Water Heaters

[jitagon]

I had to install three separate water heaters in my house, owing the the builder one but last not having the forethought to install copper piping for a central water heater. After just a year all three of them have died. I have been told by one of the numerous plumbers/electricians it's because the water pressure isn't strong enough. I have a two-way water pump which takes the water from the well up to a tank, which then releases it into the house.

Is it the pressure, or is it that the heaters are rubbish? Yesterday I went to a couple of shops to source new heaters and was told that Panasonic was the best but that the unit itself was only guaranteed for one year, while the heater was guaranteed for five(!?). Bearing in mind that most water heaters here (indeed, almost anything here) has at most, a guarantee of one year if you're lucky, is it the quality of the product?

[Tywais]

If you are referring to the wall mounted on-demand heaters, I have a Sharp I put in over 10 years ago with no signs of giving up the ghost. This one is on the 2nd floor and the water pressure is ok but not really that high.

[thaihome]

Central hot water systems are not common in Asia, due mostly to expense of having to run separate lines to each outlet and the cost of running a big central unit. The instant hot water heaters at each location is a much more efficient construction solution and are also cheaper to run then a big central heater. Why all three of yours died within a year is a mystery since as another poster noted these tend to last many years without any problems.

As you say, it might be that when you had them originally installed, extremely low quality units, probably built in China, were installed. I suspect that the reason they died was not the heating coil, but the flow and/or thermostat switches were of such low quality they gave up after a relatively low number of cycles.

Your only choice at this point is to buy some high quality units and try again.

TH

[kamalabob2]

When I lived in a small two bedroom one bath rental home we had a Panasonic wall mount water heater installed by a Buriram Appliance store. We initially had no water pump or water tank for that rental house. The Panasonic Wall mounted water heater worked fine on "days the municipal water was in the pipes". On days with ZERO municipal water it was the bucket of cold water from a large plastic barrel. After a few months we had two Mitsubishi water pumps and a DOS 1000 liter Polyethylene water tank installed. We now had a steady water supply in the home, BUT the water pumps came on and used too much electricity. That was solved by a RADAR model NO.202S "Liquid Level Control Switch" which is very inexpensive, about 200 baht. This "liquid Level Control Switch" (I have seen other slightly more expensive brands at Home Works) consumes 60% to 80% less electrical power than normal control switcher (or mechanical ball floats in the tank) according to the Orange box. The Radar Switch is mounted on top of the water tank with two simple gauges inside the tank and electrical lead wires to the water pump.

When it came time to have permanent electricity and permanent water supply in our new larger home (I have posted photos previously on Thai Visa under a "Water Tank" heading) our builder had a local "pump, tank, tool" shop look at our situation and water pipe plan. I suspect most every area has these type of shops since they do a great business selling water supply systems for villages and small property developments. If you were building a new home, perhaps you can ask at the Municipal (or provincial) water supply office on the option to purchase a "fat water pipe and larger water meter". We were given that option and I do not regret that expense. The Buriram local shop sold me two Diamond Brand Sandstone 2000 liter Polyethylene water tanks, a new Hitachi Inverter water pump and they did the installation which incorporated some Mazuma water filtering tanks. Maybe your community has clean municipal water, we do not.

I priced around for the lowest cost on Siemens multi point and Stiebel Eltron Multi point hot water heaters. We bought several Stiebel Eltron DHA 4/8 multiple point water heaters from Surin Home Mart since they had the lowest cost. Absolutely NOTHING wrong with the previous Panasonic wall mounted water heater, but in our new home our builder did install Syler brand PE Lined pipes to go from under various bathroom and kitchen counters where the Stiebel Eltron water heater would be installed TO the various shower or bathroom faucets we wanted hot water. The Buriram Pump shop owner who speaks English cautioned me on the possibility that the water pressure on the 2nd floor MIGHT not be strong enough to turn on the water heaters. He was correct. Downstairs we had wonderful water pressure and the hot water heaters would come on quickly. Not the case upstairs. The other "problem" was that a pump AFTER the two water storage tanks constantly kicked on when a tap inside the house was turned on.

His staff had left space and thought out the pipe design in advance so when they came back with a 500 liter "Grey pressure tank" it was an easy installation. Once the "Grey pressure tank" was installed we had fantastic water pressure on the 2nd floor and the electric water pump did NOT kick on except when to occasionally pump more water INTO the Grey water pressure tank.

Without the pressure tank the electric water heater would not work on the 2nd floor. If you research electric water heaters you will see that many brands are manufactured in Thailand, even though the name on the product is a European or Japanese legitimate Brand. From my experience a Panasonic Wall Mounted unit would be a wise choice if you moved into a place without separate hot water pipes.

Home Pro and Home Works would love to sell you a Fagor central water heater with a storage tank, but I did not think they are cost effective for my particular home.

We do have a "Solar" water heating system for the showers in our pool house. If the sun shines on the two water tanks in the "Pump room" the water will be warm for the shower. If it is cloudy and the tanks do not receive much sun, the water is cold. Simple and no cost. Same as the solar heated pool. If it is a hot and sunny day we have a warm pool into the evening hours. On overcast days the swims are brisk.

Many people here have stainless steel water tanks mounted high on a home or tower. They must get warm "solar heated" water on any sunny day.

[Rimmer]

Multipoint and singlepoint water heaters will burn out if there is not sufficient pressure going to them, doesn't matter where they are manufactured, it's the nature of the beast in that it requires pressure to operate it.

[jitagon]

Multipoint and singlepoint water heaters will burn out if there is not sufficient pressure going to them, doesn't matter where they are manufactured, it's the nature of the beast in that it requires pressure to operate it.

Thanks. My new plumber seems to agree and has installed another pump. The water heaters were Fagor, not some cheap Chinese knockoff. So we'll see how the new pump works, once the rain stops and they can get on with installing it

[oldgit]

I had to install three separate water heaters in my house, owing the the builder one but last not having the forethought to install copper piping for a central water heater. After just a year all three of them have died. I have been told by one of the numerous plumbers/electricians it's because the water pressure isn't strong enough. I have a two-way water pump which takes the water from the well up to a tank, which then releases it into the house.

Is it the pressure, or is it that the heaters are rubbish? Yesterday I went to a couple of shops to source new heaters and was told that Panasonic was the best but that the unit itself was only guaranteed for one year, while the heater was guaranteed for five(!?). Bearing in mind that most water heaters here (indeed, almost anything here) has at most, a guarantee of one year if you're lucky, is it the quality of the product?

I hope you remembered to clean the gauze filter on the water inlet side of the water heater.This will drastically reduce the pressure if not cleaned periodically.