Excel tankless/ventless hot water heater reviews appreciated

[Venturewest]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Could please you post links for where you read that?

The link in the first post leads here:

http://excelonlinestore.com/tankless...-exchanger-231

. . . where it says:

"Perfect for Sailboats and Cabin Cruisers with active ventilation systems in place." [emphasis added]

Just below that statement is a link for technical info which leads only to a bunch of shopping links, without any technical information.

If they say that an "active ventilation system" is needed for boats, then one is also needed for an Airstream IMO. The ODS [Oxygen Depletion System] -- no matter how safe they say it is -- is no place to hang the hats of our family and friends!



Keep breathing . . .

I appreciate your concern for safety. Using a device that relies on an ODS has been proven to be pretty safe. They have been used in Europe for over 50 years. In the United States there has not been one documented death due to the failure of an ODS. That stat is according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

"Once appliances are in the U.S. marketplace, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is the primary safety “watchdog”, accumulating product safety data from numerous sources, and investigating and reporting the safety record of various product categories. What does CPSC data reveal about vent-free gas appliances? The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has stated that it is not aware of any documented incident in the CPSC In-Depth Investigation (IDI) database of fatal CO poisoning associated with an ODS-equipped vent-free gas heating product. These appliances have earned an outstanding safety record. ",

Unfortunately there are many carbon monoxide related RV deaths due to LP burning appliances. So far all of these documented deaths have been failed direct-vent appliances.

The ODS is just the first line of defense against CO. You should still have a good CO alarm.

I really can't conceive how you could possibly kill your family and friends with this heater. It does not have a standing pilot. The combustion starts when the heater detects water flow. There is no danger of oxygen depletion when you are sleeping, even if the ODS and your CO alarm fail simultaneously, because there is no flame. The heater is rated at a max of 1.6 gallons per minute. My family of 5 can make 40 gallons of water last for 5 days. That is 8 gallons of water use per day. If you assume that 3/4 of the water us is hot water (which is a very liberal assumption) that is 6 gallons of hot water per day. At 1.6 gallons per minute that means this heater is going to run for 3.75 minutes split over several different uses during the day.

Do you really think you are going to kill anyone by running the water heater 20 or 30 seconds per time for 3.75 minutes per day? That would be assuming the ODS and your CO detector fails, and that there is no ventilation going on in the Airstream?

Long live our friends and family!

[Jeremy9107]

Good debate. David, not sure if home use is comparable to RV use for these. Have to wait for existing water in lines to clear before hot water can exit faucet and those pipe runs in homes are much longer than in RV. Have read about draw back of cleaning so thanks for sharing that con. Thought I read somewhere that this excel unit has less maintenance requirements. Venturewest. Following your logic and makes sense. Sometimes I get so entangled in info that I forget this is a trailer, not a rocket ship where miscalculations at the 8th decimal might mean an explosion. Going to go with our experience on this one. For 5 years have had an old catalytic heater burning all through night with nothing but a roof vent cracked. No deaths thus far. This little Excel will burn much less with far less CO production.

[dbj216]

Don't mind me, I'm just an old curmudgeon. I now have a catalytic heater in the Overlander. My son uses one in his Globetrotter. I understand there is no combustion with these units, no CO generated. It's a chemical heat. Cracking a window of vent helps keep the moisture build up down.

David

[Jeremy9107]

Well now you are going to make me research this catalytic heater. Assumed where there is propane burning there is CO. Guess my wife can sleep more than easily.

[waninae39]

has anyone changed to a closed loop model
ie run a line back to the heater
or
just leave it as on -demand

[DBinSD]

Running a loop back would be near impossible on a newer unit.

[rmkrum]

Originally Posted by dbj216

Don't mind me, I'm just an old curmudgeon. I now have a catalytic heater in the Overlander. My son uses one in his Globetrotter. I understand there is no combustion with these units, no CO generated. It's a chemical heat. Cracking a window of vent helps keep the moisture build up down.

David

David, and the rest of the gang:

Catalytic heaters do, in fact BURN propane, consume oxygen, and create all the usual combustion products. They just don't generate visible flames...they also are required to have oxygen depletion shut-off valves, and can, under some rare circumstances create carbon monoxide, which is in fact dangerous/deadly.

Venting the living space, if you insist on using one of these is not merely a moisture build-up prevention issue, its MANDATORY for your safety and personal survival...you need the oxygen the heater is also using...

