2021 model water heaters

[turonueve]

The water heater works fine on our 2021 Classic. I especially like the booster setting in the Alde interface on the wall that heats it up really fast.

Arthur

[Cold Canner]

Originally Posted by 2012FB

I am a bit confused. Regardless of the hot water source it still takes the same volume of water displacement in the lines. Is this an issue if we don’t boondocks? What about the Gerard makes it worse than my old RV500 units I installed in the last two Airstreams? I personally would not be without a tankless heater. For those that upgraded to the Truma what aspect(s) are better? I had no idea I would need to potentially upgrade yet another hot water heater in a brand new Airstream. Grrrr

I think so too - one annoying thing about the girard is the amount of time it takes, and the water pressure required for it to begin heating water. Because of this we clear the cold water in the pipe and then a not insignificant amount more as we wait for it to reach temp. Truma I’m told is an upgrade; it requires less water pressure [flow] to start up, heats quicker and stops burning as soon as the water stops. But as another post states the ‘bees knees’ product is only available to manufacturers not after market. For the cost of the work to switch the girard in ours to a truma the rep I spoke with a truma agreed the cost/benefit isn’t really working for us.

[Cold Canner]

Originally Posted by Dennis C

Sorry to hear about this. It seems to me that the switch to a tankless water heater plus an electric-only compressor fridge are changes that make boondocking more difficult when compared to older trailers. I do wish I had the composite floor found in the 2021+ Airstreams though. So you’ve got that going for you! Good luck finding a solution with your dealer.

Thanks for the positive angle!


I agree there seem to be some hokey decisions being made by a company who claims they “don’t make changes, only improvements” or whatever. We have the dual power fridge which I’m glad of and that makes me think I’d better hold on to what I have rather than pin my hopes on future models.

[Cold Canner]

Originally Posted by turonueve

The water heater works fine on our 2021 Classic. I especially like the booster setting in the Alde interface on the wall that heats it up really fast.

Arthur

I’m glad yours is working for you. I wonder if the classics have a different system. I’m guessing the larger units might have more space for tanks or a better tankless, anyone?

[TTOlsem]

We feel the same way about the water heater so you are not alone! We had a 25' FC with a tank type heater and it worked great. Now we have a 2021 27' International with a "tankless" water heater and hate it! We are actually considering removing it and replacing it with the old style 6 gallon tank heater. We are also disappointed with the Dometic absorption type refrigerator and looking to tear it out and replace it with the 12V/non-propane unit.

[dan20]

I have been using the bucket in the shower to capture the cold water and re use in the sink for washing dishes. Heating water on a propane stove doesn't take long.
I just bought a 2.5 gal food grade jerry can that fits better in the shower and has wide mouth filler plus a spigot. I plan to use a wide mouth funnel to put water in the jerry can.
I boondock primarily and you burn through 1+gal of water in the shower waiting for the hot water to arrive. The good news is that you can preset the hot water temp and when it arrives therr is water wasted mixing cold with hot.
I would still much prefer my 6 gal tank hot water heater to the tankless!!!! Dan

[PWEAVER77]

My 2018 Interstate GT has the on demand heater which demonstrated very poor performance and was not at all usable for boondocking.
I installed a Aqua View “Shower Miser” recirc in the system and now can use it as intended. The Miser is a simple valve arrangement which allows standard pressure to return water to the fresh tank until the incoming water is hot - easily seen near the valve on a button which turns bright blue when hot. At a cost of $80 and about 4 hrs total install and test time, I find it to be a great value.
I had a detailed discussion with the Airstream product development team about my positive experience with this simple solution. They seemed to appreciate the feedback and I hope to see some stock solutions from them.

[irush]

Originally Posted by PWEAVER77

My 2018 Interstate GT has the on demand heater which demonstrated very poor performance and was not at all usable for boondocking.
I installed a Aqua View “Shower Miser” recirc in the system and now can use it as intended. The Miser is a simple valve arrangement which allows standard pressure to return water to the fresh tank until the incoming water is hot - easily seen near the valve on a button which turns bright blue when hot. At a cost of $80 and about 4 hrs total install and test time, I find it to be a great value.
I had a detailed discussion with the Airstream product development team about my positive experience with this simple solution. They seemed to appreciate the feedback and I hope to see some stock solutions from them.

I think this might be the most reasonable solution to the water wasting tankless heater. Although, I’m not excited about plumbing the fresh water return line in my 25 FC…. If anyone attempts this, I’d love to see some of the detail on the modification methods, and tips and tricks. Right now we’re filling a bucket while boondocking showers, and heating water in the stove for dishes. Kind of BS for a $100k trailer…..

[Cold Canner]

Originally Posted by TTOlsem

We feel the same way about the water heater so you are not alone! We had a 25' FC with a tank type heater and it worked great. Now we have a 2021 27' International with a "tankless" water heater and hate it! We are actually considering removing it and replacing it with the old style 6 gallon tank heater. We are also disappointed with the Dometic absorption type refrigerator and looking to tear it out and replace it with the 12V/non-propane unit.

In all seriousness if you can find a replacement tank please let me know! The issue is dometic stopped making that one, and it’s replacement is 2” longer, and doesn’t fit the space under the airstreams anymore, or not as they are currently designed.


Airstream chose to give us this tankless because they couldn’t use its replacement, not because they thought what they gave us was truly an improvement.


