ENERGY STAR Rating for Tankless Water Heaters

By heating water only when it's needed, ENERGY STAR qualified gas tankless water heaters cut water heating expenses by 30%, while also providing continuous hot water delivery. Gas tankless models are a great choice for new construction and major remodeling, but are also popular as a replacement for gas storage water heaters.

Save Money and More with ENERGY STAR Qualified Whole-Home Gas Tankless Water Heaters

ENERGY STAR qualified gas tankless water heaters provide hot water on demand, plus a whole lot more. Consider a qualified tankless water heater for your home and enjoy these benefits:

Save energy and money. You don't use hot water 24-hours a day. Yet a standard tank-type water heater consumes energy round the clock to keep the water in its tank hot. By heating water only when you need it, ENERGY STAR qualified tankless water heaters save the typical family more than $100 per year on gas bills compared to a standard storage model. Larger families can save even more.

Continuous hot water. Tankless water heaters provide a continuous flow of hot water, so there's no need to suffer through a cold shower if you're the last one out of bed. Unlike with a conventional tank-type water heater, the hot water is always there when you need it.

Space-saving design. A qualified tankless model saves you an extra closet's worth of space compared to a tank-type water heater. Gas tankless water heaters are small and wall-mounted, unlike bulky tank-type water heaters. Models designed for outdoor installation free up even more space and add versatility to your basement, garage, or utility room.

Fewer worries. Tankless water heaters have a life expectancy of 20 years, much longer than any conventional tank-type water heater. And with a tankless model, the risk of tank leaks and water damage is a thing of the past.

The Bosch 2700ES-NG (natural gas) and Bosch 2700ES-LP (propane) tankless water heaters are ENERGY STAR rated.

The Bosch 2400ES-NG (natural gas) and Bosch 2400ES-LP (propane) tankless water heaters are ENERGY STAR rated.

Information on this blog entry was pulled from the ENERGY STAR web site maintained by the US Environmental Protection Agency / US Department of Energy.

Bosch TSTAT2 Remote Control for Bosch 2700ES / 2400ES / 2400E / 2400EO

The Bosch TSTAT2 Remote Control for Bosch AquaStar 2700ES / 2400ES / 2400E / 2400EO / 250SX / 250SXO / 635ES Tankless Water heaters gives you the ability to remotely adjust the temperature of your Bosch Tankless Water Heater to a safe and comfortable level.

The TSTAT2 remote is particularly useful if you own a jacuzzi or hot tub that requires a hotter water temperature than you normally desire for regular shower use. Most people who own hot tubs want to fill them at a temperature that is higher than that normally used for comfortable showers. The TSTAT2 remote allows you to remotely raise the temperature when filling a hot tub and then drop the temperature back to a "normal" temperature -- usually between 105 and 112 degrees fahrenheit.

Please note that the electrical control of the Bosch AquaStar 2700ES / 2400ES / 2400E / 2400EO / 250SX / 250SXO / 635ES must be removed and opened in order to install the wireless receiver circuit board to enable the use of the TSTAT2 Wireless Remote Control.

The Bosch 2700ES and Bosch 2400ES tankless water heaters have been redesigned to make the installation of the wireless receiver circuit board much easier.

With the touch of a button, you can ensure an optimized heating output to suit everyone's needs!

Steve

FXHOOD for Bosch 125FX Tankless Water Heater

 The FXHOOOD is required by Bosch whenever a customer installs the Bosch AquaStar 125FX Tankless Water Heater. It is also required for the older 240FX model.

The FX Hood is a horizontal vent terminator with built-in freeze protection for the Bosch AquaStar 125FX and 240FX models as well as the Takagi T-K1 Tankless Water Heater. The FX Hood will prevent cold air from freezing the heat exchanger on the Bosch AquaStar Tankless Water Heaters. The back draft preventer (FX Hood) should be used with all electronic ignition gas tankless water heaters where the outside temperature can fall below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Bosch FXHOOD is doubled-piped so it can be installed next to combustible materials. The face plate is 12 inches by 12 inches and the pipe is 8 inches in diameter with the inner pipe being 4 inches in diameter.

Steve

Ariston GL6+ Used for a Shower?

A common question we get is whether or not the Ariston GL6+ mini-tank electric water heater can be used for a single shower stall.

