Saving fresh water- modification

[PapaDiver]

We boondock 1-2 weeks each year. I solved our hot water problem by doing the following:

Our bathroom sink is the farthest point from the hot water tank. I put a "T" in the hot water line just under the the sink, installed a valve and run a new line back to the fresh water tank. It took a little bit of work to make it happen. I fished the water line under the floor right beside the other lines.

When I want instant hot water at the sink I open the door turn the valve and wait till it recirculates the hot water. Turn the valve off close the door and use the sink like normal except with instant hot water and no waste. This also primes the tub with instant hot water.

Ron

[fordh8r]

Hot water for coffee, :coffee: no problem. Coffee machine.


Hot water for shower, :bath: no problem. Just jump in till yer done, hot water er not.

[Ray,IN]

we have been looking at these instant hot or tankless water heaters for some time. for our home. we have to haul water and store it in a below ground tank, because our shower is clear on the other size of the house it takes several mins for the shower to adjust to the right temp, and all that water is wasted. down the drain for nothen. we use to fill a 5 gallon bucket for the dogs outside but the bucket lost its handle and got dirty and its hard to carry thru the house.

i just wonder if it would do as well as our 50 gallon wh at home. David lives for super hot showers. It would have to get thru two showers in the morning my husband and my son cant wake up w/o a hot shower.

Sara your husband will not get "super-hot showers" from a tankless water heater. Most all heat to a 40* temperature rise over your present cold water temperature. This means if your present water is 50*F, the maximum hot water temperature will be around 90*F.

[norty]

Sara your husband will not get "super-hot showers" from a tankless water heater. Most all heat to a 40* temperature rise over your present cold water temperature. This means if your present water is 50*F, the maximum hot water temperature will be around 90*F.

I have one installed in my home for several years and found that not to be true. I did have to install a demand pump to get the hot water to the farthermost faucet without wasting fresh water, but once there we can't tell the difference from the old tank type water heater.. Mine has an electronic control that allows you to vary the temp. Mine is set for 120 degrees.

[dzwiss]

Saving gray tank capacity

When we are traveling and going to have a shower in the morning I will usually fill the coffee pot with water from the shower. That way we eliminate some of the cold water in the lines without wasting it. Also a quart or so that dose'nt go in the tank

I use a similar technique. We fill a two quart pitcher from the shower while waiting for it to get hot, then use it to flush the toilet. Our gray water tanks fill much sooner than the black. This is not a particularly elegant solution but it is functional and simple.

[toprudder]

Tankless won't work for me. We don't have gas (I guess we could get a propane tank). We have the "Time-of-use" electricity option, which saves us about $600 / year on our electric. We have a system to manage the power useage during the on-peak hours, and one thing it manages power to is the electric water heater. We can all get a shower in the morning (as long as my son doesn't hog the hot-water). I doubt going tankless would save us anything, and might cost more for propane (we pay about 5 cents/kwh for electric under this plan). I think we average about $140 per month for electric, and that is ALL of our utilities (have our own well, own septic tank, electric water heater, heat pump, stove/oven).

[Popeye]

Our bathroom sink is the farthest point from the hot water tank. I put a "T" in the hot water line just under the the sink, installed a valve and run a new line back to the fresh water tank. It took a little bit of work to make it happen. I fished the water line under the floor right beside the other lines.

How did you make the connection to put the recirc water back in the fresh water tank? Did you have to put another hole in it?

[JEBar]

How did you make the connection to put the recirc water back in the fresh water tank? Did you have to put another hole in it?

this is just a guess but I'd bet he tied into the hose that runs from the fill port on the side of the camper to the fresh water tank .... wouldn't think I'd want to put another hole in the tank

Jim

[ralper]

I installed a pipe under my bath sink from the hot water pipe to the fresh water tank fill pipe with a valve under the sink. Turn on the valve for 10 seconds and hot water is there with the waste water back into the fresh water tank. The hot water heater is under the kit sink in the rear. I save 2.5 cups of water each usage.