Eccotemp LP water heaters

[WanderingForest]

Hey everyone. Looking at getting myself a LP water heater, and was leaning towards the Eccotemp brand. I had read some previous forum discussions about water heaters, and it seems that most using eccotemp are purchasing one of the portable outdoor models, such as the L10
https://www.eccotemp.com/eccotemp-l1...ab-information

However, when reading eccotemps FAQ, they don't recommend installing the portable water heaters inside in a permanent installation, which is what I am planning on doing. https://www.eccotemp.com/blog/tankle...er-heater-faq/
Questions 9 and 10 are in regards to putting portable and outdoor water heaters inside and in permanent installations.

This made me look at their other options, and I found they have some water heaters designed for permanent indoor installation, and are made to be vented outside. I am looking at this model: https://www.eccotemp.com/eccotemp-fv...ab-information

I was curious on people's thoughts, because I haven't found anyone else saying they have used one of the indoor models in a skoolie, and eccotemp says not to install it in an RV or motor home.

[Willie_McCoy]

I was going to use the vented ecotemp model but I couldn’t make it fit in my build. It was too tall. I am not comfortable with any unvented fuel burning appliance indoors at all, and ended up going with the Girard slide in tankless LP heater.

https://www.amazon.com/Girard-2GWHAM.../dp/B019BWN8E2

As for them not recommending it, I see that as a liability issue. If you install it correctly, vent it properly, and check it regularly I don’t see an issue with it.

[rossvtaylor]

I have installed and used several of the "outdoor" camp water heaters and it's pretty easy to fabricate an exhaust duct. My biggest complaint with those cheap ($150-$200) heaters is that they don't heat to a specific temperature. They're designed so that you can be standing there, right next to it with your shower wand, and you tweak the water flow knob and the gas (heat) knob until you balance them to provide the right temp output. When used in a conversion, though, that doesn't work very well...especially with mixing valves in showers. I've done it and lived with one for almost a year, but it's hard to get things balanced.

I found that the more-expensive ($400) CampLux heater with an actual temperature setting works great. The only downside is that the ignition circuit requires 120V...not the 2 D cell batteries which the camp heaters use...so you need a small inverter circuit to power the heater. Besides that one issue, they work fantastically. Here's a screenshot of the one I'm referring to:

[Rucker]

Yes, there are dufuses out there who have outdoor units with no provision for a vent pipe (or positive exhaust fan) who hook them up with no vent and say 'I'm not dead yet'. Follow their advice at your peril, in my opinion.

[And if you are one of those folks, please forgive my candid assessment, and vent the damned thing.]

I have one of the cheaper Camplux models and exactly as Ross says, you need to dynamically adjust the temp based on the actual water flow. Not like home. Having said that, it's a cheap and powerful instant water heater, a great price-value option--if you positively vent it.

Mine is also 120VAC, and it runs off the inverter. Other models run off a few D sized batteries. I originally had a smaller inverter dedicated to it (just need power for the igniter and exhaust fan, basically), but the draw was so small I just wired it to a branch circuit off the inverter to simplify my electrical design.

My bus is a shuttle, and those have dinky little upper sliders. I aligned the exhaust vent with that window and just stick the vent out the window when parked, and pull it in when moving.

There is a LOT of online back and forth about using these propane heaters inside without venting. There may actually be a model out there in the wild that advertises as a 'ventless' heater, but the simple fact is the exhaust produces a lot of water vapor and most skoolies will not appreciate that humidity. Other than water vapor, the combustion gas is mostly carbon dioxide and only trace amounts of things like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

Not venting brings the risk of carbon monoxide(CO) poisoning if there is incomplete combustion. If your rig is really air tight, and your LP water heater is not vented and worse stuffed into a closet or other confined space, there's greater risk of impeded combustion air (intake) and dying because CO binds about a hundred times better to your hemoglobin than O2.

[Dbacks2k4]

Originally Posted by Willie_McCoy

ended up going with the Girard slide in tankless LP heater.

https://www.amazon.com/Girard-2GWHAM.../dp/B019BWN8E2
.

Same one I'm going to use. Ventless LP appliances creates additional moisture inside the bus which can lead to condensation issues. The LP stove/range in my popup camper is bad enough and that's literally a tent on wheels with good ventilation.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

what about a passive vent like an exhaust fan wired in line to command on anytime the heater is commanded on or a small louver with an automated damper that opens when the heater is commanded on.
problem with a separate switch is you would have to remember to turn it on before the gas appliance.

[Rucker]

Possible, but like you point out, problematic. Only if I a) already had the unit in hand and b)could see how to sense when it turns on, and c) have a way to make that fan automatically fire up, and d) know that the positive venting doesn't play havoc with the natural draft of the combustion would I go that way.

I would recommend just buying the kind with the built-in fan and make sure it is vented properly.

I suspect some models omit the fan to save money, and advertise it as an 'outdoor' unit. There are plenty of positive exhaust units on the market.

[WanderingForest]

Originally Posted by Willie_McCoy

I was going to use the vented ecotemp model but I couldn’t make it fit in my build. It was too tall. I am not comfortable with any unvented fuel burning appliance indoors at all, and ended up going with the Girard slide in tankless LP heater.

I am also looking at the Girard you have. What’s been your experience with it? Any issues? After purchasing venting for the ecotemp the two water heaters are about the same price. After having the Girard would you still opt to try the ecotemp if you had the room?

Another question on the Girard is how does it handle cold weather? I’m looking at moving to Montana, and since it’s mounted with one side of it completely outside the bus, would I still be able to use it in freezing weather?

[Meathead]

I have the giraud unit. It will only heat up so many degrees above the inlet temp. In the south I get a full 121* out of it. In colder climbs way less. Can’t remember. My fan cooling fan went out after my first 3 month trip. Since I bought it way before I installed it my warranty had expired. Fan cost = $160 and it’s a common issue if you google it. Otherwise work great. Hope I don’t need too many fans [emoji2960]

[emoji3522]Dave

[nixon186]

I’m running a gasland 10l in my new bus. I probably should’ve went with the 6l for the smaller physical size of the unit. I didn’t have an inch to spare height wise. I used dryer vent pipe to exhaust the unit through the wall. Worked perfect. I built an enclosure to hide the unit. I was going back and forth between the camp style heaters and the girard and fogatti units. I’m glad I went the way I did. It works great. It’ll be easy to replace the unit if I need to also.