On Demand Water Heater Install

Another adventure begins.... an on demand water heater.


Well, we were hoping to upgrade our water heater from an Atwood 6 gal to an 'On Demand'. We had a ''Marey' brand OD heater that worked like a charm camping, and wanted that same convenience on board the coach. No waiting for hot water, and endless. The Marey runs on 2 D cell batteries, a pressured water source and LP. 3 years old, and going strong! A deal for $125.  https://www.amazon.com/Marey-Portable-Propane-Tankless-Heater/dp/B005DROEZC




Now we have gotten a Replacement for the coach...and are about $700+ into it. Got the 'special' door kit that covers the outside.
https://www.amazon.com/Girard-2GWHAM-Demand-Tankless-Heater/dp/B019BWN8E2


Reading the instructions... and found this gem hidden:

'For FLUSH MOUNT door Atwood heaters, the cover does not fit, and the old door corners are left revealed. Additional fabrication work will be required to trim it, and customer should be advised of additional cost.'     and you guessed it... our 2007 2350 has the flush mount heater. 

Anyone else go down this road? Either installing an On Demand, or making the door kit work. I did a site search for 'On Demand', but this returned results that had the word 'on' in them... or words having the letters 'O' and 'N' together...   

Try searching with quotes around "on demand" or "on demand water heater"

It should restrict the search engine to that grouping of words

Try searching with quotes around "on demand" or "on demand water heater"

It should restrict the search engine to that grouping of words

  

Thanks for the clue. Now I know there is no thread started on the subject. (aside from mine, now...)

Hoping to get some progress tonight!

Volkemon,

Is it possible to use the original PC water heater access door and leave the opening alone?  Maybe you could add another vent in the existing door where needed.  That might be better than changing the original opening.  I say this because Phoenix frames every opening in the floor, walls, and ceiling.  To modify any opening, you will have to cut the nice metal structural inner frame.

The framing is mentioned in minute 7:24 in this 11 year old video/slideshow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2Mfp-jZIR0

Luckily, the existing opening 'up and down' is correct, and it is too wide 'side to side'. The instructions call for adding a 2x2 brace, luckily I will not have to cut any framing. I would be VERY hesitant to do that.

The heater mounts into the flange/door assembly via a formed mounting ring. The square outline below on the flange/door mount. Note how it is off to one side, this is the 'extra' room I will have.


The 'stopper' , if you will, seems to be the flush mount Atwood 6 gal heater. All the door kits say they fit a '6 gal Atwood', but evidently the flush mount used in my 2350 was not a popular item. And is different. 

Possibility at this point...  modify the new flange (remove the new door) to mount the water heater in the existing flange. Then cut the vents and exhaust ring from the new door, and spot weld the panel into the existing door. Do finishwork and paint... *should* work.

Mrs V is a not pleased that the kit does not fit 'as advertised', so plans must be firm and workable before tearout of the existing heater starts.

Many pictures will be taken.    I do wish there was an easier solution.

The Oxygenics shower head is  a simple low cost mod if the goal is longer hot showers and less H2O in the grey tank.

The Oxygenics shower head is  a simple low cost mod if the goal is longer hot showers and less H2O in the grey tank.

Mrs V got us one with the 'trickle' feature, works very well. 

We got used to the on demand when we had the Bus setup, and want it for the coach. Sometimes the urge to shower comes on quickly. 

We may use the original door with mods... Mrs V had some good observations as we looked at it this afternoon.