# Portable LP Gas Water Heater



## Don2222 (Jul 1, 2012)

Hello

I am still spending too much on oil DHW, would this small LP gas job help save some oil?
I can hook it up to the tank for the gas fireplace.

http://www.campingworld.com/shoppin...u=3337373836&gclid=CM664ZHM97ACFQff4AodSxZVhA

Why does it say outdoor use only?

The best place to install the unit may be under the floor in the garage space on the hot water line coming up to the sink and dish washer. See yellow arrow in 2nd pic.

It is used in this DIY cargo trailer home for all their Hot Water!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=DsVxgOjNLbA


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## North of 60 (Jul 1, 2012)

Don, it is for outdoor use only due to the venting of the unit.  Products of combustion to remain outside.


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## Don2222 (Jul 1, 2012)

naben said:


> Don, it is for outdoor use only due to the venting of the unit. Products of combustion to remain outside.


 
Yes, the woman in the video has it mounted on the outside of her cargo container home but it is hooked up to her kitchen faucet! It must be a ventless LP gas heater.

I actually like the quick easy install. It looks like the woman just unscrewed the shower head and screwed in the kitchen faucet! ! !

Not sure where she lives but any outdoor temps below freezing would effect this type of install!
That would be a real concern up here in NE !


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## Don2222 (Jul 1, 2012)

Hello

So what I was thinking, that since the kitchen is far away from the DHW Tank and close to the propane tank, it may be more efficient to heat the hot water for the dish washer and the kitchen sink with the liquid propane tank? Installing in the garage space has plenty of ventilation and never gets really cold!

Maybe this one would be better? However install is tougher, all the standard plumbing.
Going this route it would make more sense to put in the basement and use it for all DHW.
http://www.basspro.com/Eccotemp-L10...9705&SST=34647cbc-dce6-5828-e37c-000032b44f04


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## begreen (Jul 1, 2012)

Is the hw pipe run from the hw heater to the kitchen completely insulated? That should have a much faster ROI and no maintenance. After that I would look into solar if the roof has good sun exposure.


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## Don2222 (Jul 1, 2012)

begreen said:


> Is the hw pipe run from the hw heater to the kitchen completely insulated? That should have a much faster ROI and no maintenance. After that I would look into solar if the roof has good sun exposure.


 
It could use insulation, that is for sure. Thanks


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## seige101 (Jul 2, 2012)

Don2222 said:


> ... Installing in the garage space has plenty of ventilation and never gets really cold...


 

Seriously? I hope you are joking


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## Don2222 (Jul 2, 2012)

seige101 said:


> Seriously? I hope you are joking


 
No I am not joking, the garage does not get below 40 Deg F very much and that drafty old garage door is not very weather tight!


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## seige101 (Jul 3, 2012)

And the main reason we have all this extra safety BS and warnings on products like that is because of people who think like that. I suppose it's safe to leave the car running in the Garage because it's drafty in there too right?

Lets teach the basics of safety in 1st grade (water and electricity don't mix, burning any fuel produces CO etc etc)

Then lets remove all stupid warning labels off of products. Seriously the hair dryer says do not use in the shower!



Hey install that sucker under the sink, leave the cabinet door open and crack open the window above the sink. There will be a decent draft there, what could possibly go wrong?

Even better install it right next to the pellet stove, Disconnect your OAK if you have one. All the nasty fumes from the water heater will be sucked out through the air intake of the stove! Bonus you will get almost every last BTU out of the gas used!!


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## ROVERT (Aug 11, 2012)

How do you heat your hot water now? Obviously you said it was oil, but is it an oil hot water heater, boiler with a coil, or an indirect hot water heater?
If it's a boiler, you can make adjustments to the limits on your aquastat. You don't need to heat the boiler up to 180 deg. for domestic hot water.