Here is our answer:

The GL 6 is a TANK heater and holds about 6 gallons of hot water. A standard shower uses between 2 and 2.5 gpm of water. This will mean that you can get a 2-3 minute shower if the water is kept on.

Also, since it is a tank (albeit a mini-tank), as you start to use the hot water, the tank will be back-filled with ambient temperature water, thus cooling it down. The GL6+ is designed for sinks for hand and dish washing or to be used inline with a tankless water heater to give instant hot water while waiting for the hot water to arrive from the main water source.

We do not think that the Ariston Gl6+ mini-tank will work well for a single stall shower for most people.

Our PowerStar AE12 heater will work for a low flow shower with input water temps of 60 or more. This heater is a 50 amp heater and requires 220/240 volts.

Virgo Water Filtration, Conditioning & Softening Systems

GlobalTowne is the exclusive online reseller of the Virgo Water Systems line of Water Filtration, Water Conditioning & Water Softening systems.

Virgo Water Systems provide whole house, chemical-free water purification systems that filter and condition your water, providing years of maintenance free water that is both clean smelling and pleasant tasting. Virgo Water Systems deliver water that is pure as nature intended.

All Virgo Water Systems feature a Limited Lifetime Warranty and are available in multiple sizes to accommodate any application.

The Virgo Crystal Water Filtration and Conditioning System is our top-of-the-line offering. Its five phase system offers the ultimate in crystal clean water. The Virgo Crystal is maintenance free and chemical free. It comes in a fiberglass tank with a welded stainless steel cover. It is available with 1", 1.25", 1.5" or 2" diameter brass connections.

The Virgo Clear Whole-House, Chemical Free Water Filtration System delivers clean smelling and pleasant tasting water to every room in the house. Its single phase system uses a premium grade acid-washed granular activated carbon filter that is perfect for homes with unpleasant smelling or tasting water. It comes in a fiberglass tank with a welded stainless steel cover. It is available with 1", 1.25", 1.5" or 2" diameter brass connections.

The Virgo Water Softener is designed to help protect plumbing and appliances from hard water damage. It allows you to clean with less soap and reduces spotted dishes and glassware. It includes an 18" x 40" brine tank. Its all resin tanks are covered with a stainless steel welded jacket.

The Virgo Scale Stopper is designed to help protect plumbing and appliances from lime-scale damage. It comes in a fiberglass tank with a welded stainless steel cover. It comes with inlet/outlet with bypass and sweat brass connectors. Its maintenance free design requires no power to operate.

The Virgo Scale Terminator is designed to help protect plumbing and appliances from lime-scale damage. A must for tankless water heaters! The Virgo Scale Terminator is a lower-cost option for the Virgo Scale Stopper. The Virgo Scale Terminator features a Fiberglass tank with plastic NPT inlet/outlet. Its maintenance free design requires no power to operate.

The Virgo Water Systems lineup of Water Filtration, Water Conditioning and Water Softening Systems provides the best way for you to provide clean, good smelling water to your entire family.

Steve

Electric Tankless Heaters

Globaltowne sells Electric Tankless Water Heaters for both whole house and point of use!

Electric tankless heaters seem to cause some confusion in the market place due to their high amperage (current draw) and limited 120 volt heaters.  All tankless heaters are not direct drop in replacements for tank heaters.  Tankless usually require an infrastructure change to accommodate the requirements for tankless heaters.

First off, water is a very difficult material to heat.  It takes twice the amount of heat to heat water than oil and 10 times the amount of heat to heat water over metals.  Tank heaters have smaller amount of heat input than tankless as they use a time factor to get the water up to temperature.  the first time a tank heater is turned on, it can take up to 2-6 hours to get to temperature depending on tank size and heat input and insulation on the tank.  Once installed and turned on the tank is constantly trying to keep the water at temperature.  The formula for knowing how to heat water is:

kilowatts/hour = (mass x temperature change) / 3413 (btu's per KW)

If we look at a standard 50 gallon tank for example, the formula is:

10 = (415 x 80)/3413

10 kw will heat the tank in 1 hour.

Now, 10 kw requires 41 amps running on 240 volts.

Common breaker sizes are 30 amps, so a tank heater usually has 6 or 7.5 kw input to stay under the 30 amp breaker size. which will increase the time to heat the tank.

