Hot water

["Blattus Slaf]

It cost me 153 gallons ($384) to run my boiler from last March to last November, 10 months. I've been thinking of making my boiler a cold starter and putting in either a tankless water heater or point of use supplies. A whole house electric tankless takes 240 volts at 120 amps so that's out, I only have 100 amps coming in.

Since I already have oil, an oil fired tankless ($1500) would be easy.

Point of use tanks (6gals) are around $155 each and tankless point of use heaters are about $285 and take 12kw. I have never used 6 gallons of hot water at any sink session. They say the tankless point of use cannot be used with a shower. Why is that? I have a water saving shower head that is cut back 75% with a valve.

I could also get by with a 20 gallon standard water heater just fine.

What's the best energy saving combination?

[lp13-30]

According to your figures, you payed $2.51/gal for oil. What is the price now? In the last few days others have mentioned in here that they are paying around $3.25 now. Ransley is right-- compare costs of electric vs oil. Electric isn't ALWAYS the most expensive as was also posted. It often is, but not always. I used propane for years, and about

12 years switched to electric (a 52 gal I got at Builder's Square on sale for about $125-- shopped around and bought the cheapest I could find). The propane WH used about a gallon/day, and when I switched I barely noticed an increase in the electric bill. I know oil furnaces and boilers require annual maint. so I imagine an oil WH would be no different. The initial cost of the heater plus installation must also be considered. Besides the plumbing of the water lines, which would be about the same with any unit, an electric tank type requires a 30 amp 230v cicuit (#10 wire)-- period. No flue, oil piping etc. Larry

["Blattus Slaf]

You're right. I screwed up. That was the price when I acquired the place in March and cost to fill it. My actual expense was $413 when I put in

131 gallons at $3.10 a gallon in November. (they give 10% discount for cash) So it was 13 gallons a month or $40 a month. Seems kind of high. I'll probably get a small electric tank and come off the boiler hot water coil for the input so that the electric won't run when the boiler is on for heating. They have a 20 gallon with a 1500 watt element that runs on 110 volts like I had in my mobile home many years ago. That's all I need. When I die the new owner can put a bigger one.