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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Rinnai direct vent furnace electrical usage
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Dfdax
Member
# Posted: 9 Oct 2025 11:18am
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Wondering what the general electrical usage is of the Rinnai direct vent furnaces. I currently use an empire direct vent furnace that has no electrical requirement as backup heat, but need to install a second unit because of the size of the space and am considering a Rinnai.
Anyone using a Rinnai that can offer a general idea of what kind of draw they require when running?
Thanks, Daniel

offgrididaho
Member
# Posted: 10 Oct 2025 12:11pm
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I've never hooked a Kill-a-Watt to it and have already winterized the cabin () so can't give you true real world numbers.

But according to my manual my indoor model (RUCS65i or RUCS75i, not sure which) draws 89w while running and 1.3w on standby. The outdoor models of similar size draw slightly less when running, only 61w (maybe a weaker exhaust fan because they're outdoors?). Both units have "anti frost protection" listed in their specs running around 140w or 167w, no idea what that is I don't have it (or if I have it I didn't enable it).

I probably draw a little more than that because I was nervous about sensitive electronics so I have it plugged into a very small UPS which has a little draw (of some amount) as well.

For me was more than worth it to move on from the ancient one (zero power draw, pilot light) the cabin came with. But I also upgraded the electrical at the same time so no idea how this one would have worked with the woefully undersized power system the cabin came with.

-- Bass

Dfdax
Member
# Posted: 10 Oct 2025 01:29pm
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Thank you for the reply. I think the unit you’re talking about is a water heater, right? I’m looking at the direct-vent furnace. Daniel

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 11 Oct 2025 08:02am
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There should be a spec on the back stating A or W. How many times it cycles is to environment dependant for anyone to say.

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