It's combustion, pure and simple..and needs to be treated as such. Don't risk your life by believing otherwise...

[DBinSD]

David,
Don’t worry about those who sensationalize the facts for the sake of impact.

The unit is in fact safe for indoor use as intended. It is rarely on, compared to other h2o heaters thus will consume considerably less 02.
Pop a vent when showering and have no worries.
Don’t expect US residents to embrace European tech anytime soon. Even though they are 20yrs ahead of us.

[Jeremy9107]

Received my Excel tankless/ventless hot water heater this week. Compact. Very sleak. Super light weight. I feel good about this replacing the Atwood. So much so that I patched the opening. Plan on installing this without venting for now but will reserve a small space to vent in future if I become concerned.

[DBinSD]

Good job !

Crack a vent during showers and you should have zero issues.

Dan

[mblaize]

Originally Posted by Jeremy9107

Received my Excel tankless/ventless hot water heater this week. Compact. Very sleak. Super light weight. I feel good about this replacing the Atwood. So much so that I patched the opening. Plan on installing this without venting for now but will reserve a small space to vent in future if I become concerned.
Attachment 307540

Hey- how do you like your Excel water heater? Do you need to vent it out?

[J. Morgan]

I’ve been using a residential on demand hot water heater in my Airstream for almost six years of roughly half time use.

It’s been mostly flawless to date...

It uses little gas, and long showers can be routine if a person likes....

Mine is a direct vent model.... I carry spare parts just in case, but haven’t needed any yet.

I’ve never cleaned it, and it still works fine.

[Jeremy9107]

mblaize. haven't gotten around to using it yet. in fact, planning on installing this weekend. will be sure to update once it gets use.

Am pleased to hear J. Morgan's feedback and am hoping for the same results. Only difference with mine is it is not direct vent. It says it is "ventless", but I plan to install it almost directly under the bathroom vent fan so it will have a way to exhaust.

[groovzilla]

All,

Was going to install the Suburban tankless water heater in my 19' Globe Trotter but came upon this thread and did some research on the EXCEL 1.6 tankless heater.
Due to the size and location of the original water heater in my globetrotter, I would have to remove a good part of the wardrobe cabinets in order to remove the original water heater. It's doable however I have a nice location for the ECEL tank in one of my cabinets under the sink - I can mount it on the side of the interior sink cabinet for easy access and a plus is that the old Refrigerator side grill/vent(removed refer and relocated)is located just next to the EXCEL tank location - So it will have ventilation too.
I removed the old fridge cabinet and made a new cabinet which is wider and works better with the front dinette I am building(Instead of the original front pull-out sofa)so by chance the ECEL tank location will have a side vent within the cabinet mount.

*The 1963 Globetrotter has a side grill/vent on wall of trailer inside cabinet for the fridge instead of the later style roof vent - This will work out nicely for peace of mind.

I'll upload photos when I install

All the best from Seattle!

[Jeremy9107]

Groovzilla. Please do post your pics and also your experience once in use. I am impressed by its size, weight and ability to adapt to your natal just about anywhere

[groovzilla]

Originally Posted by Jeremy9107

Groovzilla. Please do post your pics and also your experience once in use. I am impressed by its size, weight and ability to adapt to your natal just about anywhere

Will do - I plan to re-plumb my propane copper lines and install tank in next few weeks - Tank should arrive this week.

[StevieB]

With the concerns posted early about using it in an Airstream, that something which is residential and should not be used in an RV, ..... then why would Camping World be selling them? If my original 1955 Payne Electric Hot Water Heater decides it is finished providing scalding hot water, this is the direction I will be heading.

Regards,
StevieB
WBCCI#1095

[my3sonsdad]

Anyone know what happened to this product? It’s no longer available via Amazon or CampWorld.

[my3sonsdad]

I’m bummed I didn’t purchase this last year :/
I’ve had it in my Amazon wish list til I was ready to install for the season. Now it’s nowhere to be found.

[A W Warn]

https://excelonlinestore-container.zoeysite.com/
The vent free WH seems to be out of stock. There's a phone and email in the contacts at the bottom of the page. Maybe they will answer your questions.
I remember reading about this WH a while back. I'm wondering how badly combustion gas exhaust inside an enclosed trailer will pollute the interior air.