The ebike gods have smiled on me — the water heater gods, yes and no.

[Jeremy McCreary]

Our water heater sprang a slow leak this morning and will be replaced with a new high-efficiency tankless model tomorrow to the tune of $9K.

Wife happened to notice the small stream of leak water on the garage floor — probably right after it started. So we got a partial break from the water heater gods there.

But the real break came from the ebike gods, who had slipped in my wonderful new yellow Vado SL (center) just 2 months earlier. Rest assured that if the new water heater had come first, there would be no SL in the garage.

This was also a warning shot across my bow: Stupidly, I left the SL's charger on the floor 8 ft away after using it 2 nights ago. Luckily, it's on a count-down timer and was no longer powered up. And even luckier, the small steam of leak water decided to go in a different direction. Not sure which gods to thank for that.

With 3 ebike batteries and 2 car gas tanks not far away, an electrical fire started by the charger could have turned out very, very badly. Yes, pure water's not all that conductive. But the leak water was more conductive than usual due to some rust-colored contaminant from the water heater and some residual KCl from the water softener.

The moral of the story: Expect the unexpected and run your ebike operation accordingly.

ADDENDUM: The tankless replacement frees up a lot of precious garage space but still puts out nearly twice the max expected hot water demand for a house like ours with a kitchen, laundry, and 2½ baths.

 

[Extreme1]

When you get rid of that tanked water heater, there’s room for another bike.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

When you get rid of that tanked water heater, there’s room for another bike.

You know, you're right! Can't wait to tell my wife!

 

[PCeBiker]

,.. a new high-efficiency tankless model tomorrow to the tune of $9K.

They're fifty bucks on Amazon.

 

[6zfshdb]

Our water heater sprang a slow leak this morning and will be replaced with a new high-efficiency tankless model tomorrow to the tune of $9K.

View attachment 185936
Wife happened to notice the small stream of leak water on the garage floor — probably right after it started. So we got a partial break from the water heater gods there.

View attachment 185937
But the real break came from the ebike gods, who had slipped in my wonderful new yellow Vado SL (center) just 2 months earlier. Rest assured that if the new water heater had come first, there would be no SL in the garage.

This was also a warning shot across my bow: Stupidly, I left the SL's charger on the floor 8 ft away after using it 2 nights ago. Luckily, it's on a count-down timer and was no longer powered up. And even luckier, the small steam of leak water decided to go in a different direction. Not sure which gods to thank for that.

With 3 ebike batteries and 2 car gas tanks not far away, an electrical fire started by the charger could have turned out very, very badly. Yes, pure water's not all that conductive. But the leak water was more conductive than usual due to some rust-colored contaminant from the water heater and some residual KCl from the water softener.

The moral of the story: Expect the unexpected and run your ebike operation accordingly.

Yeah, tank type water heaters are an accident waiting to happen.

I converted from a tankless coil oil burner system to a heat pump tank unit last year. That way, I don't have to run the oil burner year round. I know it's only a matter of time before it springs a leak, so I use one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JOK11K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also have them under the sinks, dishwasher and water filter system. Reliable, self contained unit with a 9V battery that lasts for a year or two. They've saved my bacon twice in the 20+ years I've been using them.

 

[Extreme1]

You know, you're right! Can't wait to tell my wife!

Let me know what her answer is lol.

We’ve got 5 e-bikes and a regular tandem, it’s a sickness. Now I just got my Creo, my wife wants one too.

 

[Chargeride]

Ive fitted loads of those boiling water taps, 1600 quid a go and about 25 O rings on pushfit water connectors waiting to drip.

I close my eyes when I turn the water back on.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

They're fifty bucks on Amazon.



View attachment 185966


View attachment 185967



View attachment 185970

We always have a hot water dispenser in the kitchen and sometimes one in the master bath for cleaning medical equipment.

Not a whole-house solution, though. And no way I'd trust the cheap ones you showed.

 

[mschwett]

our previous garage /parking space had a bit of a drainage issue - it was adjacent to the ramp down into the basement level, and sufficient water on the sidewalk would trickle in and make its way diagonally across the back of the space to A local low point. of course it doesn’t rain for 7-9 months at a time, so I’d forget.

after one rainy night I went to the garage to find that the charging lead from our scooter charger (similar design to a non-smart bike charger) was lying in a pool of water. the area around the lead had concentric rings of calcification or some sort of mineral buildup, and the charger had that burnt smellof electronics from which all the electrons have escaped. sloppy work on my part, and although the new garage slopes up, it’s also not type-I construction so I’m somewhat more careful now.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Sounds like a close call!

After the water heater installers left today, I reconfigured my charging station to keep all electricals involved off the garage floor at all times. The station and all 3 ebikes will still live 4-12 ft from the new gas-fired tankless water heater (which has only a 1-gallon reservoir). But I literally have nowhere else to keep them.

Oh wait, I could get them 20 ft away if we put my wife's car out on the street. I'm sure she'll be happy to help!
;^}

 

[PCeBiker]

And no way I'd trust the cheap ones you showed.

I buy a lot of cheap crap, and do a lot of dumb s*it, but I wouldn't do it either.

Here's another fun example,..

I don't mind throwing something in the trash if it turn out to be crap, but if it's gonna flood and burn down my house after it electrocutes me, then I'm gunna buy something better.

 

[kevinmccune]

Sounds like a close call!

After the water heater installers left today, I reconfigured my charging station to keep all electricals involved off the garage floor at all times. The station and all 3 ebikes will still live 4-12 ft from the new gas-fired tankless water heater (which has only a 1-gallon reservoir). But I literally have nowhere else to keep them.

Oh wait, I could get them 20 ft away if we put my wife's car out on the street. I'm sure she'll be happy to help!
;^}

do you think you will ever break even? draining the old tank heater s and replacing the anode will keep one going a long time,we have a ( not top brand in moms house that's almost 40 years old(no leaks yet) from the reseach I hrave done it seems the tankless heaters are a scam.

 

[6zfshdb]

I doubt I'll ever break even with my heat pump hot water heater. It cost 3 times that of a conventional model and has just a 10 year warranty. It does use less than a third the power though. I bought it 2 years ago when our electric rates spiked, thinking there would be a savings. The rates have since come down considerably thus wiping out that idea.

 

[il Munduato]

Everybody has to eat... but yeah 9k for a water heater is criminal considering they use much of the same materials and don't cost that much more if any to manufacturer. You're paying more than a premium for the efficiency factor. I try to buy as efficient as possible but often it doesn't make financial sense. Big part of the problem with trying to reduce consumption in general.
I can't tell you how many expensive 20,000 hour LED bulbs I've thrown away that didn't even last much more than a year.