instant gas water heaters

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jaycecampo
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instant gas water heaters

Postby jaycecampo » Wed Nov 21, 2012 8:02 pm

We have fitted one of these for the shower. However, when under the shower you either get burnt or frozen, when you find the right temperature it always changes. We are needing to heat water for the other bathroom and kitchen, are some better than others or is this always a problem ?

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Enrique
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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby Enrique » Wed Nov 21, 2012 8:38 pm

Hi jaycecampo,
Should work ok, have you got a thermostat in the shower unit that may be getting confused and cutting water off as they are pressure sensitive. Ours is direct from boiler to simple shower head.
I know when the gas runs out as I get a SCREAM :!: :!: :!:

One thing to look out for on the new installs ...the length of pipe from gas(if you use this) boiler to tap, if its going to be to far, best to use a small electric immersion by the sink.
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Campo Steve
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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby Campo Steve » Wed Nov 21, 2012 9:23 pm

Joycecampo. We get a similar problem when the water pressure is low or variable. As Enrique says the heaters are pressure sensitive. Happens when drawing water direct from the town supply. However, we also have a deposito for when the water supply is cut off or low pressure (camposinos topping up their depositos or irrigating). The water from that is pumped into the house by an electric pump and maintains an even pressure. No problems then with freezing/scalding.
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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby jaycecampo » Wed Nov 21, 2012 10:55 pm

Thanks, We don't seem to have a problem with the pressure, i.e water comes out fast. The gas boiler is about 2 meters from the shower, it's a fairly simple shower, fixed to the wall with an overhang at the top. Regarding the possible new instalation in the other bathroom, this is a long way from where the gas heater would be, approx 12 meters. Pressume this wouldn't be any good ?

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Enrique
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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby Enrique » Wed Nov 21, 2012 11:14 pm

The problem with distance from the heater is the amount of water you have to run off before the hot comes through. Water is on a meter in Spain ....€€€€€€
Then you end up using the closest tap to the heater , in our case the bath.......her indoors is not impressed when I wash up items in the bath... :oops:
In the process of sorting this out.......... :angel:
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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby carrowcrin » Thu Nov 22, 2012 3:46 am

i also have one of these and though it is not as good as the water storage cylinder i have in the uk i find it alright. as far as i can see it is best when using the shower to avoid using any other taps as this will alter the preasure of the water travelling through the heater, for shower i put on the hot tap full and let it run until fully hot and then the cold until i find the temp needed and it works ok.
a few years a friend of mine brought over an electric one from the uk (9kw) i think when he put it on he put out the lights in all of the small pueblo..

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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby masterob » Sun Nov 25, 2012 4:36 pm

We also have one for heating water throughout the house. It works fine (except when the gas bottle runs out mid-shower) provided you only run one tap at a time. Like carrowcrin we run the hot tap in the shower first until the water gets hot then adjust the temp by running the cold water as well.

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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby Gasman » Sun Nov 25, 2012 11:03 pm

Best results are usually by turning on the shower hot tap full blast (never just turn it on a bit as the gas is not used properly at the water heater end and can end up with a wooooosh :wtf: as it suddenly ignites ---) then adjust the temperature of the water by adjusting at the heater. When you have the correct temperature it should stay steady, so long as you do not mess about with cold taps or let anyone else run water elsewhere which does alter the pressure of water coming through the heater and can cause fluctuations- You will also find that there is a huge variation in the temperature you set it at at the heater from one season to the other, also needing to choose small flame or big flame depending on the temperature of the water coming into the heater. :shifty:
Our water comes from a well and is pumped up to the house - if the pump which has a bladder inside to maintain the correct pressure is not working properly you will have surges of water pressure in the heater, again causing fluctuations --- check your pump if you have one - we had to blow our bladder up a bit to get the correct pressure and it was fine after that :D - it seems to have a bit of seepage and needs blowing up a bit from time to time!!! the joys of country living! :crazy:
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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby critter » Mon Nov 26, 2012 12:37 pm

Just a thought does a condensing combi boiler work in the campo generally

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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby chrissiehope » Mon Nov 26, 2012 2:21 pm

I don't know about generally, but we're in the campo and we have one that works fine :thumbup: :D
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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby country boy » Mon Nov 26, 2012 2:53 pm

There are some very good arguments as to whether a condensing boiler actually earns it's extra cost in these climes, personally I didn't bother and I think I was right.

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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby telboy » Wed Nov 28, 2012 10:56 am

Yes! As most of the posts state, there are a number of factors that contribute to a good boiler temp - water pressure - temp of water coming in - cal build up in the shower head and taps - amount of gas in the bombona - someone flushing the toilet whilst someone is showering.

Our boiler has a digital water temp display which is useful, as it is a good guide to how hot your water will be. However, it wont be that temperature after it flows through the pipes and out of your tap.

When temps outside are around freezing (campo temps up in the mountains), our boiler reached 38C that was with the dials switched right up, the was the best we could expect, so basically a shower was look warm, better than nothing.

Living here we get used to it, its when you have family and friends coming to stay, thats when the fun really starts. :lol:

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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby Steamboats » Sat Dec 01, 2012 6:21 pm

Anyone know of a gas service engineer in the Estepa area? Our water heater has decided not to ignite after 3 months idle. Thermocouple or sticking valve perhaps? What a nice time to fail!

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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby gerryh » Sat Dec 01, 2012 6:28 pm

Does it have batteries for the spark ignition?
If so, try a new set of batteries:
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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby Steamboats » Sat Dec 01, 2012 8:21 pm

Unfortunately just push to spark (which it is). And I've swapped the regulator. But no sign of gas for the pilot. It lives outside in an open lean to so may have suffered a bit this winter.

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Enrique
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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby Enrique » Sat Dec 01, 2012 8:49 pm

Hi,
"But no sign of gas for the pilot."

I take it the gas bottle is full and the regulator is fitted correctly on it, and on. The tubes are in date :?:
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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby Steamboats » Sat Dec 01, 2012 11:01 pm

I should have checked before I last replied. Of course there is a battery. Changed it. Still no luck but pilot is trying - it's popping 4 or 5 times but not catching. Full bottle, tried 2 regulators. Seems just too cold for the gas!

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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby mhic » Sun Dec 02, 2012 10:05 am

We had a similar problem a few years ago, turned out a smallsider had made a home in the pilot
cutting of the supply once I had dug it out the boiler sparked up no trouble.

Mhic.

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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby barry » Sun Dec 02, 2012 6:27 pm

Could be too cold for gas, if the bottles are exposed especially to wind or draught then it will be too cold to operate properly. You could lift them off a concrete floor with polystyrene and then lag with poly and cardboard. Also if you are using butano try swapping to propano as it operates better at lower temperatures.

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Re: instant gas water heaters

Postby Steamboats » Sun Dec 02, 2012 9:48 pm

Thanks Barry and everyone else. I think it is probably the cold. Almost done here for this trip. Will try to find a full cure next visit (hopefully warmer by then. Meanwhile, whereas that kettle......?


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