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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Propane Help
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NateDiggityDogg
Member
# Posted: 2 Mar 2017 21:15
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Several years ago we purchased a Rinnai tankless water heater for our cabin. We are just getting around to attempting to connect propane to it. We would like to hook a 250 gallon tank to it however the condition of our road would not allow a gas truck to get in for several months (if this year). We've looked into using a 100lb tank but the propane guy says it won't work. "The smaller bottles uses 3/8 hose and the water heater has a 3/4 feed line. You won't be able to keep it fed." What y'all use?

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 2 Mar 2017 21:35
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Check the user manual, the specs. Look for the input BTU's rating. There is a good chance the water heater requires more BTU's input than can be taken out of a 100# cylinder.

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 2 Mar 2017 21:40
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Temperature of the propane affects delivery. Some info here.

NateDiggityDogg
Member
# Posted: 2 Mar 2017 21:42
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The heater is 120k BTUs

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 2 Mar 2017 22:42
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Look at the 2nd table in my link.... at 20 F a single 100# cylinder does not have the ability to deliver the needed BTU once it falls to less than 70% full.

bldginsp
Member
# Posted: 3 Mar 2017 20:52
Reply 


On demand water heaters regulate the input according to need, so yours would probably not be anywhere near 125,000 btus in normal use. A single shower takes maybe 30-50,000 btus max to keep going.

But why not get the 250 gallon tank, or larger, and fill it in the early fall? Should be enough to last the winter.

Wendigolake
Member
# Posted: 3 Mar 2017 22:19
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You might want to install a few 100lb tanks and hook them together with a proper manifold system if you don't want to go the 250 lb route.

darz5150
Member
# Posted: 3 Mar 2017 23:04
Reply 


Have you considered getting a different water heater that can be hooked up to propane tanks from 20# on up? Ecotemp ,Marey, Coleman are a few brands. Some of them are powered by a battery and a BBQ size propane tank.

NateDiggityDogg
Member
# Posted: 4 Mar 2017 09:10
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We would go to a bigger propane tank but we can't get the propane trucks down our road.
Please tell me about hot water heaters that we can run off of smaller bottles.
We have a 6500 watt Honda generator and a tanked water heater at the moment but we don't run the generator all of the time and it's a load on it 1500 watts.

darz5150
Member
# Posted: 4 Mar 2017 09:50
Reply 


http://www.small-cabin.com/forum/1_7385_0.html
Look on amazon for lp water heaters.
You can search this site also. Lots of posts about them.

NateDiggityDogg
Member
# Posted: 4 Mar 2017 10:06
Reply 


Anything you'd suggest?

darz5150
Member
# Posted: 4 Mar 2017 10:36
Reply 


Ecotemps seem to be good. L5 and L10. They have a combo on amazon with the water heater and pump.

NateDiggityDogg
Member
# Posted: 7 Mar 2017 21:58
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The user reviews don't look great for the Eccotemp. Other suggestions?

bldginsp
Member
# Posted: 7 Mar 2017 22:02
Reply 


I had an eccotemp L10, but it didn't work because my system has low pressure. The L10 requires at least 20 lbs pressure. So I sold it and got a Marey, their smallest model, the portable. Works fine

Steve_S
Member
# Posted: 7 Mar 2017 22:14
Reply 


You may want to have a look at Takagi as they are quite a nice product but that's reflected in the cost. I have a TH3-M Propane for my radiant flooring.

http://www.takagi.com/products/tankless-water-heaters

https://www.amazon.com/s?h=n%3A3754791%2Cp_4%3ATakagi

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