I’ve been trying to get one of the old ones for so long I’m starting to pin my hopes on a truly better tankless in the future (moving to truma doesn’t seem worth the expensive). And as you say I don’t want to switch this unit because they seem to be replacing things that work with things that don’t all the time.

On another note, our fridge is ok, but we’ve had it on 50 amp hook up as well as propane and the performance on propane totally outstrips the electric, especially the freezer. It’s a bit noisy on elec as well but the dealership says it’s within normal limits (read that as noisier than usual but not bad enough to replace maybe?).

[Cold Canner]

I do not know how I missed your post before now!! I’m totally going to look up that up. Thanks!

[Cold Canner]

Originally Posted by PWEAVER77

My 2018 Interstate GT has the on demand heater which demonstrated very poor performance and was not at all usable for boondocking.
I installed a Aqua View “Shower Miser” recirc in the system and now can use it as intended. The Miser is a simple valve arrangement which allows standard pressure to return water to the fresh tank until the incoming water is hot - easily seen near the valve on a button which turns bright blue when hot. At a cost of $80 and about 4 hrs total install and test time, I find it to be a great value.
I had a detailed discussion with the Airstream product development team about my positive experience with this simple solution. They seemed to appreciate the feedback and I hope to see some stock solutions from them.

I’m such an amateur I replied in the wrong place! I’m going to check this thing out. Thank you!

[Vitaver]

The tankless on demand water heater sucks. Wastes a lot of water to start a shower till is warm, and then again every time after you turn off the water to soap up, for rinsing. Not an improvement at all. When dry camping, every drop counts.

[2012FB]

Originally Posted by dan20

I have been using the bucket in the shower to capture the cold water and re use in the sink for washing dishes. Heating water on a propane stove doesn't take long.
I just bought a 2.5 gal food grade jerry can that fits better in the shower and has wide mouth filler plus a spigot. I plan to use a wide mouth funnel to put water in the jerry can.
I boondock primarily and you burn through 1+gal of water in the shower waiting for the hot water to arrive. The good news is that you can preset the hot water temp and when it arrives therr is water wasted mixing cold with hot.
I would still much prefer my 6 gal tank hot water heater to the tankless!!!! Dan

What a great idea and a must for boondocking. Better yet you could use something like an AquaDance High Pressure 3 way 7-inch Rainfall Shower Head and 4 inch Hand shower Combo and remove the hand shower head and have the handheld hose go direct to the jerry can and then switch at the head to the showerhead without a delay or change in temp. This is on my list to do. Even if not boondocking my wife will love not having to stand in the shower while she waits for the cold water to get hot. Also sovles the Navy shower issue as you can send a bit more to the can and then switch. This is one of the better suggestions I have seen. Thanks Dan!

[Mikey62]

Originally Posted by TTOlsem

We feel the same way about the water heater so you are not alone! We had a 25' FC with a tank type heater and it worked great. Now we have a 2021 27' International with a "tankless" water heater and hate it! We are actually considering removing it and replacing it with the old style 6 gallon tank heater. We are also disappointed with the Dometic absorption type refrigerator and looking to tear it out and replace it with the 12V/non-propane unit.

I too have a 2021 27' International and feel the same way about the water heater and refrigerator. I am thinking of installing a Shower Miser from Aqua View. It's a lot cheaper then replacing the water heater.

[ealmasy]

Originally Posted by dspeltz

We have the tankless hot water heater in our 2021 GT. It takes 10 seconds for the hot water to arrive.

This matches our experience in our 2021 FC 27FBQ.

When boondocking, our water heater and fridge together use so little propane it's barely perceptible over several days. I have a Tank Check LP monitor, and wasn't 100% sure it was working correctly until we started using the furnace.

(FWIW, we also have an Oxygenics Fury shower head installed, so don't use as much water in the shower. Definitely recommended.)

[Vitaver]

He hate the inefficient and wasteful WH (no pun intended). We have the 2021 GT27. Has anyone successfully replaced it with the traditional tank? If so, will you share how? Saving the cold water in a bucket, keeping that bucket from getting contaminated with soapy water, heating it on the stove top (washing dishes with hot water is more efficient) seems like a burden. Thanks.

[Oldhip]

What brand and model tankless water heaters are installed on a 2022 20x Basecamp

[JBamadon]

We have a 23 Flying Cloud 27FBQ with the tankless water heater. Our initial reaction was this ain't great. With some thought and tweaking we are adapting and it's getting better. Step 1. We generally run off the internal water pump to keep the pressure/flow up. Step 2. I adjusted the instant water temp down to 106F so you only turn on Hot in the shower/sink if you want hot. All flow goes thru the heater and the flow switch stays on. Step 3. We added a bucket in the shower to catch the "waste" not hot water, it typically goes in the black tank to keep things moving. I turn the water on/off/on in the shower so, step 4. Grab the hand held and be ready to divert the cold section of flow.
It's definitely a different mind set...

[Chianti1]

Truma comfort comes with an “over $3,000.00 “ upgrade price tag. and uou toss the Girard in the trash…
shower Mi$er thoughts???

[2012FB]

Originally Posted by Chianti1

Truma comfort comes with an “over $3,000.00 “ upgrade price tag. and uou toss the Girard in the trash…
shower Mi$er thoughts???

After removing the new Girard and replacing it with the Truma I installed the Girard in the back shop. Works great there.