Tankless heaters have to heat the water as it passes through the heater, thus much more heat input is required.  Our whole house heater has a heat input rating of 27 kw.  At this heat input  the heater will raise the temperature 45 degrees at a flow rate of 4.0 gpm.  If the flow rate is reduced to 2.5 gpm the heat rise will be about 65 degrees.  This heater has three 9 kw heating modules and thus each module requires 40 amps to operate.  This means that a total of 120 amps ( 240 volts) is required to operate the heater.  This is significant power requirements. the difference is the time factor has been removed from the tank equation.  

Amps are defined by the wattage divided by the voltage.  Lower amps mean smaller breaker sizes and smaller wire sizes.  This reduces costs and panel sizes.  This is why electrical appliances such as ovens, dryers and water heaters utilize 220-240 volts in lieu of 120 volts (1/2 the amps) for their power requirements.

Will tankless save on electricity?   The answer is Yes.

In electrical terms, a tank heater can use between 60,000 watts to 75,000 watts per day to keep water hot.  Our 27,000 watt heater will use about 27,000 watts per day.  That is a significant reduction.  A tank heater can be on up to 10 hours a day keeping water hot.  A 6kw heater times 10 hours is 60kw or 60,000 watts.  The tankless heater is NOT on except when hot water is called for.  A normal usage for a home is about an hour per day.  Of course, when you are not home, there will be NO usage with a tankless heater.  Most home owners do not turn off their tank water heater and are thus using power even when no one is home.

I use an electric tankless heater and it works great, we have set the temperature at 108 and it is more than hot enough and the showers can be endless.  We did have to install a new panel to handle the breakers and increased amperes required.  

In summary, it is simple physics as to why a tankless heater has such large KW and amp requirements, water is just difficult to heat and it needs a "muscle car' to do it with an on-demand or tankless heater.  Save money and install an electric tankless heater.

Bosch 1600H with AQ4 vs. Bosch 125FX with FXHood

If you have just one shower and are looking to vent out of the sidewall, Bosch currently offers two tankless water heater solutions.

The Bosch AquaStar 125FX Propane tankless water heater is a 125,000 BTU input tankless water heater (130,000 BTU for Natural Gas model) that has an electronic ignition system. The 125FX comes with a side-wall vent kit called the FX Hood. This heater is designed to be vented out of the side wall and it cannot be vented up through the roof. The 125FX requires electricity to power the electronic ignition and FXHood.

The Bosch AquaStar 1600H is a 117,000 BTU input tankless water heater that is designed to be vented up through the roof. It uses Bosch's patented Hydro ignition system that automatically starts the ignition process when it senses the flow of water. The Bosch 1600H does not require electricity nor does it have a battery. It also has NO PILOT LIGHT. It does require a 5" diameter Type B double-walled vent of at least 6 feet in height when vented vertically.

The Bosch 1600H can be vented through the side wall using the AQ4 Vent Kit. However, please note that the AQ4 Horizontal Vent Kit DOES require electricity. (The AQ4 Vent Kit can also be used for the Bosch 1600P tankless water heater.)

In summary, Bosch offers two solid tankless water heater options for single shower homes requiring side wall venting.

Steve

Bosch AquaStar 1000P Gas Point-of-Use Tankless Water Heater

The Bosch AquaStar 1000P gas tankless water heater is a point-os-use water heater designed to provide instant hot water for two sinks. It can, in some locals be used to provide hot water for a single shower.

The Bosch 1000P can deliver 2.5 GPM of hot water at a 45 degree F temperature rise. A regular shower head delivers about 2.5GPM, so the Bosch 1000P is right on the edge for delivering water for a hot shower.

However, if you live in a warm climate, such as Texas, Southern California, Florida, Arizona, etc, then you probably do not need to raise the water temperature by 45 degrees, so the 1000P can work for a single shower.

Also, if you use a low-flow shower head that reduces your flow to say 1.5GMP, then again you can have a hot shower with the Bosch 1000P.

We would not recommend the Bosch AquaStar 1000P for a regular flow shower head in New York -- it just will not be able to keep up and provide you with a hot shower.

The Bosch 1000P replaced the older Bosch 38B. But the 38B only delivered about 1GPM at the same 45 degree F temperature rise. So, the 1000P really is a much stronger water heater than the 38B ever was!

The Bosch 1000P comes in both Natural Gas and Propane models.

Steve

Bosch Tankless Authorized Distributor - Globaltowne

GlobalTowne is an Authorized Distributor for the Bosch line of gas and electric Tankless Water Heaters.

