In this post, we discuss a complete detail how does tankless water heater work. Plenty of hot water supply in the winter season is essential for civilized life.
A tankless water heater is an innovative invention other than conventional tank water heaters. Poor performance, heavy utility bills, heavyweight, and more space occupation are the heater cons and convince users to think of advanced electric or gas tankless heater modules.
It’s simple, easy, and recommended to know the prerequisite of a tankless heater and, similarly, working principles before investing hundreds of dollars.
Here is important to know how a tankless water heater works before deciding to go for a tankless unit. It is a noticeable point that electric and gas heaters have different working principles for rising water temperature due to different internal circuitry and fuel types.
Our researchers worked on the available unit in the lab to find out working behavior and list all necessary findings.
- How Do Electric Tankless Water Heaters Work- A Detailed View
- Prerequisite Information On How Electric Tankless Heaters Operate
- Working Process of Electric Tankless Water Heater
- How Do Gas Tankless Water Heaters Work- A Detailed View
- Prerequisite Information Of Gas Tankless Heater Operation
- Working Process of Gas Tankless Water Heater
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final View
How Do Electric Tankless Water Heaters Work- A Detailed View
Surprisingly, electric tankless units are widely used in homes due to their higher efficiency and reliability. Electric fuel consumption is a bit costly as compared with natural gas. Still, small homes prefer to go with electric units for minimum utilization and energy efficiency due to self-modulation technology.
Prerequisite Information On How Electric Tankless Heaters Operate
A higher amount of amperes are required for electric heaters to make sure the hot water supply. Minimum from 120 Amp to 160 Amp may need for electric heaters, and this is a much larger amount for small homes and apartments with total 200-ampere limitations.
If a heater uses 160 Amp during the running period, only 40 amperes will be left for the whole house and is not enough to run the remaining appliances. It is recommended to check the total house load and heater load before buying a unit.
Secondly, Inlet water temperature information is also necessary for home consumers to get an idea of the required heating unit to get maximum efficiency in flow rate. Each region has different groundwater temperatures in both summer and winter climates.
Thirdly, water type is also another but the most important factor for electric heater unit. Most of the heaters may corrode due to heavy mineral water. It requires the annual maintenance of a heating exchanger and is not too costly for heater lasting.
Working Process of Electric Tankless Water Heater
Electric heaters are autonomous and switched on themselves when any faucet tap is opened for use. This activity is sensed by the flow sensor and ready the whole system to start heating water. The flow sensor triggers three electronic Triac switches for the provision of electric supply to the heat exchanger. Remember, the number of Triac switches may vary in counting, but each heat exchanger always has one Traic by all means to activate heating elements.
There is a thermostat installed after Triac switches in the water line to check the inlet water temperature. It is the most important thermostat to initiate self-modulation technology.
Now water goes through the heat exchanger in which each heat exchanger has its heating element activated by Triac switches. All heat exchangers are connected in series, and water runs through all serially with rising in temperature to a set point.
In the end, another thermostat is fixed near the outlet to check the exit water temperature. It is again helpful for modulation to adjust the amount of inlet water, amperes, and flow rate to give precise output.
The below YouTube video will help you understand the detailed working scenario of the tankless water heater in a short time with animation.
Finally, hot heater water exits the unit for daily purpose use from the washing machine to the hot shower head, and similarly to the under the sink, laundry room, and outdoor lawn for impressive experience in cold climate conditions.
For a clear process, you can watch this video about the working of an electric tankless water heater:
How Do Gas Tankless Water Heaters Work- A Detailed View
Propane and natural gas heaters have almost the same working technology except for fuel differences. Gas units are also the most reliable and cheap as compared with electric tankless heaters. They also offer higher GPM value and are suitable for even commercial purposes as well with cheap utility bills.
Prerequisite Information Of Gas Tankless Heater Operation
It also has some prerequisites before going into water heating operation. Enough water pressure reading measurement is a mandatory check before the installation of the gas unit. Remember, a gas heater ignites a heating chamber with a certain PSI of pressure rated by each heater unit.
Similarly, most gas units require proper direct venting-out solutions before the final operation begins. It is the most important and mandatory step before turning out the gas unit.
Water chemistry is a big annoying factor in heaters, and it’s mandatory to check water PH and type before the final operation begins.
One more consideration is to install these small units near the faucet and tap that are used most often to avoid less time wasted waiting for hot water to the taps and free you from water heater lifter needs.
Working Process of Gas Tankless Water Heater
Change in water pressure observed by flow sensor of gas heaters turns on heating chamber burners instantaneously. Ignition happens only when anyone desires to use hot water and turn it open anywhere in the home.
Similarly, the moment you shut off the hot water tap, anywhere in the home will switch off the propane or natural gas burner.
There are industrial-grade copper heater chambers installed above gas burners to raise the water temperature running through the exchangers. The chambers also have a thermostat sensor to monitor water temperature before exiting the unit.
Remember, most gas heaters have safety sensors like overheating, flame precautions, and antifreeze gadgets to keep them safe from wost conditions.
These advanced computer control sensors maintain the unit in various worst emergency conditions. Keep in mind; gas heaters are not equipped with self-modulating, but they are still good enough to maintain energy efficiency with the help of Ultra-Low NOx Condensing tankless heater technology.
Similarly, propane tankless gas water heater also has the same working phenomenon as natural gas. Conventional tank heaters turn on and off the whole day to maintain tank water temperature all the time and cause a lot of heat loss called standby heat energy loss.
Responsive and fast behavior on demand of hot water makes it energy-efficient other than a tank heater.
It is far better to use a tankless water heater than a traditional tank heater due to numerous factors like energy consumption, size and space, safety precautions, portability in an RV, and workflow rate.
For clear information about the working of gas tankless water heaters, watch this detailed video:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you run out of hot water with a tankless water heater?
Although a tankless water heater doesn’t have a tank to store water. But it never runs out of hot water because it provides hot water when you need it and when you turned it on.
How can I make my tankless water heater heat up faster?
By recirculating a pump you can make your tankless water heater heat up quickly.
Why is the shower not getting hot?
It is because your mixing valve is not working and it needs to repair.
How long does it take for a tankless water heater to heat up?
A tankless water heater needs 15 seconds to hear up water. On the other hand, it depends on your hot water demand as well. If you need more hot water then allow it to run for a long time.
Final View
Above is complete detail on how does tankless water heater works. We mentioned both an electric tankless water heater and a gas tankless water heater. Although there are further types of gas and electric heaters the working process is the same as we mentioned above.
It is important to know the working of a tankless water heater for every heater owner so that they can handle it in case of any emergency. Moreover, it helps to cope with different conditions when you don’t have a professional or a plumber near you.
