Suggestions for On Demand Elect. Hot Water Heater

I would appreciate any suggestions on which hot water heater I should purchase for my outbuilding. The building is located approximately 110 feet from the main house. I will be supply water to the outbuilding using the black direct burial tubing, sizing 1 inch. I will have a small powder room, (toilet and vanity sink) and just outside of this room I will have a laundry type tub. Instead of putting in a water holding electric hot water heater I was thinking about a small electric "insta-hot" type on demand heater. I will only need hot water when washing my hands after using the toilet and then when I'm using the laundry sink. Why I don't want a water holding tank is I don't want to heat water 24/7 when I may only go out to work in the garage a day here or there or perhaps not for a week at a time. Of course this varies. I don't need to worry about freezing. Any and all suggestions/comments, etc. would be appreciated. [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] If it wuz me, I would simply install a small conventional water heater and let it go at that. The small, under-sink ones can easily be encapsulated in multiple layers of blanket insulation, and that can reduce the heat losses to near-insignificance. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] I know that there ARE some small demand-type heaters out there; and they have been used in Europe for at least half a century, but I have no idea which brands are the best. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] Oh, and one more thing.... Just last week I bought a new water heater for our kids' house, and the store clerk was quick to tell me that what I was buying was not a HOT water heater, but a WATER HEATER. "After all." he explained, "Why would you want to heat HOT water?" [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]

Hello Stan, Well I first thought about puttin water heater on Timer but if YOU only would be using it as you say, JUST PUT IT ON A SWITCH &amp; when YOU first go into the outbuilding Just turn on the switch! Will save on 24/7 &amp; would probably be heated up by the time you need it! There are also tankless water heaters($$) &amp; small sink model hot water despensers that would let you wash U'r hands with warm water! Those are the types that heat water for hot cocoa,etc ! Have not used one &amp; only seen them in hardware stores! <font color="blue"> </font color>

Thanks guys for your advice. I'll have to continue to do some research to see what I'll do. And CJ you are correct I will be looking for a "water heater"!!! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Stanley,
Can't say much about ELECTRIC Tankless but I just put in a couple of Natural Gas units in a horse barn. (See my recent post). One was in the wash stall, other was for a bathroom (sink only) that also supplied a laundry tub and clothes washer. Used the same model in both areas (Rheem RTG42). At 4.2 GPM, it provides plenty of continuous hot water for the mentioned needs. Sounds like your needs may be even less.

Considered ELECTRIC but we already had the NG in both areas and couldn't afford to give up the circuits in a maxed out panel for the size we wanted. Do you have Propane available? Do you have adequate power run to the outbuilding? I looked at one Electric model that would have required around 150 amps at 240v, if I recall correctly. [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Also, sounds like you live in a liberally zoned area. Here in a lot of zoned Michigan communities, an "outbuilding" at a residence CANNOT be constructed with any sanitary facilities. [img]/forums/images/icons/mad.gif[/img]

thanks for your help. I'll keep checking. I have propane but right now won't connect to the Morton building. Will have a small bathroom and sanitary tub but won't get a permit. Will have a plumber connect everything properly and pay him under the table.