Tankless water heater—recommendation for UPS (battery backup)???
girl_wonder
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (32)
kevinande
3 years agogirl_wonder
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoRelated Discussions
Water Powered or Battery Backup Sump Pump
Comments (1)It's certainly a good idea to have some kind of back-up plan. Battery powered and water powered pumps each have their own advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantage to the battery system is that it has a finite capacity because the battery has a finite capacity. You can use a bigger battery or multiple batteries but there's still a finite limit. There is also an ongoing maintenance cost because the battery needs to be replaced at regular intervals. The advantage is that it's completely independent and there's no operating cost (beyond the cost of recharging the battery). Water power pumps will operate, in theory, indefinitely but their performance and efficiency is directly related to city water pressure. The greater the city water pressure, the more water the pump can remove. If you have very low city water pressure, it may not be able to remove enough water to keep your basement dry. The drawback is there is an operating cost in terms of water required to operate the pump, which is difficult to calculate because you don't know how long the power will be be out or how much water the pump will be required to remove. If a major catastrophe occurs and you loose city water pressure (or experience a significant decrease in city water pressure) you could be in trouble. The choice is a matter of personal preference, comfort level, and a bit of speculation as to what your worst case scenario might be....See MoreWater Heater Recommendations?
Comments (6)mrjones, The price is not bad considering they are to be installed in the attic. Bradford White makes a better than average water heater and sells only to contractors; is it better than both Whirlpool and GE. I recently had a 65 gallon Bradford White installed, and did the research before having it installed. Bradford White model numbers are long so you will need to get the complete number to find out all the specs on the Bradford White website: Spec Sheets, Manuals & Parts List. However, all this being said, if I knew what I know now, I would have opted for this and wish that I had known about it before installing what we did: Vertex Power-Vent Gas Water Heaters...See MoreBattery Backup for Gas Furnace - UPS?
Comments (32)It appears to me that the OP is between two extremes in this argument and neither extreme fits the original need/wish list. By my read the OP made avoiding voltage variations and surges top priority with some run time on battery backup AS A BONUS. On the one hand, surge suppressor does nothing for voltage and frequency variations. I don' t know a lot about UPSs, but it appears that they must be chosen with care if you are backing up anything but electronics. (The manuals that I've looked at specifically say no motors. Note that I understand the difference between running an AC motor and a DC motor off of a power supply.) I believe that frequency variations are often a harbinger of voltage failures and are certainly bad for motors on their own. It would be nice to monitor frequency as well as voltage for obvious reasons. I don't think that even less common OTS, built for home or office use, UPSs do that. The expressed need for monitoring voltage variations with accompanied cut-off of equipment for a period was why I mentioned the Intermatic equipment. It monitors voltage and disconnects the attached equipment so it should work for a furnace or boiler. It has a three-minute time-out which might not be ideal in this situation, but would help with repeated surges in a short period and allow time for someone to pull a disconnect or breakers. There is no battery to buy or keep up which cuts expense. Intermatic solution Note that an item on my wish list is an inexpensive device for lower power applications that would turn off power to small pieces of equipment (think [not plasma] televisions, cable boxes, other home entertainment and associated gadgets in terms of power demand.) and leave them off until reset manually. I have lots of lab equipment that is normally plugged in on standby 24/7/365 but it would not hurt anything if it shut off in response to dirty power....See MoreGas water heater recommendations
Comments (8)No it's not my third thread about this. I started one previous thread specifically asking about condensing water heaters. And I didn't start the thread until I did a lot of independent research so as to not waste people's time with rudimentary questions. I've ruled out condensing water heaters so now I'm doing my due diligence on regular gas tank water heaters. Is that not allowed? I'm not a plumber. It's a learning process. That's why these forums labeled "advice" exist. I've received a lot of it on Houzz and I'm always grateful for it. I'm the type of person who researches (and maybe over-researches) every decision. It takes longer but I have fewer regrets. If there was no difference between water heaters (which you seem to be implying) then one would just buy the cheapest one with the fanciest marketing materials. But no. What makes a good water heater is a combination of specs, reliability and a company that is responsive to warranty issues (not all readily honor their warranties). I suppose this isn't a question any homeowner can authoritatively answer because they only have anecdotal evidence with a tiny sample size. I was hoping some pros who regularly service and install these could opine on the Bradford White vs Others question. BTW Home Depot has 8 residential gas tank water heaters 75-85 gallons on their website. At least one is in stock in a local store (maybe more, I only checked the closest store) and three others are available for same-day delivery. I'm sure the same can be said of Lowe's and I bet local plumbers can supply them on short notice as well. They aren't nearly as rare as you think....See Morekevinande
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agokaseki
3 years agogirl_wonder
3 years agokaseki
3 years agoStax
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agogirl_wonder
3 years agogirl_wonder
3 years agoStax
3 years agokaseki
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoCindy B
2 years agokudzu9
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agokevinande
2 years agokudzu9
2 years agogirl_wonder
2 years agoMarc
last yearlast modified: last yearJake The Wonderdog
last yeargirl_wonder
last yearkaseki
last yeargirl_wonder
last yeargirl_wonder
last yearj m
8 months agoHU-975008282
7 months agoJake The Wonderdog
7 months agolast modified: 7 months agoScott
2 months agoRuben C
2 months agoScott
2 months agolast modified: 2 months ago
Related Stories
GREAT HOME PROJECTSHow to Switch to a Tankless Water Heater
New project for a new year: Swap your conventional heater for an energy-saving model — and don’t be fooled by misinformation
Full StoryGREAT HOME PROJECTSHow to Add a Solar Water Heater
Lower energy bills without a major renovation by putting the sun to work heating your home’s water
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGN10 Bathroom Design Features Pros Always Recommend
Use these cherished design elements and you’re almost guaranteed to end up with a bathroom you love
Full StorySUMMER GARDENINGHow to Water and Refresh Your Potted Plants Over the Summer
Keep container gardens looking lush by cooling them down when temperatures rise and by giving them a seasonal spruce-up
Full StoryFLOORSFloors Warm Up to Radiant Heat
Toasty toes and money saved are just two benefits of radiant heat under your concrete, wood or tile floors
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGNWater Damage Spawns a Space-Saving Bathroom Remodel
A game of inches saved this small New York City bathroom from becoming too cramped and limited
Full StoryDISASTER PREP & RECOVERYRemodeling After Water Damage: Tips From a Homeowner Who Did It
Learn the crucial steps and coping mechanisms that can help when flooding strikes your home
Full StoryGREEN BUILDINGLet’s Clear Up Some Confusion About Solar Panels
Different panel types do different things. If you want solar energy for your home, get the basics here first
Full StoryDIY PROJECTSLight Up Your Night With an Easy Outdoor Table Lamp
Hit up Goodwill and the hardware store to make this lamp for a deck or poolside patio in minutes
Full StoryGREEN BUILDINGWater Sense for Big Savings
Keep dollars in your pocket and preserve a precious resource with these easy DIY strategies
Full Story
jwvideo