days than back then..

 

[EricM]

The capacity of tankless is controlled by the size of your gas line.

If you don't have a big natural gas feed, you might not like tankless.

Propane has more BTUs per Cu.ft. than natural gas and it's generally easier to upsize the feed.

 

[The Car Stereo Company]

our tankless can run the dishwasher, washing machine and shower all at the same time. those cheap $500-700 ones wont though.