Being a Bosch Authorized Distributor means that GlobalTowne buys tankless water heaters directly from Bosch for resale to home owners and contractors. Bosch provides GlobalTowne with regular product-specific training on all of their gas and electric tankless water heaters. This means that the GlobalTowne sales staff is always up on the latest Bosch tankless product developments.

Bosch ships its tankless water heaters directly to our warehouses on skids delivered by freight carriers. All of our tankless water heaters are brand new straight from the factory.

As a Bosch Authroized Dealer, GlobalTowne purchases Bosch Tankless Water Heaters in quantity and is able to pass along the best savings directly to our customers.

We are of course able to use the Bosch logo and Bosch images. All of the Bosch tankless water heaters we sell come with the full Bosch factory warranty.

It is important when making a tankless water heater purchase to deal with an Authorized Distributor.

Steve

Bosch Tankless Water Heater Product Demos

Bosch Thermotechnology Corp has worked with Easy2 Technologies to provide GlobalTowne with a series of professional product demos that are worth taking a look at before you purchase your new Bosch Tankless Water Heater.

Bosch Tankless Water Heater Demos are available for the following products:

• Bosch 2700ES
• Bosch 2400ES
• Bosch 125FX
• Bosch 1600H
• Bosch PowerStar AE125
• Bosch PowerStar AE115
• Bosch AQ3ES Horizontal Vent Kit
• Bosch ES VVT Vertical Vent Kit

These professional product demos list the product features and specifications, venting options, and more!
Steve

Gas Lights - Preformed Mantles vs. Tie On Mantles

Paulin / Humphrey manufactures Gas Lights for homes, cabins and cottages. The lights are usually run on LP propane gas but can be run on natural gas NG with the correct orifice. The biggest question is usually which kind of mantle should be used. There are three types, Pre-Formed, Tie on and clip on. the clip on mantles are the least used, but are simialr to the tie on for usage.

The general rule of thimb is to use the tie on mantles in applications where the lights are moved (not permanent). This would included ice fishing shacks, trailers, and campers. The reason for this is the tie on mantles are less suseptible to breakage when moved. And if they are broken or destroyed they cost less to replace. The movement or dragging of a trailer or Ice shack can cause the mantles to break. The downside is that the tie on mantles are not as bright.

The preformed mantles are designed for permanent locations such as cottages. They can provide about the same light as a 60 watt light bulb and can last for years. However, once lit they are very fragile. Do not touch the mantle or blow on it. If treated gently then the mantle will last for a long time. Even with a small hole or tear the mantle will burn well.

Our number 9 mantles will work on the older # 8 lamps.

Another sidelight, you can change lights to preformed or tie on by changing the burner noses. When changing a burner nose make sure to also replace the gaskets (seals) as they tend to break during a change. FYI - a tie on mantle can be used on a preformed lamp, but a preformed mantle cannot be used on a tie on lamp.

Humphrey Gas Lights

Gas Light accessories and parts

www.globaltowne.com

Paul

Tankless Solutions for Mobile, Modular and Manufactured Homes

Bosch Gas Tankless Water Heaters are NOT approved for mobile homes.

We get calls all the time from customers who tell us that their mobile home is permanently on blocks or that their double-wide is HUD approved and never going to be moved.

None of this changes the fact that these are still mobile homes, and the Bosch Gas Tankless Water Heaters are simply NOT approved for this application.

The basic reasoning for this is that these homes are pretty well air
tight. They also may not stay in the same location over the period of
their life time so they need to be gas type convertible. A mobile home is defined in the definition section of the ANSI standard and among other things must be on a "permanent chassis."

On the other hand, the Bosch Gas Tankless Water Heaters ARE approved for modular homes. Although Modular Homes are built in prefabricated pieces, they are assembled on site and are considered the same as traditional stick-built homes when it comes to the approvals for tankless water heaters.

There is some question on the approval status for Bosch tankless water heaters for Manufactured Homes. Bosch recommends that you seek local code approval before you move forward with a Bosch tankless solution for Manufactured Homes.

All Bosch Electric tankless water heaters are approved for Mobile, Modular and Manufactured Homes.

Steve

Bosch Tankless Water Heater Review

Bosch offers a full lineup of tankless water heaters including gas, propane and electric models. Included in the Bosch lineup are whole house gas, propane and electric tankless water heaters and point-of-use gas, propane and electric tankless water heaters. Bosch also offers point-of-use electric mini-tank heaters.

