Installing Your New Eccotemp Water Heater
So, you purchased your first tankless water heater and now you're unsure what needs to be changed in your home to accommodate your new appliance. We have put together a chart that explains the water/gas fitting size you'll need and the venting size to help ease the stress of installation.
i. Venting will only apply to the indoor, gas-powered, tankless models and please be sure you follow all safety measures upon installation.
ii. A portable tankless water heater should never be installed indoors or permanently. Installing the portable models indoors or permanently will void the warranty and can become a safety issue.
iii. The EM series does not require venting.
*The FVI12 and i12 come with a small 2.5" vent kit. If you'd like to vent it vertically, you'll need to go up to the 3" vent kit. Please note: the 2.5" - 3" adapter will be required if you go up to the 3" venting.
*The 20HI comes with a black rubber gasket to ensure a tight fit of the vent kit. You must use this rubber gasket when venting the water heater.
Why The Size Of Your Piping Matters
Often, we don't realize how important the pipe size is when installing a tankless water heater. A tankless that requires 3/4" fittings will NOT operate correctly with 1/2" piping.
Many older homes have 1/2" piping, so you'll need to consider that when you're planning to upgrade to a tankless. The flow must be consistent and the required piping size must be uniform with what you currently have in your home.
Gas Pressure And How It Affects The Performance Of Your Water Heater
If you have any other gas appliance in your home, you'll need to consider the amount of gas pressure that your tankless will take away from that appliance when in operation and vice versa. If you have one or more gas appliances running on the gas pressure intended for only one appliance, it can cause a decrease in the performance of the tankless water heater or cause it to not operate at all. A proper inspection by a gas specialist should be performed when adding another gas appliance to your home to ensure you have adequate gas pressure to handle both appliances.
Installation checklist
Do I have the correct size of water connections and piping?
Do I have the correct size gas connections and piping?
Does my setup supply the adequate gas pressure that's required for my setup?
Do I have sufficient water flow?
Are all of my gas and water lines the correct size ALL THE WAY through my installation?
Is my ventilation the correct size and material?
If you've checked all of the above and are experiencing issues with your installation, please reach out to our team via our live chat feature on our website or support page. You can locate the chat box in the bottom right corner of both sites, or you can email our support at [email protected]