Tankless Heater Placement

[Beakster]

Hi all,

I'm looking at a Rinnai RUCS75iN water heater which uses 160,000BTUs

So in my house the water and gas come in at the south end of the basement, so this would be the easiest place to locate a tankless water heater. I can easily tee off a gas line before the furnace so the water heater is the first device and this is where I would need to run the vent and exhaust lines. The gas line is 1 inch so no concerns there.

But after the water comes in it then runs 15 feet to the other end of the basement, before branching off to the various rooms, as all the bathrooms, kitchen, laundry are on the north side of the house.

If I put the tankless water heater at the north end of the basement, I'll have to run 15 foot of gas pipe, intake and exhaust pipe, and also use a condensate drain pump, but I will remove 15 foot of hot water pipe which I think will significantly increase the delay of hot water coming out of taps/showers.

What would you do?
1) South end install, no additional gas pipe, no condensate pump, easy install, but 15 foot of hot water pipe to get to bathrooms or..
2) North end install, shorter hot water pipe, but 15 foot additional 1 inch gas pipe, condensate pump, 15 foot additional vent and exhaust pipes.

Thanks

 

[Fitter30]

15" is .4 gallon 3/4" m copper

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[John Gayewski]

I'd install it where it's easiest to install. Without a recirc your gonna have a wait for hot water anyway, another 5 seconds isn't going to mean much. Unless you live in a desert and have metered expensive water.