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GT27 · 03-13-2022, 01:21 PM

We traded in our 2018 GT on a new 2022 to get twin ACs and some other benefits. So far, so good.

THIS NEW ON-DEMAND WATER THING IS THE PITS. We really miss the old tank water heater. We may just need to get the hang of it, but it really wastes water as you can't trickle hot water. Very frustrating.

Any insights from those with more experience with the new system would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

hawkspur · 03-13-2022, 01:31 PM

Set the thermostat to the temperature you want the water to be and turn the faucet to full hot instead of blending. This is helps a lot.

Also, you can capture the cold water in another container while you wait for it to get hot and use it for another purpose or dump it outside.

Finally, you can install a recirculating system like a ShowerMi$er to resolve all of the issues but that's more of a project

GT27 · 03-13-2022, 01:43 PM

Thanks. We are trying to set the "hot" without blending cold. Still trying to get the hang of it. But capturing water in another container while the water gets hot is not something I should have to mess with it. I'm beginning to wonder if the answer is to swap it out for a tank heater.

uraljohn · 03-13-2022, 03:48 PM

I think I read a thread about someone replacing the tankless with a good old fashion reliable 6 gallon water heater. Somebody help me out here.

You couldn't pay me to have a tankless water in our FC or our brick and mortar.

s1000pre · 03-13-2022, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT27

We traded in our 2018 GT on a new 2022 to get twin ACs and some other benefits. So far, so good.

THIS NEW ON-DEMAND WATER THING IS THE PITS. We really miss the old tank water heater. We may just need to get the hang of it, but it really wastes water as you can't trickle hot water. Very frustrating.

Any insights from those with more experience with the new system would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Check this out. It allows you to bypass the faucet and loop the water back to the fresh tank until the water reaches temperature. https://aquaviewinc.com/rv/. We have a family of four, so the on-demand is beginning to show its benefits. It didn’t take long to run out of hot water when we all took back to back showers after visiting the pool.

Ray Eklund · 03-13-2022, 05:12 PM

We have had the standard hot water tank on all of our Airstreams. They worked fine, just when you were planning to Shower... you planned ahead. No complaint. It gave us no problem, and... a Neanderthal never takes a Shower. Living Natural among the Beasts, our two Blue Heelers.

Nancy is a Human Bean and can Shower anytime, any day of the Year.

We purchased a 2019 Oliver Elite II from the original owner. He paid $1300 for this "Tankless Water Heater" as an option.

The 'original owner' said it was nearly instant Hot Water and Excellent... when we were looking to buy it from him.

We have a 2019 27FBQueen International that has the stock water tank and it works fine.

We will be watering up the system in the next five days. This 'instant, or so' hot water System is new to us and when we get it fired up, I will post our No Nonsense Opinion on how it operates.

If the Truma Tankless operates even efficiently, that will be good. At the moment, I am only passing on what we were told. I will title the Thread using the title I used already on this Post.

I am like you. He paid $1300... and it was still in the Oliver.

hawkspur · 03-13-2022, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT27

Thanks. We are trying to set the "hot" without blending cold. Still trying to get the hang of it. But capturing water in another container while the water gets hot is not something I should have to mess with it. I'm beginning to wonder if the answer is to swap it out for a tank heater.

Sure, but that's the deal unless you want to spend a couple hundred bucks on the recirculating system mentioned elsewhere

Coloradobus · 03-13-2022, 06:23 PM

In our bus, we had a problem with rhe headhunter water pump cycling too frequent during trickle showers. Our remodeled overlander with girard on demand tankless would go hi temp overheat and quit. We added accumulator tanks to both systems which cured the tankless over temp at trickle, and the headhunter timeout utilizing trickle water flow

Life is a Highway · 03-14-2022, 09:09 AM

I love all telling me how good I have it with this unit in our 30 ft FC My wife hates it. She had no problems with our 25 ft and the gas electric tank.

There is a fix but we're not spending the money on it. It called Truma found in both Hi and Lol end RVs but not Airstream! They went low bid- Or there was a stock supply problem and had to take the other? It sucks and Airstream should recall all and install a recirculating system to stop the waste of water and the cold showers.

We are NOT drilling a hole in out shower stall in a new trailer. I would spend the $1300 on a Truma before that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT27

We traded in our 2018 GT on a new 2022 to get twin ACs and some other benefits. So far, so good.

THIS NEW ON-DEMAND WATER THING IS THE PITS. We really miss the old tank water heater. We may just need to get the hang of it, but it really wastes water as you can't trickle hot water. Very frustrating.

Any insights from those with more experience with the new system would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Voyager-Two · 03-14-2022, 10:07 AM

I agree with you. Airstream made a step backwards on this “upgrade”. I plan to call manufacturer and see if I can hack the system to increase the timeout for shutdown or reduce the amount of flow before shutdown occurs. So frustrating.

mtbmitch · 03-14-2022, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uraljohn

I think I read a thread about someone replacing the tankless with a good old fashion reliable 6 gallon water heater. Somebody help me out here.

