[smallpoxgirl]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('bobaloo', 'A') 9 volt batter will supply 9 volts with at total rating typically of 300-400 milliamphours of energy. IOW, it will supply 9 volts at 400 milliamps for one hour before dying (simplified). That's a total of 3.6 watt hours. According to my calculations that's enough energy to raise the temperature of the water by 5.03 degrees C, not really enough to make good coffee.

[roccman]

Hot water heater died after 15 years.

Most effecient HWH (30-50 gallon range)?

Solar?

Thanks in advance.

(note to pops: I can guess that there are reams of info on this topic in the planning thread...as soon as admin gets the search feature fix I am sure I would not have to have started a new thread...until then...)

[dunewalker]

Plumb it into your woodstove. Don't waste your $ buying back into a collapsing sytem. Any old tank that isn't leaking will do nicely for this, mounted higher on the wall than the stove...

[smallpoxgirl]

On-demand (aka tankless) water heaters are awesome. It's one of those ridiculous American extravagance things to store up 30 gallons of hot water just in case you might want to take a shower at some point in the day. On demand heaters use a lot less energy because they don't heat the water until you're ready to use it. A side benefit is that you never have to worry about running out of hot water.

link

[Cashmere]

220V electric.

Cheap, probably good for 15 years, during which the power will probably be on.

[Jack]

Search

(Note URL for search string)

[FoolYap]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('smallpoxgirl', 'O')n-demand (aka tankless) water heaters are awesome.

[Auntie_Cipation]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dunewalker', 'P')lumb it into your woodstove. Don't waste your $ buying back into a collapsing sytem. Any old tank that isn't leaking will do nicely for this, mounted higher on the wall than the stove...

[smallpoxgirl]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('FoolYap', 'I')'ve heard they work well when natural-gas-fired. Not so well when electric.

[Quinny]

I'd seriously consider a rocket stove. The small one I saw boiled a pan of hot water in about 2 minutes using a bit of scrap wood. The same size pan (about 12 pints) took 9.5 minutes on our large double gas ring!

[roccman]

I hate plumbing!!!!!!! Copper breaks after a couple bends...(add to notes I took over the past 2 decades on other HWH installs!!!!)

arghhhhhhhhhh!!!

ok - centered...breathing regularly now...cops have left...

Thanks everyone...!!

[Ludi]

Personally, I would prefer to have a redundant system of a waterback for the woodstove (we don't have a waterback) and a solar water heating system.

We'll be installing a solar water heater when we finish our south porch.

[Heineken]

I have actually considered disconnecting my hot water heater altogether. Cold showers during our long, long summer and just use a washcloth in the winter. More elbow grease when washing dishes (I don't have an electric dishwasher).

And in winter I always keep a pot of hot water on the woodstove (a low-tech version of Dune's advice), so I'd have some hot water then. But in summertime, forget it---can't fire up that woodstove, ever!

I would have done this by now, but my companion won't hear of it (and the deal is he buys most of the food and I pay the electric bill---a darned good deal for me, so far at least).

Wonder why we call it a hot water heater? Could it be a cold water heater?? (English is so strange.)

[cualcrees]

Here's a pic of my solar water heater; we had it installed a couple of years ago, and it has been working beautifully!

It costs about $700 usd. here in Mexico, and it holds about 130 lts.

[PeakOiler]

Check this thread:
Water Heating Thread

[strider3700]

My dream system is an on demand propane unit that is fed from a preheat tank that is heated via solar and/or woodstove depending on the season. With any luck the propane would almost never be used.

I looked into electric on demand and they require a 200 amp service in the building and I believe it was 80 amps on their own. Thats a big piece of copper to supply it

[dunewalker]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Auntie_Cipation', '
')Any suggestions on where people can get the coil needed for this? Seems to me that's something best stocked up on now rather than scavenged out of parts post-collapse.

[aflatoxin]

I have a tankless water heater. It's on an outside wall near where the old tank heater was.

Pluses: Uses a lot less energy per gallon of hot water. Never runs out of hot water. Extra closet where it used to be.

Minuses: Teenage son doesn't run out of hot water and takes 30+ minute long showers if allowed to do so. ~20 second delay between turning tap and getting hot water due to burner initiation cycle. Does not get truly hot, 105 f in winter, 110 in summer, so clothes washer does not work as well as it used to. Needs electricity to work.

As for a wood-fired water heater, look for a coil from a Landa or Hotsy steam pressure washer. They are cheap, designed to do just this, made from the right steel, etc. Make sure you use a tpr valve and a surge tank.

[Auntie_Cipation]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dunewalker', 'Y')ou make it by ... <snip> ...

and

Blazing Showers