LP DHW Heater, which one?

prm_8

I'm doing research for a friend and looking for an efficient LP fired DHW heater. The Bradford-White in the house is dying (sediment and corrosion) and I have to believe that B-Ws are just about the most inefficient devices known to mankind, just behind Excursions and Hummers. I need a cheaper solution than a Munchkin/Superstor. Any ideas?

Ken_8

A W/M Plus 30 will

deliver twice what a B-W 40 will in the first hour and now that they have those dorky flame arrester thingies on all new H/W/Heaters, the lifetime Stainless tanks aren't very much more lad.

Check it or the Triangle tube equal out.

Unless the boiler's a dog - it is economical and has two major things going for it.

Lifetime warranty.

More hot water than you would ever need.

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hr

Do you have

a boiler in the home to connect an indirect HW tank to?

If not the most efficient, tank type WH's are the condensing types. Polaris, Voyager, AO Smith Cyclone and the new Bradford White models. Rheem labels the Voyager also. Keep in mind you are in the 2 grand plus arena with condensing water heaters. Are you prepared to go there? They also need PVC venting, they cannot go into a B vent or masonary chimney.

I feel all basic tank type non condensing water heaters are about equal. Better ones have thicker insulation packages, but they all are basically a tank with a 4" hole thru the center

Power vent models are a tad more efficient as they have a blower, perched on top, to restrict the natural draft a bit more than a conventinal flue through the roof types.

I still like the BW's. I believe the LP models have cast iron burners still.

hot rod

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Constantin

Now Now

I wouldn't call the flame arrestors dorky, they certainly don't look like one.

Be that as it may, as long as we have Darwin-award-seeking homeowners spilling combustibles in the basements, garages, etc. or wherever waterheaters and other open-flame appliances are used, there will be lawsuits when their house, garage, etc. goes "poof!" Believe you me, if non-direct vented boilers do not have flame arrestors now, they will in the future.

This charade will go on until losers have to pay for both sides of the court case. Caps on liability, pain and suffering, etc. are nice but the really big hammer is the risk for contingency tort lawyers to have to pay for the other side too.

prm_8

Wow

I hadn't looked into DHW heaters before. Is it me or is the vast majority of the DHW heater market in the dark ages compared to all of the modern boilers out there (Vitodens, Munchkin, Ultra, Trinity, etc).

prm_8

The primary heat of the house is forced tepid air.

Ranger

Mabie look at the Rinnai 2532-FFU? foreverhotwater.com or
rinnai.us

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Old technology and cheap components

Am not knocking unrestrained capitalism, but it does have drawbacks.

To keep costs low, production must be high. To keep production high, lifespan must be short. Besides, hot water heater replacement is the bread and butter of plumbers in my part of the country.

DaveGateway

Tankless water heaters

Several good brands out there. As long as you don't need over 3 GPM, why have the stand by loss go up the chimney?