Thread: Instant water heater.

Looking for first hand feedback on an instant water heater/califont to run in a bach. They run from a LPG bottle and have 2 D batteries for ignition and require a small 12v pump.

Example here https://www.trademe.co.nz/building-r...7afea6a393-001

Can anyone recommend a model that actually puts out a decent amount of hot water? Have an old bath inside hut and just want enough water flow/temp to have a decent rinse and or washing dishes etc.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Cheers Cliff

I have a Rennai unit that is powered by a single C cell battery. I have it set up on a frame made out of light weigh 1" galv box section. There is a piece of ply screwed to the frame and the heater is fixed to one side, and on the other side is the 12v pump and accumulator. I have a bypass system on it so you can plumb it straight into a garden hose if pressured water is available. This unit is about 20 years old now and is now due for its first service as its getting a bit temperamental on the temperature adjustment and trips out on the highest temp setting.
Mines rated somewhere between 10 and 15 L/min from memory. Someone's loaned it till the end of the week to go hunting so I cannot tell you the model number.
It puts out just enough water to have a hot shower if you use a low volume shower head (I have found that the best shower head is either a dog wash head or one of the old type that you used to push over the hot/cold tap in the bath using the rubber cups), and you can crank it up to max temp/min flow and get about 60deg water out of it for the dishes.

When mine returns I'll try to remember to post some photos and the model number.

They are great, have a 5l/min (more than this and you need to vent them for exhaust gases) at work, fine for washing dishes but you would want a mixer (run hot water HOT and dilute) for a shower. They do need at least 6m of pressure though so either a high gravity feed or running a 12v pump

Have found that they don't last though, always seem to need to replace them at the start of each season (not used for 6months)

Really efficient on gas, am constantly amazed how long a 8kg bottle lasts

Got a Rinnai of some description hooked up mid Dec, full mains pressure high flow......Family of four wasting water flat out still waiting for the first 45kg bottle to run out...must be any day now tho.

Thanks for the feedback guys. It’s off grid with limited water supply and not much head to work with, so I’ll be needing a small pump by the sounds of it. Hotbarrels you sound like you’ve got it dissed. The models I’ve seen are temperature adjustable, 223 could your temp be turned down and flow rate up enough for use as a shower?

Really only need to get a few weeks out of it while I replant a block of land so would prefer less expensive units. I like the sounds of yours veit, but I’m guessing expensive?

Cheers

Cliff

Originally Posted by Cliff

Thanks for the feedback guys. It’s off grid with limited water supply and not much head to work with, so I’ll be needing a small pump by the sounds of it. Hotbarrels you sound like you’ve got it dissed. The models I’ve seen are temperature adjustable, 223 could your temp be turned down and flow rate up enough for use as a shower?

Really only need to get a few weeks out of it while I replant a block of land so would prefer less expensive units. I like the sounds of yours veit, but I’m guessing expensive?

Cheers

Cliff

Ah yea!....Part of a full bathroom rebuild/replumb and removal of a 300l hot water cylinder.....unit/plumbing/gasfitting was just shy of 5k from memory but thats full replumb of everything including toilet/ shower/handbasin/laundry everything was moved.....gas line specced and run to run kitchen also if I ever have money again to upgrade that.

Originally Posted by Cliff

Thanks for the feedback guys. It’s off grid with limited water supply and not much head to work with, so I’ll be needing a small pump by the sounds of it. Hotbarrels you sound like you’ve got it dissed. The models I’ve seen are temperature adjustable, 223 could your temp be turned down and flow rate up enough for use as a shower?

Really only need to get a few weeks out of it while I replant a block of land so would prefer less expensive units. I like the sounds of yours veit, but I’m guessing expensive?

Cheers

Cliff

If you are essentially 'camping' then there are off the shelf options Camping Hot Water Systems.
My recommendation would be the Joolca Hottap Outing https://www.joolca.co.nz/hottapouting I haven't personally used one but it is essentially the same as how I have mine set up as a self contained unit.
Stay away from the Coleman hot water on demand unit - my brother had one and it split the internals after a couple of months. POS.

Can adjust flow and temp, ballpark $500 for the one we have

Brilliant guys, thank you all for the info, exactly what I was looking for. Think I’ll have a closer look at Joolca unit with pump. I’ve got 2 x200l tanks plumbed from roof but only about 1.5m head. Reckon the pump will be the best option.

I’ll come back and leave a review of sorts in time.

Cheers Cliff

Have used a joocla unit and works well for camping shower they have an auto cut out at 50degs it turns burner off has switch on show head and starts burner as soon as water starts flowing