You couldn't pay me to have a tankless water in our FC or our brick and mortar.

I replaced the tankless Girard in a Lance 1575 with a 6 gallon Suburban. Fits with ease. Another Lance guy installed a Truma. https://community.lanceowners.org/to...o-water-heater

pittjw · 03-14-2022, 12:02 PM

I have one word to describe the Girad on demand unit in our 2021 FC... Glorious. and the Rinnai unit in our house, Incredible... An unlimited shower cant compare to a 6 gal/tank shower. Our Girard unit is set on 124 and we have to blend a little cold in the shower and it will run as long as you can stand there. The frequency of us boondocking vs hooked up necessitating an alternate hot water strategy hasn't caused an issue for us yet.

guskmg · 03-14-2022, 01:34 PM

If the instant hot water heater is installed close to the shower, as in my classic, no problem. You turn up the shower valve to hot and wet down your feet and lower legs. Before you know it the hot water shows up and you modulate it as you shower. Remember the key to reliable instant heaters is plenty of electricity, gas, especially water flow and pressure. Don't trickle the water if shuts off the heater.
guskmg

Bruce B · 03-14-2022, 02:30 PM

I suspect that if you are connected to full hookups, and do not care about consumption or overfilling tanks, the Girard is just fine.
When we took delivery of our 2021 Globetrotter, we knew that it wouldn’t work for us so we had the dealer install a Truma water heater.
It is a different animal! It’s burner turns on at much lower water flow so you get hot water when trying to conserve, it’s burner is larger so it works faster and it actually incorporates a small, 1 literish tank so there is hot water as soon as you want it. Yes it is another thing to buy but it is an awesome thing!

Toasterlife · 03-14-2022, 02:31 PM

We have a tankless water heater at home which is fine, but we also have unlimited piped water at home. When we camp we are usually in a National Park (no hookups) so economizing on water is a priority.

With our old "tank" water heater we can take navy showers - a quick spray to get wet, then put the shower to "drip" with the button on the shower head, then soap up well, then rinse off. Nice and clean with no wasted water. Not at all compatible with a tankless as when you slow the flow down the temperature drops as the heater responds to flow.

The tankless water heaters and all electric fridges are designed for people who will only ever camp in full service camp sites. That rules out most of the places we love like National Parks and National Monuments.

"Horses for courses" as they say, but the newer rigs would not suit us for those reasons.

SpikePoet · 03-14-2022, 03:42 PM

I guess it depends upon your behaviors and expectations but we are perfectly happy with our Girard. My wife actually take a bath by filling the shower pan while I take the "Navy" shower to conserve gray water tank space. I waste no water rinsing because slightly cooler water for 3 seconds is going on my head and body, not on the shower floor. I probably run the water for 30 seconds tops and it is at or nearly at desired temperature the whole time, even after restarts. I have some other gripes but the Girard isn't one of them, especially if the solution costs another $1300.
Spike

meigsmade · 03-14-2022, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT27

We traded in our 2018 GT on a new 2022 to get twin ACs and some other benefits. So far, so good.

THIS NEW ON-DEMAND WATER THING IS THE PITS. We really miss the old tank water heater. We may just need to get the hang of it, but it really wastes water as you can't trickle hot water. Very frustrating.

Any insights from those with more experience with the new system would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

We’ve used the Girard in-demand water heater for a week and we’re impressed with the unlimited hot water ( as long as you keep running the hot water) and concerned about the amount of water going to waste. Looking at the pump plumbing in our 23FB it dawned on me that an electric valve or solenoid at the outdoor shower feeding the water into the fresh water tank could be rigged to prime the system. Before you need hot water, you turn on the electric valve and when the water reaches temperature, turn on a faucet and then turn off the solenoid. That would be the low tech approach but it could also be rigged directly into the water pump plumbing area with a bit more work. The high tech approach would use a sensor to sense turning on the hot water and divert it to the fresh water tank until it reaches temperature. Of course, that would be create a delay at the faucet but it would be very efficient with water use when boondocking.

Life is a Highway · 03-14-2022, 07:42 PM

I’m jealous I can’t get over the Truma outside cover

Ray Eklund · 03-15-2022, 07:55 AM

Truma AquaGo Comfort Tankless Water Heater system inspection door on an Oliver.

Big Red1 · 03-15-2022, 10:30 AM

One more comment on the Girard--perhaps we wouldn't waste so much water waiting for it to get warm if Airstream had installed the heater under the sink and stove where they put the furnace. Instead they put it on the curb side way up front under the closet where water has the longest distance to the vanity and shower. What we do find is that when we are using the furnace and then need hot water, it is almost instant because the furnace is close to the hot water lines and heats up the water. A simple change in location would probably fix most of our problems in our FC. Maybe wouldn't work in other models but would certainly work in ours. Airstream--are you listening????