I was wondering if anyone knows about this and to give me their opinion concerning its use/supposed savings, etc.
I have heard of a Bosch instant hot water system and am thinking about replacing our hot water tank, but have no idea of the cost, and/or if it is worth it.
Anybody know anything about these?
Thanks

I honestly didn't know these existed until last weekend. The most recent Home Depot flyer/booklet has them on the back page. I don't know anything about them, but they do have the prices listed.

You'll see tankless hot water heaters mounted on the walls of most European bathrooms. I don't have any experience with them in Canada, but I've never had problems using them while travelling in Europe.

If you Google on "tankless water heater" you'll find lots of links, including this one from This Old House, http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/hea...,213064,00.html

BTW most dishwashers have something similar built into them because they need to heat the water to a higher temperature than what comes out of most hot water lines.

See also this from BC Hydro http://www.bchydro.com/business/guides/guide831.html
and http://www.plumbingsupply.com/instant.html#faq

Thanks to both of you...
i will have to check out the flyer

They are great! Unlimitted hotwater Make sure you get the full sized one the small ones are just for things like dishwashers and small stuff.

Go to your local gas appliance dealer and he should be able to fill you in.

They even have gas ones out now that don't even have a pilot light they have an electric starter.

I once had my brother in law and his family over and it was great, everyone could have a shower without worrying about running out of hot water.

I also like that you are only heating it when you need it and since it isn't sitting in a tank you can use it for cooking.

The only downside is the water pressure is a little lower(environmentally friendly) so you can't run the dishwasher or washing machine while someone is taking a shower.

I don't know if they make electric versions though.

Originally posted by plumlucky The only downside is the water pressure is a little lower(environmentally friendly) so you can't run the dishwasher or washing machine while someone is taking a shower.

Hmmm... I wonder they they don't have pumps in them that will increase water pressure?

I don't know if they make electric versions though.

I suspect an electric heater wouldn't get hot quickly enough to be effective (ie. you'd waste many litres waiting for the water to get hot).

These have actually been around for a long time in Canada. I remember seeing my first one in a forest service building back in 1976.

One problem then was that the temperature changed with the flow rate - the higher the flow the lower the temperature. It made for some interesting moves in the shower

I imagine over 25+ years they've solved this problem.

Originally posted by JustMike I suspect an electric heater wouldn't get hot quickly enough to be effective (ie. you'd waste many litres waiting for the water to get hot).

Based on my experiences in Europe that hasn't been an issue. The heaters are generally powered by electricity. Europeans are much more "energy conscious" than we are because they pay more for it. As a result they're used to lower flow rates and taking quicker showers.

Originally posted by mazda626 One problem then was that the temperature changed with the flow rate - the higher the flow the lower the temperature. It made for some interesting moves in the shower I imagine over 25+ years they've solved this problem.

That's true too. The water gets heated as it flows through the coils in the heater. The faster/larger the flow the less it picks up heat.

I haven't read most of the links I posted upthread but it seems to me that the real issues are (a) whether such heaters have been improved enough to pass muster for North Americans and (b) whether they ultimately save on the cost of energy.

The last I saw was a recommendation that when installing a tankless, to supplement with a small water heater. I have no idea why that was, but another resource for these is Shell Busey