Off grid hot water heater

[brancher147]

I have a cabin I help take care of that needs a new hot water heater. The cabin has no electric, everything runs on propane. I started looking for a new water heater after my 30 year old 40 gallon tank one died. I was quickly overwhelmed with all the new tankless heaters I didn’t even know existed. And could not find anything, tank or tankless, that truly did not need electricity. A lot of the tankless ones need batteries at least. I would prefer something completely without need for electricity like the one I had. I don’t really care about efficiency or tank vs tankless I just want something that doesn’t need electricity and can handle a full size cabin that sleeps 12. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[ozyclint]

In my kitchen I have a wood slow combustion stove. It heats water via a heat exchanging water tank at the back of the fire box. This thermosyphons with a hot water storage tank which is gravity fed from a water tank on a hill behind the house. This provides plenty of hot water for a family of 5.
It heats my kitchen and dining area, heats water and has a stove top and oven for cooking.

While my house is on grid, my stove provides all this from firewood I cut from my own property.

 

[Speaks]

My cabin only gets electricity from a generator that I only run when there. My hot water heater runs all the time 8 months a year with no issue. I dont recall the brand but it was from a big box home improvement store and not hard to find.

A propane refrigerator was more difficult and expensive but sure is nice.

The dumbest thing I could not find was a range and oven that does not require electricity. Range top works of course if lit with a match but you cant buy an oven anymore that can be lit that way, they all need to be plugged in and will also kill the gas if they loose power.

If your still stuck when I go up there next in a couple weeks I will check what brand and model I have. It is a tank one not tankless.

 

[brancher147]

My cabin only gets electricity from a generator that I only run when there. My hot water heater runs all the time 8 months a year with no issue. I dont recall the brand but it was from a big box home improvement store and not hard to find.

A propane refrigerator was more difficult and expensive but sure is nice.

The dumbest thing I could not find was a range and oven that does not require electricity. Range top works of course if lit with a match but you cant buy an oven anymore that can be lit that way, they all need to be plugged in and will also kill the gas if they loose power.

If your still stuck when I go up there next in a couple weeks I will check what brand and model I have. It is a tank one not tankless.

Yeah sounds like I have about the same setup. Propane fridge wasn’t hard to find for me-it came special order from a big box store. My propane stove/oven is probably 30-40 years old and still kicking…I dread the day I have to replace it. Maybe I just have to go to a Lowe’s or something and look around for a water heater but looking online I didn’t see one that had no electricity requirements. I would be interested in the brand/store where you got yours when you get up there next as I will likely still be looking. Thanks

 

[Weldor]

Look up parabolic mirrors, I had a stand alone Hot water system. 2 stainless 40 gallon tanks in coffin's that had the mirrors on the bottom of them and a Lexan top. I bought it in the early 80's for a solar credit (HaHa). Two tanks up on the roof provided all the hot water I needed. We do have alot of Sun down here in AZ.

 

[survivalistd]

Everything on propane.

 

[Titan]

How do you pump the water? The tankless just needs a small amount of power. You could get a deep cycle with a small solar maintainer. Power stations have also come way down - $300-400 for 1000wh or more.

 

[Hunter26]

The one thing to consider and maybe this doesn't affect you because our water quality might be different but for us to run a tankless and not have it crap out on you within a couple years you need to have soft water.

 

[Beendare]

How do you pump the water? The tankless just needs a small amount of power. You could get a deep cycle with a small solar maintainer. Power stations have also come way down - $300-400 for 1000wh or more.

That's what I was wondering.

I have a little camp trailer I set up with 12v on demand pump and a hot shower. 4 solar panels charge a 100ah battery and I never run out of electric. With the 12v pump, you don't need a fancy system with inverters.....just panels, a charge controller and battery- easy

MY SHOWER

 

[EP357]

Tankless is definitely the way to go if winterizing is a concern

 

[GSPHUNTER]

As far as I know all tankless ones require 120Volt power to operate.

 

[EP357]

Look at some of the camping specific options, camplux or eccotemp. They make small models that I am pretty sure use a battery to ignite

 

[OneMore]

Tankless on my cabin runs everything perfectly. Easy to drain when you leave in the winter. But needs a small amount of power.

 

[wowzers]

I use an Ecotemp L10 in my house which is offgrid. It uses D batteries for the ignition. I'm not sure I have ever changed them in the eight plus years I have been using it.

L10 3.0 GPM Portable Outdoor Tankless Water Heater

Best Portable Water Heater. Eccotemp L10 3.0 GPM Portable Water Heater. Unlimited hot water for outdoor showers, camping, equestrian, off-grid & more.

www.eccotemp.com

 

[Speaks]

Yeah sounds like I have about the same setup. Propane fridge wasn’t hard to find for me-it came special order from a big box store. My propane stove/oven is probably 30-40 years old and still kicking…I dread the day I have to replace it. Maybe I just have to go to a Lowe’s or something and look around for a water heater but looking online I didn’t see one that had no electricity requirements. I would be interested in the brand/store where you got yours when you get up there next as I will likely still be looking. Thanks

Yea I will check for sure. I know we got it at Menards - though they are more regional than a Lowes or Home Depot so not sure if you have those where you are.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

We use a small 12v RV style pump with a tiny lifepo04 battery and solar panel and our water heater is the tankless propane with the D batteries. The battery is only for the ignitor and in our case rusts/corrodes out before running out of battery, all it does is ignite the propane. Works great even for the guests who take 20 minute showers from our rain water collection.

 

[rvalleyp]

Why do you need to heat hot water?

 

[BLJ]

I use an Ecotemp L10 in my house which is offgrid. It uses D batteries for the ignition. I'm not sure I have ever changed them in the eight plus years I have been using it.

L10 3.0 GPM Portable Outdoor Tankless Water Heater

Best Portable Water Heater. Eccotemp L10 3.0 GPM Portable Water Heater. Unlimited hot water for outdoor showers, camping, equestrian, off-grid & more.

www.eccotemp.com

Interested in your experience and opinion of this.
I’m going to build a camper next year and I’m looking for options.
PM works when you get the time. Thanks.

 

[Rich M]

They make propane hot water heaters - lots of mfrs. my cuz has one for hot showers, he likes it.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Be like a lot of the ranches Mexico; just keep your old water heater and build a fire under it when you want hot water.