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Small Cabin Forum / General Forum / My review of the Rheem RT 13 Electric Tankless water heater
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Bzzzzzt
Member
# Posted: 9 Dec 2015 23:05
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I purchased this water heater and got it installed a week ago:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UHUSGQ?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpag e_o04_s00

If you're off grid with no electricity then this is not the water heater for you.

We had been living with a 6 gallon water heater that I had gotten for free. With that heater one person could take a shower as long as you turned off the water midway through the shower while you soap up and then a second person would have to wait half an hour or so while the 6 gallons heated up again.

I was initially worried because of the small size of this heater. It is fed with one double pole 60A breaker. I decided to install it downstream of my old water heater just in case the thing didn't work.

This heater is designed to heat water for one device at a time and has a 1/2" inlet and outlet. You'll have to supply 1/2" copper pipe for both sides. I have my cabin plumbed with CPVC pipe and so I got some short pieces of copper and a couple "shark bite" fittings so I wouldn't have to sweat the copper.

The electrical was pretty straight forward. It calls for 60A which should be #6 copper but it has a piece of #8/2 with ground romex stubbed out. I went ahead and used #8 to feed mine.

After getting it all installed it seems to work well. I set the heat dial to medium and haven't adjusted it. Not having to turn off the water is really great. One thing I have noticed is that you have to have the water flowing quite a bit for it to turn on the heat. I like to turn the hot water on just a little when I'm brushing my teeth so the water isn't so cold but that's hard to do because of the water flow needed. We have a well so the amount of water used isn't really an issue but I thought it was worth mentioning. My wife and I can shower consecutively with no problem. Plenty of hot water to go around. I would like to mention again that it is meant for one device at a time. I don't think it would work if you were trying to feed two showers simultaneously or other stuff but I think for one bathroom it works well.

I haven't really found anything I didn't like about it. If you read the Amazon reviews, several people were dissatisfied but I think they may have gotten defective units. I plan to leave my old water heater installed (unplugged) for a couple months until this thing is really proven.

If this device holds up, I may get 2 or 3 of them when we build our larger house here on our property in lieu of having a large one that heats the water over and over.

Steve_S
Member
# Posted: 10 Dec 2015 06:34
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240 volts, 13000 watts. Definitely NOT for Off-grid use.

Bzzzzzt
Member
# Posted: 10 Dec 2015 10:40
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Quoting: Steve_S
Definitely NOT for Off-grid use.


I think I said that.

Quoting: Bzzzzzt
If you're off grid with no electricity then this is not the water heater for you.


Hey look! I did.

Eddy G
Member
# Posted: 10 Dec 2015 18:37
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Thanks, I'm new to the cabin world and this forum. This kind of information is much appreciated.

Bzzzzzt
Member
# Posted: 10 Dec 2015 21:11
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Quoting: Eddy G
This kind of information is much appreciated.


You're welcome. I plan to update this again in a few months to reevaluate the device after it's been used through the winter.

johnnparry55
Member
# Posted: 4 Dec 2020 05:37 - Edited by: johnnparry55
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Quoting: Eddy G
Thanks, I'm new to the cabin world and this forum. This kind of information is much appreciated.


I agree. I got a lot of answers here.

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