The following list gives links for each heater in the Bosch Gas/Propane Whole House tankless water heater lineup:

• Bosch AquaStar 2700ES
• Bosch AquaStar 2400ES
• Bosch AquaStar 125FX
• Bosch AquaStar 1600H
• Bosch AquaStar 1600P
• Bosch AquaStar 1600PS
• Bosch AquaStar 125BO
• Bosch GWH 425HNO

The following list gives links for each heater in the Bosch Electric Whole House tankless water heater lineup:

• PowerStar AE125
• PowerStar AE115

The following list gives links for each heater in the Bosch Gas/Propane Point-of-Use tankless water heater lineup:

• Bosch AquaStar 1000P

The following list gives links for each heater in the Bosch Electric Point-of-Use tankless water heater lineup:

• PowerStar AE3.4
• PowerStar AE7.2
• PowerStar AE9.5
• PowerStar AE12

The following list gives links for each heater in the Bosch Electric Point-of-Use mini-tank lineup:

• Ariston GL2.5
• Ariston GL4
• Ariston GL6+

Steve

Bosch AquaStar 1600PS Solar Pre-heat Tankless Water Heater

The Bosch 1600PS Solar Tankless Water Heater is designed to take preheated water from a solar or wood heated system. It is the only Bosch AquaStar Tankless Water Heater that can take preheated water as input!

The "P" in the product name indicates that the Bosch 1600PS has a pilot light for its ignition system. The "S" stands for solar.

The Bosch 1600PS has the same specifications as the Bosch 1600P, except for the fact that it can take preheated solar water.

One common question is whether the Bosch 1600PS tankless water heater can be used WITHOUT preheated solar water. The answer is Yes! So, if you do not currently have a solar system in place but are planning to get one, you can definately install the Bosch 1600PS now in advance of your solar system purchase.

Just like the Bosch 1600P, the 1600PS provides 4.3GPM at a 45 degree F temperature rise and has a low minimum activation rate of just 0.5GPM. Both heaters take a BTU input from 23,400 - 117,000 BTU input. Also, both the 1600PS and the 1600P take 5" double-wall, Type B galvanized venting.

Steve

Flow-Aide Descaling Solution Now Available at GlobalTowne.com

Flow-Aide descaling solution quickly dissolves water scale, lime, rust, and other water formed deposits, restoring efficiency to most all appliances. Flow Aide System Descaler is a non-toxic concentrate which is certified to NSF/ANSI 60 for use as a cleaner in potable water systems.

Running Flow-Aide through your tankless water heater periodically will lenghten the service life of your tankless water heater AND improve its efficiency!

How often you need to run the Flow Aide descaler through your tankless water heater depends on the quality of your water.

Flow-Aide is: Non-Corrosive, Non-Toxic, Fully Biodegradable, Safe to Handle and Zero V.O.C.

RECOMMENDED USES: Water Heaters, Boilers, Heat Exchangers, Chillers, Vacuum Pumps, Condensers, Evaporators, Tanks, Potable Waterlines, Ice Machines, Humidifiers and Water Operated Equipment.

IMPROVE EQUIPMENT EFFICIENCY: Water scale deposits are a significant cause of heat transfer loss, along with the subsequent increase in energy costs. In fact, even a thin layer of scale (1/32") can cause a 30% increase in the cost to operate that piece of equipment. Keeping the heating passages free of mineral deposits significantly improves efficiency, conserves energy, extends the useful life of the equipment, and saves you time & money.

GlobalTowne.com sells the Flow-Aide Descaler Solution, manufactured by J.C. Whitlam Manufacturing Co. This solutions is available in a 1 Quart Container and a 1 Gallon Container.

FLOW-AIDE System Descaler is specifically designed to dissolve the toughest water scale, lime, and rust deposits from virtually any piece of water based equipment. This powerful, yet totally safe, liquid is non-toxic, non-flammable, non-hazardous, non-corrosive and biodegradable. FLOW-AIDE System Descaler will not harm your personnel, equipment or our environment!

GlobalTowne also sells a Flow-Aide Tankless Water Heater Descaler Kit that contains the following:

• 1 - 3.5 Gallon Bucket


• 1 - 350 GPH Pump


• 2 - 5 Foot Rubber Hoses


• 1 - Quart Flow-Aide

This kit has everything you need, except for the Isolation Valve Kit.


