Electric Tankless Water Heater

Electric Tankless Water Heater Systems are usually smaller compared to gas fired ones, and are usually installed at the point of use as augmentation to conventional boilers or as the only source of hot water.

The image below describes a typical electric tankless water heater system. As can be seen, water is heated as they flow thru piping sounded by electric heating element. There are no special ventilation requirements.

Electrical requirements change according to the heater’s size. Electrical wiring and circuit breaker should fit the heater’s Amperage requirements, and may require replacement. You should consult a qualified licensed electrician.

There are several reasons for preferring an electric tankless hot water heater system over gas fired one:

• System size – electric tankless hot water heaters are smaller than gas fired ones.
• Ventilation – tankless electric water heater require no ventilation and can be installed indoors, inside a cabinet etc.
• Gas piping – not all homes are equipped with gas, however all homes are connected to the power grid. Electric tankless water heater is suited for both.
• Operating Costs – depending where you live, tankless electric water heaters may be cheaper to operate due to gas vs. electricity pricing differences.
• Environmentalism – while burning gas produces green-house gases, electricity may come from a clean source, making tankless electric hot water heater the preferred choice.

There are four types of tankless water heater electric systems you may come across, and it’s worth getting to know the right terminology.

Single Point:

The most basic type and often the cheapest one, the term “single point” or “single point application” refers to a small tankless electric water heater which is connected to one fixture only. Usually these heaters have only on/off capability.

Thermostatic:

Thermostatic tankless electric water heaters factor in the incoming water temperature and heat only as needed in order to reach the desired outgoing water temperature.


Most thermostatic units are capable of:

• Maintaining +/-0.5°F accuracy.
• Achieving full, pre-selected outlet temperature within 10 seconds after activation.
• Maintaining consistent temperature.

Flow Controlled:

The “Flow Controlled” range of electric water heaters are ideally suited to serve two points like two sinks, or a sink and a shower in close proximity, and are recommended only for cold water feeds.

The “Flow Controlled” feature basically means that once the heater reached its full heating capability, any increase in demand (e.g. another faucet is opened) will trigger the heater to restrict its flow rate so the output temperature does not drop below the desired setting.

This means that instead of providing colder water the system provides less hot water but maintains that water’s temperature.

Type Two:

“Type Two” (nowadays, Type Three is being introduced) simply refers to the bigger, newer more sophisticated units.

They are most likely thermostatically controlled, and often have also a flow control restricting feature as well.

Benefits of Electric Tankless Water Heater

1. Tankless electric water heater use either gas or electricity as heating elements. Gas is more efficient, as it heats at a faster rate, but it is more complicated to install since it needs a gas line and ventilation. A gas-heated device, however, is the obvious choice for a family that uses a fair amount of heat on a daily basis. Electric on-demand types, though much easier to install, are less capable of handling high volume. However, they are more than adequate for a home or apartment of one or two people.

2. These equipments are very useful when it comes to conserving energy. Tankless unit’s efficiency rating is almost 99%.

 3. These tanks heat water as it passes through the system of the appliance. So these appliances continue to provide hot water as long as these tankless heaters get water supply.

 4. Most of these tankless units are designed to run on gas. As a result of this, these are very environment friendly.

 5. The life expectancy is another great benefit of tankless electric water heaters. They are known for lasting longer than the more conventional type of water heater. These heaters can last for up to 20 years. In addition to these wonderful benefits, their ability to be easily repaired is also a major benefit. This makes it easier to replace heating elements when the time comes.

 6. Since tankless water heating is energy efficient, you are not just getting huge savings but you are also helping the environment. Aside from carbon dioxide emission reduction, it decreases overall dependence on non-renewable resources like the natural gas and greatly reduces the number of unrecyclable storage tanks thrown in landfills.

 7. Electric water heaters supply hot water whenever you need it. They are cost effective and efficient. These heaters work as a tankless system. This means there is no need to unnecessarily heat a whole tank of water, since a tank is not required.

For getting more idea, you must read this electric tankless water heater reviews.