Gas Water Heaters

[TBWG]

Hi

If so are you happy with it and where did you buy it?

TBWG

[chownah]

I"ve got a National. It's great. I bought it at a smallish Thai style appliance store in Chiangrai.

Gas water heaters have been discussed before and if I remember correctly a couple of people had Ecolux water heaters and they liked theirs too. The Ecolux are cheaper than the National but people seem to like them....maybe some of them will come on and say if they still like them after having them for awhile.

Chownah

[lopburi3]

Have had three or four of the instantaneous type over the years, before electric was an option. For the north country perhaps you can use the potential but here in Bangkok had to block 3 of the 4 jets to keep it below a boil and the metal case was rather quick to rust. They were all National units. They did work ok otherwise. But it is very important to vent well.

[mosquitoman]

But it is very important to vent well.

Spot On

These instantaneous gas heaters can be complete death traps, the safest by far are the balanced flue type, whereby they draw air from outside the building and exhaust outside the building.

Any other type should only be used in a very well ventilated room, otherwise there is a very serious risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

MM

[chownah]

Any bathroom in Thailand should have lots of ventilation or else slime will start to grow everywhere I think.

Chownah

[lopburi3]

Well when they were the normal home use heater here there were reports of deaths every year from those who chose to close a bathroom window for a warm shower during the cool season. The older homes had fixed open type windows but many of the apartments did not. Although four of my bathrooms have outside walls and window/fan vent there is one with only inside walls and only use a ceiling vent fan when in use and never have a mildew or mold problem.

[TBWG]

But it is very important to vent well.

Spot On

These instantaneous gas heaters can be complete death traps, the safest by far are the balanced flue type, whereby they draw air from outside the building and exhaust outside the building.

Any other type should only be used in a very well ventilated room, otherwise there is a very serious risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

MM

Hi

Thanks to all who have replied, but I am confused (easily done) .

The gas heaters I refer to run off the gas bottles all Thais use for cooking, why should water heaters be any more dangerous than using a cooker?

Thanks

TBWG

PS I had intended to use this for hot water for indoor kitchen sink.

Edited November 19, 2006 by TBWG

[taxexile]

The gas heaters I refer to run off the gas bottles all Thais use for cooking, why should water heaters be any more dangerous than using a cooker?

i wondered that too.

probably because bathrooms in newer buildings are usually small enclosed spaces , with minimal ventilation , or not enough ventilation to clear fume build up from gas heaters.

kitchen areas in thailand are often outdoors or close to a open door or window , hence good ventilation.

as someone who once ended up half conscious in hospital after carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty central heating system in the uk , i would be very careful with gas heaters in bathrooms. vents often get choked with dust and regular maintenance is unheard of.

[chownah]

Indeed adequate ventilation is a must when running any gas appliance...cooker or water heater or whatever.

Chownah

[astral]

In Thailand there is no reason why the heater has to be inside.

In Lebanon I had a unit, mounted outside the bathroom, sorry I do not remember the make.

It was adjustable for different seasons.

The only problem was that there was no warning when the gas would run out, just a change to cold water.