Bosch Tankless Water Heater Reviews

Occasionally our customers tell us that they are ready to make their Bosch tankless water heater purchase but they have a question about comments or reviews they have read on the internet. We too have read these reviews and so has Bosch.

Many of the online reviews are quite positive and this is consistent with the feedback we get from most of our Bosch tankless water heater customers. Some online reviews are negative and we have talked through these issues directly with Bosch.

Of the negative Bosch tankless water heater reviews that are posted on the internet most of these customers are do-it-yourself (DIY) customers who have not installed the product per the instructions in the installation manual!

The two most common mistakes made during the installation of a tankless water heater have to do with either the venting or the gas line (natural gas or liquid propane).

The installation manual for each Bosch tankless water heater specified the venting material that must be used to properly vent the gas tankless water heater. Read these instructions and follow them closely. The instructions must be followed in order to have your tankless hot water heater work properly, to maintain your warranty and to protect the health and safety of you and your family.

As for the gas line, this is probably the single-most common reason that customers do not get the proper performance out of their tankless water heater! Many older tank model heaters can get away with small diameter gas lines because they have a lower BTU/hr input. Remember that tank style heaters use a smaller amount of propane at a time, but they are going on and off all day long. Tankless water heaters use a larger amount of gas at once but they are only on when you demand hot water.

The properties of running natural gas or propane through a pipe are well known and well documented. They are not specific to the manufacturer of the tankless water heater. But, you must carefully size your gas line to ensure that it can provide the maximum BTU/hr input of your tankless water heater. Additionally, you must ensure that your gas line is properly sized to provide for running your furnace or other gas products at the same time as your tankless water heater is running.

The proper tool for measuring gas pressure is a manometer. Make sure that you or your installer have a manometer at the time of installation. This will save you from having to bring your installer back later!

When customers undersize their gas lines their tankless water heater will either under-perform or not work at all. Most of the negative customer postings on the internet are actually from home owners who simply did not provide enough gas pressure to their heater.

Unfortunately, many customers purchase their tankless water heaters from sources that are truly not qualified to sell the products and are unable to provide their customers with this key information on venting and gas line sizing. Always purchase your tankless water heater from an Authorized Distributor.

GlobalTowne is an Authorized Bosch Distributor and we have extensive training from Bosch on the proper installation of their line of tankless water heaters.

As always, make sure that you properly maintain your water heater. Clean out the water filter once a year and descale your tankless water heater yearly, especially if you have hard water.

If you need help determining the proper venting for your tankless water heater or if you need assistance sizing your gas line, please give us a call at 888.726.9752.

Steve

TSTAT2 Wireless Remote Control for Bosch Tankless Heaters

The TSTAT2 Wireless Remote Control provides remote temperature control of your Bosch tankless water heater.

It will work with the Bosch AquaStar 2700ES and 2400ES tankless water heaters.

It will also work with the following obsolete Bosch AquaStar models: Bosch 250SX / 250SXO / 2400E / 2400EO.

The TSTAT2 also works with the following Bosch Therm models: 830ES / 940ES / 940ESO / C 1050ES / C 1210ES / C1210ESC.

And it works with the following obsolete Bosch wholesale tankless water heaters: 635ES / 635ESO / 715ES / 800ES / 920ES / 920ESC.

The TSTAT2 Wireless Remote Control is designed to remotely control just the temperature of your Bosch tankless water heater. It does not have a reset button.

Installation is quick and easy. It just requires opening up the control panel, dropping in a small circuit board and connecting the circuit board to the control panel mother board with a short connector wire. The installation manual describes the process of getting your TSTAT2 to sync with your Bosch hot water heater.

Multiple TSTAT2 wireless remotes can be sync'ed with the same Bosch water heater. Temperature control cannot be adjusted while the water heater is in use for safety reasons.

The Bosch wireless remote is great for controlling the output temperature of your tankless water heater if you have a jacuzzi or hot tub. It can also be handy if you want to crank up the water temperature when running certain appliances, such as your dishwasher.

Generally speaking, you want to set your water temperature at the lowest level that will provide you with hot enough water for your shower. The lower the water temperature, the faster the water flows through your Bosch tankless water heater. The faster the water flows through the heater, the less likely that you will experience any on/off cycles if your application flow rate is too near the minimum activation rate of your hot water heater.

Also, why heat up water too hot to use and then have to cool it down seconds later because it is too hot? Lowering the temperature will save you money. Having precise digital remote control of your Bosch tankless water heater's output temperature will allow you to minimize your natural gas or liquid propane consumption - and save you money! Plus , it's fun....

