which water heater

[mallorcaben]

Hi,
I'm looking for some advice.
I live in a one bedroom flat with my wife. We have no kids.
I am looking to change my current water heater.
I have a 30 litre tank electric heater at the moment but it costs a lot to run.
What I would like is an instant heat electric water heater.
I have a bath and a shower and 2 sinks.
Just to give some background, I live in Mallorca, Spain. We don't have natural gas pipes here so it has to be electric and I don't have central heating.
I want to be able to run a bath easily and also have enough power for a shower.
many thanks

 

[JohnD]

If you want to be able to run a bath, then an instant heater will not do the job unless you have industrial-sized electric power supply.

You don't say but I will guess you. have a high-pressure water system with no storage tank. In the UK a Megaflo or similar with one or two immersion heaters would be suitable. You will have to find out what is acceptable and usual in your own country. A UK website is not the best place to ask.

 

[mallorcaben]

Hi,
I have a storage tank type meter now but this is not what I want.
I had an instant heat one back in the 80's but I'm guessing they have come on a lot since!
I ran baths fine with that one back then, it also ran the central heating too.
I was guessing it would have to be quite a powerful unit.
I wanted advice on size, power ratings, makes etc
I really want to do away with a water storage tank.

 

[JohnD]

A typical UK gas combi boiler has a power output of 30kW to 35kW. This is enough to heat a good shower and fill a bath rather slowly.

If you want an instant water heater to deliver that amount of hot water, it will need the same power. That would need about a 150 Amp power supply. It cannot be done in an ordinary UK house and I will be amazed if it can be done in your flat.

For reference, a typical UK instant electric shower has an output in the region of 10kW. It provides a weak shower and you would grow old waiting for it to fill a bath.

You need a hot water storage system.