Here are the steps for descaling your tankless water heater:

1. Disconnect power to water heater.


2. Close hot and cold isolation and service valves and remove service caps.


3. Pour 1.5 gallons of water into bucket and place under water heater.


4. Add contents of 1 quart bottle of Whitlam Flow-Aide into bucket (Bucket should be filled approximately 1/2 full).


5. Connect one hose to pump, and other end of same hose to cold service valve. Place pump in bucket.


6. Connect second hose to hot service valve. Place other end in bucket.


7. Open both hot and cold service valves.


8. Plug pump into grounded receptacle.


9. Allow pump to circulate Whitlam Flow-Aide solution through heater for 30-45 minutes. Unplug pump.


10. Close cold service valve. Remove hose from cold service valve, and replace service cap.


11. Disconnect the hose from the pump and remove pump from bucket. Discard Whitlam Flow-Aide solution.


12. Flush tankless water heater for 3-5 minutes or until water flows clear by opening the cold isolation valve and allowing water to exit through the hot service valve into a drain or bucket. If using a bucket, empty periodically.


13. Close hot service valve. Remove hose from service valve and replace service cap.


14. Open hot isolation valve.


15. Connect power to water heater and return appliance to service.

GlobalTowne also sells a Flow-Aide Tankless Water Heater Descaler PLUS Kit that also contains a Webstone Isolation Valve Kit 44443PR, including a pressure relief valve (PRV).

Steve

Isolation Valve Kits (Service Valves)

Isolaton Valve Kits (AKA Service Valves) are a great accessory for any tankless water heater purchase. They will save you money on the installation of your tankless water heater and they make future maintenenace of your tankless water heater both easy and convenient.

When you install your new tankless water heater you will certainly need both a hot water shutoff valve and a cold water shutoff valve. You will also need to plumb in a pressure relief valve (PRV).

With traditional tank heaters you can easily drain the tank for regular maintenance. But with tankless water heaters there is no drain to open up at the bottom. So, you will need some other plumbing strategy that will allow you easy access to the internal pipe of the tankless water heater.

Gas tankless water heaters have a single pipe that starts as the incoming water line, then wraps a bunch of times around the gas-fired heat exchanger and then exits as the hot water line. So, the only ways to maintain this water line is to either use a set of isolation valves or build in some extra valves and fittings to do the job. (Or course, you can always just dismantle your plumbing system, but that is not very convenient!)

We have been told time and again that the cost of the Isolation Valve Kit is less expensive than the many valves and fittings you would need to purchase to get the comparable functionality.

And, the labor to install the Isolation Valve Kit is much less than if you go without it!

Well, once you have your Isolation Valve Kit installed you are now in a positon to easily maintain your tankless water heater. With the Isolation Valve Kit in place you can easily run a Descaling Solution through the heater. Or, you can easily blow all of the water out of the line with compressed air if you need to stow your heater away for the winter.

In any case, planning ahead with an Isolation Valve Kit will have a big payoff.

Steve

AQ3ES Vent Kit Versus AQ3 Vent Kit

The AQ3ES Vent Kit is the current horizontal vent kit sold by Bosch for the Bosch AquaStar 2700ES and Bosch AquaStar 2400ES Tankless Water Heaters. This horizontal vent kit is required for all 2700ES and 2400ES installations that will be vented out the side wall.

The AQ3ES Vent Kit has all of the parts required by the 2700ES and 2400ES warranty for a safe and complete installation assuming that you are mounting your tankless water heater on the same side wall that you are venting out of.

The AQ3ES Vent Kit has a total of 40" of straight vent pipe -- 36" of straight vent pipe are required for installations in freezing areas. If you use less than 36" of straight vent pipe in freezing areas and your heat exchanger freezes and bursts it will not be covered under the Bosch warranty!

Please note that for the intake air on the Bosch 2700ES and Bosch 2400ES heaters you must use 3" rigid vent pipe, such as PVC.

In contrast, the AQ3 Vent Kit was designed for the older Bosch 250SX and Bosch 2400E tankless water heater models. Bosch did NOT require a rigid vent pipe for the intake air on these older models. So, the AQ3 Vent Kit comes with a 10' length of 3" flexible aluminum hose for the intake air. (This flex hose CANNOT be used on the newer Bosch 2700ES/2400ES models.)