Steve

BTUs per 1 gallon of Liquid Propane Gas

There are 91,000 BTUs (British Thermal Units) per each gallon of Liquid Propane (LP) gas.

Depending on which model gas tankless water heater you have that is running off LP gas you could get a close estimate on the amount of LP gas that would be consumed on a daily basis.

For example:
If you had a Bosch 1000P LP gas tankless water heater that has a maximum potential to deliver 74,900 BTUs at its highest fire you could calculate the usage of gallons per minute (GPMs) versus the BTU usage at that rate of burn and get the amount of time it would take to use 1 gallon of LP gas.

Say you run the 1000P LP gas tankless water heater 1 time a day just for a shower. The shower flows exactly 2 GPMs so the tankless water heater would be running at about 74,000 BTUs during this time and then figure on an average you stay in the shower for 10 minutes total time so overall you would burn about 1 gallon of LP gas for every 7-8 showers.

These calculations would vary depending on consistent flow and water pressure, length of time the water is running, the temperature outside will have an effect on the tank and gas pressure and also what BTU the heater is running at that time.

Basically this is an estimate for calculating usage of LP gas with a gas tankless water heater. This data is for example only and will hold no bearing on any Bosch tankless water heater as they all vary in BTU usage.

Descaling Powerstar AE-115 & AE-125

The electric tankless water heaters, Powerstar models AE115 and AE125 are high kilowatt electric tankless heaters that heat water on demand as the water passes through them. The modules inside consist of coiled elements that heat the water. The heating elements produce extreme heat inside the modules to heat the water on demand.

The heat that is produced by the heating elements in the modules sometimes counteracts with the mineral deposits in the water. If there is a high mineral content due to a hard water area then these mineral deposits known as "scale deposits" will over time attach themselves to the heating coils inside the modules.

All Bosch Powerstar electric tankless water heaters should never be descaled with any type of solution such as vinegar, muriatic acid, etc. The use of descalants flushed through the heater does not have much effect on the mineral deposits attached to the elements. Another point of trying to flush descalant through an electric tankless heater is that it will loosen some of the mineral deposits in the heater and will have a damaging effect on the flow transducer and other parts inside the tankless heater that detects the flow of water and will interrupt the signal to the circuit board itself.

The best protection against mineral deposits (scale) forming on the coils in the electric tankless heater is to check the quality of the water in your area before installing and if the water has a high mineral content then it is recommended to install a water softener or scale stopper system. The water softener or scale stopper will filter out almost all of the minerals and treat the water so the electric tankless water heater will have a longer life with less minerals building up inside.

Christmas Promotion on Tankless Water Heaters

GlobalTowne.com is offering a 10% promotion on Christmas Day on everything we sell! Plus you can get free ground shipping in the Continental US on all orders over $99.94.

We are open Christmas Day. Call us at 888.726.9752.

Get 10% off all Bosch Tankless Water Heaters, Z-Flex stainless steel vent pipe, Virgo whole-house water filtration and conditioning systems, Sentinel Hydrosolutions leak defense systems and more.

This one day sale ends at midnight ET on December 25, 2010. This is our last big sale of the year and it is your last chance to take advantage of the 30% Federal Tax Credit that expires December 31, 2010. Get 30% off the cost of a new heater and the installation costs if you purchase a Bosch 2700ES or 2400ES tankless water heater.

Steve

PowerStream and PowerStar Catalog Numbers

Do you have an old PowerStream or PowerStream Pro or PowerStar electric whole-house tankless water heater or electric point-of-use tankless water heater and need to replace it? Only have the Catalog number?

Call us at 888.726.9752 and we can translate this catalog number into the current replacement model number.

Old catalog numbers include:

Powerstar 45550301 or 45-550301

Powerstar 45551301 or 45-551301

Powerstream 45793214 or 45-793214

Powerstream 45793219 or 45-793219

Powerstream 45793217 or 45-793217

Powerstream 45793238 or 45-793238

Powerstream 45793207 or 45-793207

Powerstream 45596702 or 45-596702

Powerstream 45793228 or 45-793228

Powerstream Pro 45550302 or 45-550302

Powerstream Pro 45551702 or 45-551702

Powerstream Pro 45551302 or 45-551302

Powerstream Pro 45557702 or 45-557702

Powerstream Pro 45553701 or 45-553701

Powerstream Pro 45553702 or 45-553702

Powerstream Pro 45553703 or 45-553703

Powerstream Pro 45553704 or 45-553704

Powerstream Pro 45553705 or 45-553705

Powerstream Pro 45553710 or 45-553710

Powerstar 45550301 or 45-550301

Powerstar 45551701 or 45-551701

Powerstar 45551301 or 45-551301

Powerstar 45557701 or 45-557701

Powerstar 45552701 or 45-552701

Powerstar 45552703 or 45-552703

Powerstar 45552704 or 45-552704

Powerstar 45552710 or 45-552710

We stock all of these units.

