Tankless Shower Water Heaters

[danfred]

Hi.

I toyed with the idea of gas heater but the ventilation problems put me off, settled for a Zanker (German) 6KW heater which provides almost instantaneous very hot water but need a reasonable amount of water pressure to activate it and a good electricity supply.

But beware will not work with some types of mixer taps.

Cost about baht 6000 from Homemart. I use it for hot water in the kitchen sink.

TBWG

Hi Bob trust pigs head was cooked to your likeing. sorry in joke

I just purchased these same Zanker units (model MDT6, available at both Global House and Home Shop) for the new house. There's also an AEG branded unit that looks identical apart from the logo that costs about 1000 bath more. I think it's a bit safer to have this fixed wattage type unit installed out of reach rather than the type that has a temperature control nob installed near (or sometimes in!) the shower. Allthough we are installing one with a temperature control nob in the mother-in-law's bathroom as we have concern that she might get confused and get scalded (she's never had hot water before). Most of the units installed near the shower appear to have built-in ELBs (earth leakage breakers)... but the Zanker units don't appear to have any built-in ELB. I assume this is because no one would ever need to touch it while it's pulling current.

I think I read somewhere (perhaps on this forum) that any electric water heater (instant type) should have it's own separate copper wire to ground (and not simply grounded via the circuit to the breaker box)... can anyone confirm this?

Dan

[Big Guy]

Have got 2 cheap electric water heaters in my bathrooms in phuket. and cannot fault them, they are used daily and have been in use for 3+ years and are only about 2000baht each on special. Just make sure they are earthed when put in.

[Gimbo]

Hi.

I toyed with the idea of gas heater but the ventilation problems put me off, settled for a Zanker (German) 6KW heater which provides almost instantaneous very hot water but need a reasonable amount of water pressure to activate it and a good electricity supply.

But beware will not work with some types of mixer taps.

Cost about baht 6000 from Homemart. I use it for hot water in the kitchen sink.

TBWG

Hi Bob trust pigs head was cooked to your likeing. sorry in joke

I just purchased these same Zanker units (model MDT6, available at both Global House and Home Shop) for the new house. There's also an AEG branded unit that looks identical apart from the logo that costs about 1000 bath more. I think it's a bit safer to have this fixed wattage type unit installed out of reach rather than the type that has a temperature control nob installed near (or sometimes in!) the shower. Allthough we are installing one with a temperature control nob in the mother-in-law's bathroom as we have concern that she might get confused and get scalded (she's never had hot water before). Most of the units installed near the shower appear to have built-in ELBs (earth leakage breakers)... but the Zanker units don't appear to have any built-in ELB. I assume this is because no one would ever need to touch it while it's pulling current.

I think I read somewhere (perhaps on this forum) that any electric water heater (instant type) should have it's own separate copper wire to ground (and not simply grounded via the circuit to the breaker box)... can anyone confirm this?

Dan

That is a a good idea if you want to make absolutely sure.

In fact I am about to go to town to buy a washing machine that I will put in our new "hong nam" in our village house. And I am going to put in an independent grounding for it. Easy to make, just dig a whole, about a meter deep, ram a meter or so of copper pipe into the bottom of the whole. (just slede hammer it down. This you attach to a fairly thick copper wire and attch that to chasis of what you are grounding. I am attaching it to the female part of the connector for the washing machine.

Leave about 20, 30 cm of the rod sticking up of the bottom of the whole. Cover with a layer of sand, and then a layer of mixed salt and charcoal. Then fill in the hole.

What I am doing is possibly an overkill, but I feel better safe than sorry

Well the trick was really to convince the wife that grounding was necessary at all...lol

[elkangorito]

........In fact I am about to go to town to buy a washing machine that I will put in our new "hong nam" in our village house. And I am going to put in an independent grounding for it. Easy to make, just dig a whole, about a meter deep, ram a meter or so of copper pipe into the bottom of the whole. (just slede hammer it down. This you attach to a fairly thick copper wire and attch that to chasis of what you are grounding. I am attaching it to the female part of the connector for the washing machine.

Leave about 20, 30 cm of the rod sticking up of the bottom of the whole. Cover with a layer of sand, and then a layer of mixed salt and charcoal. Then fill in the hole.......

You may like to check these websites before you do any 'grounding' work.

http://www.crossy.co.uk/wiring/protection.html

http://www.crossy.co.uk/wiring/

[Gimbo]

Thanks for the tip elkangarito. What I am doing now is just a stop gap so we can use the washing machine until we find someone professional to rewire the whole house. I failed to mention that...

This is what we did for temporary field instalations (radio communications rooms) when I worked in Africa. And its certainly better than nothing at all, which I bet is the case for many houses in Thailand....

[Dave the Dude]

Hi.

I toyed with the idea of gas heater but the ventilation problems put me off, settled for a Zanker (German) 6KW heater which provides almost instantaneous very hot water but need a reasonable amount of water pressure to activate it and a good electricity supply.

But beware will not work with some types of mixer taps.

Cost about baht 6000 from Homemart. I use it for hot water in the kitchen sink.

TBWG

Hi Bob trust pigs head was cooked to your likeing. sorry in joke

I just purchased these same Zanker units (model MDT6, available at both Global House and Home Shop) for the new house. There's also an AEG branded unit that looks identical apart from the logo that costs about 1000 bath more. I think it's a bit safer to have this fixed wattage type unit installed out of reach rather than the type that has a temperature control nob installed near (or sometimes in!) the shower. Allthough we are installing one with a temperature control nob in the mother-in-law's bathroom as we have concern that she might get confused and get scalded (she's never had hot water before). Most of the units installed near the shower appear to have built-in ELBs (earth leakage breakers)... but the Zanker units don't appear to have any built-in ELB. I assume this is because no one would ever need to touch it while it's pulling current.

I think I read somewhere (perhaps on this forum) that any electric water heater (instant type) should have it's own separate copper wire to ground (and not simply grounded via the circuit to the breaker box)... can anyone confirm this?

Dan

That is a a good idea if you want to make absolutely sure.

In fact I am about to go to town to buy a washing machine that I will put in our new "hong nam" in our village house. And I am going to put in an independent grounding for it. Easy to make, just dig a whole, about a meter deep, ram a meter or so of copper pipe into the bottom of the whole. (just slede hammer it down. This you attach to a fairly thick copper wire and attch that to chasis of what you are grounding. I am attaching it to the female part of the connector for the washing machine.

Leave about 20, 30 cm of the rod sticking up of the bottom of the whole. Cover with a layer of sand, and then a layer of mixed salt and charcoal. Then fill in the hole.

What I am doing is possibly an overkill, but I feel better safe than sorry

Well the trick was really to convince the wife that grounding was necessary at all...lol

Hi

I would'nt say this was overkill. I had 2 electric showers installed by the shop they were purchased from and each shower was 'earthed' in a similar way as you describe. We all know 'Health & Safety' rules dont exist in the Thai construction industry.

Regards

David (retired plumber/gas fitter BTW)

[astral]

Why not use lpg gas water heater. then no problems will electric shock.

I think the OP is talking about water heaters that incorporate a pump to ensure the pressure?

IME they are designed for hot water and heating. There is not much call for the latter in LOS.

However if you have a water tank with an immersion heater,

a change to a hot water on demand system relying on the usual Thailand household pump,

can save a lot of money in electricity bills .

The electric heaters available in LOS cost around 6000 baht max, even for a multi-point unit.

I have one supplying two adjacent bathrooms.

I have not seen gas heaters (geysers) in LOS.

I do have one for my apartment in Lebanon