Both vent kits come with a 3" x 90 degree elbow, a wall thimble, an exhaust termination box with a bird screen and an intake termination box with a bird screen.

GlobalTowne.com carries both the current AQ3ES Vent Kit and the legacy AQ3 Vent Kit in stock.

Steve

Point-of-Use Electric Water Heating Options

GlobalTowne.com has three completely different options for home owners who are looking to get quick hot water to a distant location in their home using electricity: an electric tankless point-of-use water heater, an electric mini-tank water heater, or an electric recirculating pump.

Option 1 -- An Electric Tankless Point-of-Use Water Heater

Bosch offers 4 different electric tankless point-of-use water heaters: the PowerStar AE3.4, AE7.2, AE9.5 and AE12 models. Each of these four models indicates their respective kW in their name. Thus, the AE12 is a 12kW heater. The more kW, the more heating capability of the electric tankless point-of-use water heater. The more kW, the more amperage draw as well. On the high end, the AE12 draws 50APMS and can run 2 sinks simultaneously. See our blog entry on the discussion of these four PowerStar electric tankless point-of-use water heaters.

Option 2 -- An Electric Mini-Tank Water Heater

Bosch offers three Ariston glass lined mini-tank water heaters at varying capacities: the Ariston GL2.5, GL 4 and GL6+. The Ariston electric mini-tank heaters keep hot water ready to use at the point-of-use. They act just like traditional large water tanks, except that they are very small and therefore use much less electricity. See our blog entry on the discussion of these three Ariston mini-tank water heaters.

Option 3 - Recirculating Pumps

GlobalTowne offers two different kinds of recirculating pumps: Armstrong recirculating pumps and the Chilipepper CP6000. The Armstrong recirculating pump has a timer that allows you to set the hours of operation and a thermostat that allows you to keep the water at that temperature in the water line. This pump works best with a recirculating plumbing system in your home.

The Chilipepper CP6000 does not require a special recirculating plumbing system in your home and therefore can easily be added to any home. The Chilipepper is installed under your remote sink and plugs directly into a 110V line. When you want hot wter, just press the button on the Chilipepper and it draws hot water from your hot water line and -- get this -- pushes the water backward through your cold water line. So, no water is wasted! It automatically turns itself off when you get the desired temperature at the Chillipepper. And, the Chillipepper CP6000 works great with all tankless water heaters!

Three completely different ways to get instant hot water to your remote point-of-use using electricity!

Steve

Flush Smart Now Available at GlobalTowne.com

The "Flush Smart" kit, is a do-it-yourself flush tank retrofit unit, that goes into your current toilette tank whether your toilet is 30 years old or bought new last week.

This kit will convert your toilette to a 'dual-flush toilet' giving you the option to control how much water you want to use on every flush. For liquids, you push the small button and only use .8 gallons of water per flush; and for solids you push the big button for 1.6 gallons of water per flush.

New dual-flush toilets cost from $350 to $500, our kit costs $69.95. So you can save some water by Flushing Smart, reduce your monthly water bill, and do your part in helping the environment one flush at a time.


Using "Flush Smart" will save - on average- at least 15,000 gallons of water per toilet per year.

Steve

Ariston GL6+ Mounting Options

The Ariston GL6+ mini-tank water heater has two mounting options: the GL6PLUS can be mounted either vertically or horizontally.

In contrast, the other two Ariston models -- the GL2.5 and the GL4 -- can only be mounted vertically.

When the Ariston GL6 PLUS is mounted vertically it holds 5.1 gallons of hot water. When it is mounted on its side it holds 7.1 gallons of hot water.

A common question regarding the Ariston GL6 is whether it can also be mounted on its back.

The answer is NO.

The T&P relief valve must always be on the top of the heater where the temperatures are hottest. With the heater on its back the T&P would be on the side, measuring a lower temperature.

Inside the heater, the cold water tube is longer than the hot water tube. This allows for "stratification" of water within the tank - cold water is delivered to the bottom of the tank and hot water (like hot air) rises. With the tank upright or on its side, the cold water is delivered to the lower portion of the tank and hot water is drawn off the top.

If the heater were placed on its back, cold water inlet and hot water outlet would be at the same level. The water at the top of the tank would be nice and hot, but you'd never be able to access it. The cold water would practically flow right through to the hot water side and result in lukewarm water at best.

Steve