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From: jak@whuxlm.UUCP (Keegan Joan)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: Heat pump/water heater energy conservation
Message-ID: <895@whuxlm.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 3-Jan-86 08:30:41 EST
Article-I.D.: whuxlm.895
Posted: Fri Jan  3 08:30:41 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 4-Jan-86 05:03:47 EST
References: <637@hlwpc.UUCP>, cb@hlwpc.UUCP (Carl Blesch) <459@anasazi.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Whippany
Lines: 28

> In article <637@hlwpc.UUCP>, cb@hlwpc.UUCP (Carl Blesch) writes:
> > Along these lines, the PBS television show "This Old House" recently
> > demonstrated a tankless gas water heater.  Water is heated only as used
> > by this gizmo -- apparently the incoming water goes thru enough length
> > of coiled tubing to pick up all the kilocalories it needs to become hot.
> > On the show, the heater kicked in as soon as the homeowner turned on
> > the hot water faucet, and shut off as soon as he shut it off.
> 
> I have also seen these described (I think in Consumer Reports).
> They are rated in delta-t (what temperature rise do you want?) and
> have a thermal switch that cycles the electric power when a given exit
> temperature is reached.
> 
> My question is:  Does anyone know where I can get one in the good old
> U.S. of A.?  My wife tells me they were very common in Brazil and
> Honduras where she grew up, but the plumbing supply companies around
> here look at you very strangely when you try to describe one.  They
> seem like a natural here in Phoenix to supplement my solar heater on
> cloudy days.

We have a wood stove catalog that shows a version of this kind of
water heater.  I will try to remember to bring in the details.
As I remember, though, the rate of flow was very low - i.e., it
doesn't heat the water very quickly.  We thought this might be a problem,
although I guess it's a way to restrict your water usage as well.

Joan Keegan
AT&T (Bell Laboratories)