Steve

Tankless Water Heater Federal Tax Credit Ends Dec 31st

The 30% Federal Tax Credit for Tankless Water Heaters Ends December 31, 2010. Our government is offering you 30% off the parts AND installation costs for putting in a new high efficiency tankless water heater by the end of this year.

The Bosch AquaStar 2700ES and 2400ES tankless water heaters qualify for this Federal Tax Credit.

Act now before it's too late! http://conta.cc/gx25cK

Steve

GlobalTowne is Now on Twitter

Follow GlobalTowne on Twitter for the latest updates and special promotional offers.

Cyber Monday Tankless Water Heater Sale Coupon Code

Today is Cyber Monday and GlobalTowne.com is offering a very special one-day savings coupon.

Use Promotional Code CYBERMONDAY for a 10% savings off of our regular low prices. Please note that some of our products have already been reduced by the 10% to illustrate the savings!

This 10% off promotion is good on all of our products including, Bosch tankless water heaters, Z-Flex stainless steel vent pipe, Humphrey gas light accessories, Chilipepper CP6000 recirculating pumps, Sentinal Hydrosolution leak defense systems, Virgo whole house water conditioning and filtration systems and Danfoss electric floor heating. Also included in this promotional sale our the Stiebel Eltron electric tankless water heaters and Precision Temp RV500 and Showermate tankless water heaters.

Today is the day to get great savings! Sale ends Midnight ET on 11/29/2010. Sorry, but today's promotional pricing is not available for purchases made either prior to the 29th or after the 29th.

Just enter the CYBERMONDAY Promotional Code at checkout or mention the code when you call us at 888.726.9752.

Steve

PCB Control Boards for Powerstar AE-115 & AE-125

The PCB control board (Printed Circuit Board) is a thermostatically controlled circuit board that allows the electric tankless water heater, model AE115 & AE125 to be manually controlled by a temperature dial that would range in temperature from 86-131 degrees. The PCB in conjunction with a flow transducer enables the PCB to turn on additional elements in the heater as necessary depending on the amount of gallons per minute (gpm) flowing through the heater.

The PCB would recognize many factors in the function of the heater to maintain a steady temperature and all of this is determined on where the temperature knob is set too, the gpm flowing through the heater and the temperature of the incoming ground water.

To obtain the maximum heating potential of the Powerstar electric tankless water heater, it must be wired correctly and have the full required voltage to the unit. The Powerstar AE115 would require 2 independent double pole 40 amp breakers wired with 8 gauge wire and could draw a maximum of 80 amps at full flow through the heater. The Powerstar AE115 would require the home to be supplied with a minimum of a 150 amp service. The Powerstar AE125 would require 3 independent double pole 40 amp breakers wired with 8 gauge wire and could draw a maximum of 120 amps at full flow through the heater. The Powerstar AE125 would require the home to be supplied with a minimum of a 200 amp service.

The maximum inlet water temperature allowed into the heater is 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Powerstar AE-115 & AE-125 have had many upgrades and engineering improvements over the years. In January 2007 the AE-115 & AE-125 went from having copper canisters that contain the heating elements to an upgraded Polymer module. The PCB control board was also upgraded to maintain a more steady temperature that works with the heating elements in the polymer modules.

Below are the designated PCB control board part numbers for the units before and after 2007.

Before 2007 with serial #60A 00000 or lower:
Powerstar AE-115 PCB with copper can units, part #93-793777
Powerstar AE-125 PCB with copper can units, part #93-793778

After 2007 with serial #60A 80000 or higher:
Powerstar AE-115 PCB with polymer units, part #93-793843
Powerstar AE-125 PCB with polymer units, part #93-793844

Thanksgiving Tankless Water Heater Coupon and Promotional Code

GlobalTowne.com is running a one-day Thanksgiving Day Sale on all Tankless Water Heaters and Accessories.