Using LP will save you oil, but it won't likely save you much in costs unless the LP equipment is vastly more efficient. LP may cost a little over a dollar a gallon less than heating oil, but it doesn't provide as much heat per gallon. (92,000 btu/gal for propane and 140,000 btu/gal for oil). I'm not sure what current prices are, but you are probably looking at around 33,000 btu/dollar for propane and 35,000 btu/dollar for oil.

Also, the idea of using alternative water heating for the the kit. sink/ dw is going to save you next to nothing. What ever form of oil domestic hot water heating you are using is still going to run to maintain the water temp. I doubt you use enough hot water in the kitchen to justify the cost of the second heating appliance. Showers and baths are where the vast majority of your hot water is used.


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## Don2222 (Aug 12, 2012)

ROVERT said:


> How do you heat your hot water now? Obviously you said it was oil, but is it an oil hot water heater, boiler with a coil, or an indirect hot water heater?
> If it's a boiler, you can make adjustments to the limits on your aquastat. You don't need to heat the boiler up to 180 deg. for domestic hot water.
> 
> Using LP will save you oil, but it won't likely save you much in costs unless the LP equipment is vastly more efficient. LP may cost a little over a dollar a gallon less than heating oil, but it doesn't provide as much heat per gallon. (92,000 btu/gal for propane and 140,000 btu/gal for oil). I'm not sure what current prices are, but you are probably looking at around 33,000 btu/dollar for propane and 35,000 btu/dollar for oil.
> ...


 
I have a triple pass cold start boiler with and outdoor reset with an Indirect super insulated SuperStor water tank that looses 1/2 deg f per hour for DHW. That uses a tank of oil per year.

Yes, the only thing that might be cheaper is HP Electric but those tanks are costly and do not last long. The Stainless Steel SuperStor tank has a lifetime guarantee!


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## ROVERT (Aug 14, 2012)

I assume when you say you use a tank of oil to heat your DHW you are referring to a 275 gal tank. That is pushing $1000 pretty hard. I'd be surprised if a regular electric water heater wouldn't save you money. Looking at your signature, I'm guessing that your boiler is essentially just a very expensive domestic hot water heater. The benefits, or lack thereof, of indirect water heaters can be argued all day long but running an oil heating system just to heat DHW is kind of a losing battle. Unless a boiler is the primary heat source during the heating months, a boiler based source of domestic hot water is likely going to cost you more.

I would say that a tank LP water heater, tank electric hot water heater, hybrid electric (heat pump) water heater, or tankless LP heater would all save you money over the way you are doing it if you are not using your boiler for heat. You'll have to really crunch some numbers to determine whether or not the cost of additional equipment will be able to be recovered by somewhat lower energy costs. The hybrid water heaters are pricey, but typically carry a 12 year warranty. One thing you have to consider though is that, while they help to cool and remove humidity in the summer, they are going add somewhat to your heating costs in the winter.

I think a tank electric hot water heater has the best chance of saving you money over all. The up front cost is the least by far ($300-$500 if you can install it yourself) and annual operating costs should run in the $400 to $600 range. That means the equipment is going to pay for itself the first year. You'll be way ahead by the time the warranty expires in 6 years (or more). Even if you have to replace it every 7 years, a year after the warranty has expired, you'll be ahead of spending a grand per year on heating oil.

Again, all of this assumes you're referring to using a 275 gallon tank of oil per year and you have average DHW usage.


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## eclecticcottage (Aug 21, 2012)

We have a tankless LP unit at the Cottage, it was here when we bought the place.  We had meant for YEARS to replace the tank version at the Old House with one when the tank version went.  Don't you know, the effing thing went a week before we were supposed to close on the Cottage.  It got replaced by the cheapest tank version Lowes had (10% off coupon from them on top of it).  Back to the tankless-we LOVE it.  We have been hanging at 20% on the gauge on the LP tank since May and use it for both HW and our cooking stove.  You never run out of hot water and it's much more efficient than the NG tank version at the Old House.  No standing pilot.  I've seen them on CL for @ $400 used.  I think it's a worthy investment.  BUT...VENT IT properly!  They aren't meant to vent into an enclosed space.


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