Tankless water heater maintaince

oil pan 4 · 11-09-16, 11:14 AM

So I got my tankless water heater today.
And figured I will break from tradition and read the manual before I install it.
It looks like in the manual they highly recommend adding provisions to hook up an external pump so that vinegar or citric acid solution can be circulated through the heat exchanger to remove scale build up.
The manual makes this maintaince sound pretty important.

This isn't a problem for me I have extra brand new 3/4 inch valves I bought from the scrap yard for maybe $1 each and I have a pump that can circulate the recommend volume (2 to 4 gpm).

The tankless heaters are not as maintaince free as I thought.

If you want low to no maintenance get an electric tank heater and put a magnesium anode in it.

pinballlooking · 11-09-16, 12:47 PM

Annual maintenance depending on how hard your water is.
http://www.noritz.com/blog/biggest-m...-water-heater/

I was lucky and got a free isolation valve set. Here is a good price on a set with free shipping
https://www.build.com/takagi-9007605...g!188197043119!

stevehull · 11-09-16, 02:00 PM

On either side of the heat exchanger, I put on a set of "t" fittings that stub out to gate valves. In the 29 years I have used this, I have not had to run acid through it. And I have moderately hard water. The exchanger is a cupronickel type that expands and contracts with each use. This largely eliminates development of hard water scale.

But if I had not put on those fittings/values, then it would have plugged up with scale quickly . . . ! Ha - the perversity of life . . ..

The pump can simply be an inexpensive "Little Giant" type, and then a couple lengths of old garden hose and a plastic bucket for the vinegar.

No biggie.

I really like the tankless system.

Steve

oil pan 4 · 11-09-16, 04:06 PM

I was just going to cobble together my own valve isolation. I have about a dozen 3/4 and 1/2 inch valves in my plumbing collection.

pinballlooking · 11-09-16, 04:10 PM

They both work the same way. If I did not get mine for free I might have made my own isolation valves. I was just pointing out what I used.

oil pan 4 · 11-09-16, 06:39 PM

I am also considering a hot water circulating pump if the flow will kick on the burner.

pinballlooking · 11-09-16, 09:53 PM

I don’t know what unit you ended up with. Most units will turn on at different flow rates.
Mine kicks on at a fairly low flow rate. I use a circulating pump that gets turned on with the light switch in the bathrooms and the kitchen sink. I run it different amounts of time depending how far away from the unit.
What unit did you buy?

oil pan 4 · 11-09-16, 11:23 PM

Oops I never did give make and model number.
It's a "Marey" model GA16NGETL
This is a smaller unit, at 4.3gpm water heating capacity this one is not really intended to be a whole home unit.
It can use the existing gas system and with 3 inch intake and exhaust requirement it will work fine with the existing 3 inch exhaust and 4 inch abandoned wall heater exhaust vent in my house.

Whole home units ate typically 7.5gpm. And they need large 5 inch intake and exhaust ducts. Existing exhaust vents are likely 3 or 4 inch Then the existing 1/2 inch 0.4psi gas line systems in most homes may not be able to provide enough gas.

pinballlooking · 11-10-16, 08:57 AM

Your unit.
Activation Flow Rate: 0.66 GPM
Applicable Water Pressure: 1.45 PSI - 138 PSI (0.1 - 9.5 bar)
With these specs it should kick on with a circulating pump

oil pan 4 · 11-10-16, 09:14 AM

Thanks, I was looking for that in the manual but wasn't finding it.

11-09-16, 11:14 AM	#1
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	Tankless water heater maintaince So I got my tankless water heater today. And figured I will break from tradition and read the manual before I install it. It looks like in the manual they highly recommend adding provisions to hook up an external pump so that vinegar or citric acid solution can be circulated through the heat exchanger to remove scale build up. The manual makes this maintaince sound pretty important. This isn't a problem for me I have extra brand new 3/4 inch valves I bought from the scrap yard for maybe $1 each and I have a pump that can circulate the recommend volume (2 to 4 gpm). The tankless heaters are not as maintaince free as I thought. If you want low to no maintenance get an electric tank heater and put a magnesium anode in it.

11-09-16, 12:47 PM	#2
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	Annual maintenance depending on how hard your water is. http://www.noritz.com/blog/biggest-m...-water-heater/ I was lucky and got a free isolation valve set. Here is a good price on a set with free shipping https://www.build.com/takagi-9007605...g!188197043119! __________________ Current project Aquaponics system , Passive Solar Greenhouse build To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Solar Install 12.5 Kwh- To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Mini Split installs - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. EV Chevy Volt - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-09-16, 02:00 PM	#3
stevehull Steve Hull Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: hilly, tree covered Arcadia, OK USA Posts: 826 Thanks: 241 Thanked 165 Times in 123 Posts	On either side of the heat exchanger, I put on a set of "t" fittings that stub out to gate valves. In the 29 years I have used this, I have not had to run acid through it. And I have moderately hard water. The exchanger is a cupronickel type that expands and contracts with each use. This largely eliminates development of hard water scale. But if I had not put on those fittings/values, then it would have plugged up with scale quickly . . . ! Ha - the perversity of life . . .. The pump can simply be an inexpensive "Little Giant" type, and then a couple lengths of old garden hose and a plastic bucket for the vinegar. No biggie. I really like the tankless system. Steve __________________ consulting on geothermal heating/cooling & rational energy use since 1990

11-09-16, 04:10 PM	#5
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	They both work the same way. If I did not get mine for free I might have made my own isolation valves. I was just pointing out what I used. __________________ Current project Aquaponics system , Passive Solar Greenhouse build To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Solar Install 12.5 Kwh- To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Mini Split installs - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. EV Chevy Volt - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-09-16, 09:53 PM	#7
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	I don’t know what unit you ended up with. Most units will turn on at different flow rates. Mine kicks on at a fairly low flow rate. I use a circulating pump that gets turned on with the light switch in the bathrooms and the kitchen sink. I run it different amounts of time depending how far away from the unit. What unit did you buy? __________________ Current project Aquaponics system , Passive Solar Greenhouse build To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Solar Install 12.5 Kwh- To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Mini Split installs - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. EV Chevy Volt - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-09-16, 04:06 PM	#4
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	I was just going to cobble together my own valve isolation. I have about a dozen 3/4 and 1/2 inch valves in my plumbing collection.

11-09-16, 06:39 PM	#6
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	I am also considering a hot water circulating pump if the flow will kick on the burner.

11-09-16, 11:23 PM	#8
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	Oops I never did give make and model number. It's a "Marey" model GA16NGETL This is a smaller unit, at 4.3gpm water heating capacity this one is not really intended to be a whole home unit. It can use the existing gas system and with 3 inch intake and exhaust requirement it will work fine with the existing 3 inch exhaust and 4 inch abandoned wall heater exhaust vent in my house. Whole home units ate typically 7.5gpm. And they need large 5 inch intake and exhaust ducts. Existing exhaust vents are likely 3 or 4 inch Then the existing 1/2 inch 0.4psi gas line systems in most homes may not be able to provide enough gas.

11-10-16, 08:57 AM	#9
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,923 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	Your unit. Activation Flow Rate: 0.66 GPM Applicable Water Pressure: 1.45 PSI - 138 PSI (0.1 - 9.5 bar) With these specs it should kick on with a circulating pump __________________ Current project Aquaponics system , Passive Solar Greenhouse build To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Solar Install 12.5 Kwh- To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Mini Split installs - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. EV Chevy Volt - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-10-16, 09:14 AM	#10
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	Thanks, I was looking for that in the manual but wasn't finding it.