Plumbers...Whats Your Opinion?

[AustinV]

Finishing my basement, have 2 showers upstairs and adding a 3rd in the basement. Currently have a 50 gal water heater. Wife takes long showers and has been running out of hot water...so with our family growing and more people eventually going to be showering at once I want to get this taken care of while I'm working on the basement anyway. So my options are getting a bigger hot water heater...75 gallon-100gallon which would take care of the issue, or adding a tankless water heater inline with my current.

Pros and cons to either?

Biggest thing I can find on the tankless is they take a lot, and I mean A LOT of amperage when they're running (no gas). I've been looking into what GPM I would need since this would essentially be supplemental. I'm assuming it could be around 3GPM which puts me around the 18kw units (3- 40Amp breakers). My other question is how I would exactly put it in, as in do I route the hot water into it so once it gets below a certain temp it kicks on? Or do I route cold water straight to it and tie the tankless hot to the water heater hot.

I certainly know a bigger tank would be the easier option, and require way less electrical work but I want to know if anyone has done this and their opinion on it...Some of these tankless I swear I would have to upgrade to a 400 amp service which is just another headache in itself lol

[188Musky]

You don't need another water heater.

You need another tank and a circulation line and pump.

[USS COMANCHE]

What is the age of the current 50 gallon heater? You may want to have the t stats and or the elements tested with a meter. 50 gallons is a bunch of hot water to be running out of IF it's efficient working

[XingEyeballs]

For what you’re talking I wouldn’t do a bigger tank. Either do tankless, but yes, it’s going to be a power hog or do two tanks so you get more heat capacity not just more storage

[Rich1]

Never ever ever use an electric tankless unless you own the power company. How about getting a propane tank installed and run it that way. Mine runs on propane. And NO, you can not install a tankless inline with a regular water heater. The tank less will turn on every time it senses water flow.

[markheb]

I had a 50 gallon gas water heater that couldn't keep up at old house when I had four girls and three showers. I installed a 50 gallon electric and put it in series with the gas. Plumbers told me it wouldn't work, but it worked great. We never ran out of hot water. I left the gas water heater at about 125* and turned the electric heater to about 100*. For lack of better terms, the electric water heater pre-heated the water going to the gas water heater. Funny you're in Washington. This was in Villa Ridge and if I still lived there I'd show you.

[BroWhoop]

Screenshot_20230927_192012_Chrome.jpg Here is a drawing for a tankless using tank. Electric tankless will use some electricity has a primary heater.

[CatFan]

If your wife runs out of hot water, your heater has a problem. Likely one element isn’t working or the dip tube is bad.

[Justfishing]

I read that only 1 heating element runs at a time. The water stratifies with the hot water on top. As you introduce cold water on the bottom the lower element starts. As the cold level rises it switches to the top element so it heats the upper portion. Because of this i would add a second heater so one can feed the other.

I dont think electric tankless are worth it. More maintenance and higher cost.

[Gambler Bob]

I would not recommend an electric tankless water heater. I realize that gas is not an option in your case but if you did have gas I would recommend a tankless gas water heater, the only reason I am stating that is so people don't think I am an anti tankless water heater person.

I would recommend two separate waters heaters for your situation. Either two 40 gallon water heaters or two 50 gallon water heaters. Since you already have a 50 gallon water heater, I would say just get another 50 gallon water heater. Pipe them in parallel. Pic below.



You may need expansion tanks depending on your local codes. I recommend two separate water heaters because when one water heater takes a crap you still have another water heater that is working. You should never be in an emergency in regards to not having hot water unless you lose power. The cost will be very similar between two separate smaller water heater or one bigger water heater. Little more labor to install two separate water heaters. Another reason for two water heaters is getting a 80 gallon or 100 gallon water heater into your basement can be difficult do to the weight. Removing a 80 or 100 gallon water heater is even worse. Getting an old 80 gallon water heater up the stairs with 10 years of sediment really sucks!

Been a plumber for 25 years. That would be my advice based on the info you provided. One downside of having two water heaters is that they take up more floor space.

[jejb]

We have the same setup, 2 showers up, 1 down. We have 2 water heaters. One is dedicated to the upstairs plumbing, one for downstairs. Works great.

[smitto]

Get a new wife.

[DaveBrabec]

Teach them to take Navy showers

[av]

That's abuse taking a shower long enough to drain. 50 gallons , she is the problem not the tank. I wouldn't do anything just make sure you shower first

[2stroked out]

Get 2 tanks . Put the first on a switch. You can turn it on 30 or 45 mins before needed. Then turn it off when not needed.

[jpt7779]

PM sent

[Fireball]

That's abuse taking a shower long enough to drain. 50 gallons , she is the problem not the tank. I wouldn't do anything just make sure you shower first

[xcoach]

If she’s running out of hot water, she’s doing something in there besides taking a shower.

[Justfishing]

Long hot showers are a poor mans heat therapy/sauna Lots of benefits to a sauna.

[Woody b]

If your wife runs out of hot water, your heater has a problem. Likely one element isn’t working or the dip tube is bad.

Yep, we had one bad element a while back.