In fact, our Thanksgiving Day Coupon is good for 8% Off Everything We Carry! Just visit our web site at www.globaltowne.com and enter THANKSGIVING as the Promotional Code at the end of the check out process.

Please note that many of our products show crossed-out prices that are already at 8% or even lower than our everyday low prices.

We are open all day to help you with your purchase. Just call us at 888.726.9752.

Steve

Hot Water Guy: A Visit to the Bosch Tankless Water Heater Web Site

Hot Water Guy: A Visit to the Bosch Tankless Water Heater Web Site

Lots of great information is available at the Chilipepper Blog.

Steve

POWERSTAR AE-115 AND AE-125

The Powerstar Electric Tankless Water heaters model Powerstar AE-115 and Powerstar AE-125 are designed for whole house use and would replace a traditional 40 gallon electric tank heater that will provide endless hot water throughout the home. With two powerful and compact models to choose from, AE-115 or AE-125 it will fit just about anywhere and is built to last.

These 2 Powerstar units have specific power requirements as the AE-115 would require the home to have a minimum of a 150 amp service to the home and would require 2 double pole 40 amp breakers wired with #8 gauge wire as the unit can draw up to 80 amps when at full usage. The AE-125 would require the home to have a minimum of a 200 amp service to the home and would require 3 double pole 40 amp breakers wired with #8 gauge wire as the unit can draw up to 120 amps when at full usage. Please view this link for the AE115 and AE125 power requirements:

The Powerstar AE-115 & AE-125 models have had many new upgrades over the years. The biggest upgrade was that the canisters inside the tankless heater used to have copper canisters and then in 2007 they were upgraded to poly tanks that are more durable and would handle expansion and contraction of the heat better and would be less susceptible to mineral buildup.

The Powerstar AE-115 is designed for 1 major application at a time and is recommended for installation in homes that are in the southern regions of the United States as the incoming ground water is warmer giving the heater a higher temperature degree rise.

The Powerstar AE-125 is designed for 1 major application and 1 sink at a time and is recommended for installation in homes that are in the northern region of the United States where the incoming ground water is cooler and this heater will be able to give a higher degree temperature rise.

The Manufacturer of the Powerstar AE-115 & AE-125 require that there must be at least 3-4 feet of copper water piping coming from the units on the hot and cold water side before attaching to any pex piping as this is due to thermal expansion.

The Powerstar AE-115 & AE-125 are both UL & CSA approved.

Sine Wave Inverters for Off-Grid Tankless Installations

For Bosch tankless water heater customers who are off-grid and whose water heaters require a 120VAC connection for the electronic ignition or the power vent, we sometimes get questions about Sine Wave Inverters.

As long as the sine wave is an Uninterupted Power Supply (UPS) at 120VAC constant then the heater should be fine. All of the heaters that require 120VAC should work fine.

If a battery back up system is to provide power to a Bosch tankless water heater in case of a power outage, the back up battery system must be able to produce a pure sine-wave voltage output to the heater. APC (American Power Conversion Corporation) is one of the companies that offer a line of battery back up systems that produce a pure sine-wave voltage called Smart UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply).

The APC Smart UPS 750VA or above (SUA750) will produce a pure sine-wave voltage output that is compatible with the Bosch tankless water heaters.

Here are a few other manufacturers and the model numbers of UPS battery back up systems that produce a pure sine wave voltage output:

• Powerware 5115 (500VA or above)
• Tripp Lite SU1000XL
• Cyberpower PR1500
• Belkin F6C100
• MGE Pulsar EX700RT

Bosch AquaStar 125BO-LP Outdoor Tankless Heaters

The Bosch 125BO-LP Outdoor Tankless Water Heater is hard to get and we have gone several months with none in stock.

This is a heads up that we now have a limited supply of these heaters in stock! Place your orders now for these 117 BTU outdoor single shower tankless water heaters. These Propane and Natural Gas Outdoor tankless water heaters are moving fast!

If you are looking for the Bosch Pro 425HNO-L Outdoor Tankless Water Heater you might want to consider purchasing the 125BO-LP heater as the only difference is that the 425HNO has the hydro ignition system while the 125BO has a pilot light. Otherwise, both units are the same.

Steve

Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mats

Looking for Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mats?

We carry the full line of Danfoss electric floor heating mats. Danfoss LX Electric Floor Heating Mats are safe, reliable and energy efficient. It is a unique system that can save up to 70% on installation time and enhance the comfort of your home or office.

• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 120V 10 sqft (088L3150)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 120V 15 sqft (088L3151)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 120V 20 sqft (088L3152)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 120V 25 sqft (088L3153)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 120V 30 sqft (088L3154)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 120V 35 sqft (088L3155)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 120V 40 sqft (088L3156)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 120V 50 sqft (088L3158)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 120V 60 sqft (088L3160)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 240V 35 sqft (088L3175)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 240V 40 sqft (088L3176)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 240V 50 sqft (088L3177)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 240V 60 sqft (088L3178)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 240V 70 sqft (088L3179)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 240V 80 sqft (088L3180)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 240V 90 sqft (088L3181)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 240V 100 sqft (088L3182)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 240V 110 sqft (088L3183)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 240V 120 sqft (088L3184)
• Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mat, 240V 145 sqft (088L3185)
• Danfoss LX Programmable Thermostat w/Floor Sensor (088L5130)
• Danfoss LX Programmable Thermostat w/Air Sensor and floor limiter (088L5132)

• Danfoss LX NON-Programmable Thermostat w/Floor Sensor (088L5133)

Tankless Water Heaters 4th of July Sale

GlobalTowne is having an 8% off July 4th Sale on everything that we sell through midnight ET Monday, July 5, 2010.

Just use Promotional Code JULY4 at checkout to get the 8% savings off of our everyday low pricing!

We are also offering Free Ground Shipping on orders over $99.94 through midnight ET Monday, July 5, 2010. Free Ground Shipping is only offered to the lower 48 US States.

You can use the JULY4 coupon over the phone -- just remember to mention the coupon code!

Flappers for AQ1 and AQ4 Power Vent Kits

Both the Bosch AQ1 and AQ4 power vent kits now come with the flappers installed from the factory. In the past the flapper came separately and the Installer had to assemble it.

If you need to differentiate between the old and new versions please use the job code on the carton label as follows:

Vent Kit	Old version	New version
AQ1	05110925	09140910
AQ4	07300912	11030908

Steve

Danfoss Electric LX Floor Heating Mats

Danfoss LX Electric Floor Heating is an affordable luxury that brings warmth to life. Under floor warming is a proven technology that’s safe, reliable and energy efficient. Our electric floor heating systems were designed with the installer in mind: pre-applied heating cable, single point connection, self-adhesive backing, quick installation, genuine 10-year warranty.

Danfoss LX Electric Floor Heating Mats are safe, reliable and energy efficient. It is a unique system that can save up to 70% on installation time and enhance the comfort of your home or office.

Floor warming system suitable for tile, wood, stone, and concrete surfaces. Ideal for bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, living areas, and work spaces. Reduces the transmission of dust, allergens and other airborne particulate matter. Silent, efficient heating, lower in cost than that of a forced air system.

This simple fact explains why Danfoss provides a more comfortable warmth than alternative radiator systems. Danfoss floor warming distributes the heat evenly over the whole floor providing a pleasant warmth for your feet, body and head. The wholesome heat surrounding your feet slowly rises, warming your body without ever becoming oppressive.

Typically, floor heating makes it possible to lower the average room temperature by 2º C without affecting the degree of comfort. This means that temperature can be reduced by around 10% - which is both an economic and an environmental advantage.

For renovation and remodeling, the ultra thin electric heat mat can be laid directly in the tile adhesive, enabling you to make a new floor on top of the old one.

Imagine being able to install a warm floor without going through the expense, clean-up, and fuss of having to break up the old floor. Imagine being able to enjoy a complete heating system which take up less than 1/8" of floor height.

The Danfoss mat also can be installed as a new floor in kitchens, bathrooms and mud rooms. It it is placed directly in the tile mud on the sub floor. It is rated for “wet” indoor installations (showers). Insulation is recommended below the mats for best performance.

This is exactly what Danfoss offers you!

The Danfoss electric floor heating system is a unique Danish produced heating system, comprised of electric Danfoss heating mats controlled by Danfoss thermostats. Supplied in prefabricated kit form and available in a range of sizes. In addition, Danfoss electric floor heating is simple to install.

Tankless Water Heater Memorial Day Sale

GlobalTowne is having a 10% off Memorial Day Sale on everything that we sell through midnight ET Monday, May 31, 2010.

Just use Promotional Code MEMORIALDAY at checkout to get the 10% savings off of our everyday low pricing!

We are also offering Free Ground Shipping on orders over $99.95 through midnight ET Monday, May 31, 2010. Free Ground Shipping is only offered to the lower 48 US States.

You can use the MEMORIALDAY coupon over the phone -- just remember to mention the coupon code!