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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2017
Installation is fairly straight forward. Included instructions book is very helpful. Keep it for future troubleshooting because there is detailed information within for any faults encountered. I kept the Eco within 5 feet of my main panel to keep the wire runs as short as possible.. I like the design; all connections feed through the bottom and front panel is easy to remove without disturbing wires or plumbing to access inside as needed. LED display remains dormant (off) until unit detects water flow and then pre-set temperature is displayed while water is running. LED display shuts off a few seconds after water flow stops. Using an ordinary kitchen cup, I measured the minimum water flow necessary before heating elements turn on being ABOUT 2 quarts per minute. Heating elements remain dormant unless it detects water flow higher than that approx quantity. Instructions clearly suggest keeping pre-set temperature around 115-120 (F) degrees. FOLLOW this guideline. I experimented with hotter temperatures thinking the quality/consistency of hot water would be better. Actually, having the pre-set too hot is counter-productive because the faucet water will be too hot, you'll be throttling back to a colder setting at the faucet, and (here we go again) there won't be enough water flowing through the unit to turn on the heating elements. Then you'll be constantly adjusting the faucet handle(s) in efforts to get a stable temperature. Keep it at 115-120 and you'll be quite happy. I live in South Florida and the coldest weather we've had this season dropped the incoming cold-water temperature to "only" about 60 degrees on that "cold" morning. So to "stress" the unit, I turned on 2 showers, 2 faucets, full blast, and the washing machine (all at the same time); the ECO 18 had no problem keeping up with the hot-water demand. If your incoming water temps (are lower) and usage quantity (is higher) than my baseline, you'll have to experiment for yourself or talk with the tech assistance line.
Cons? - - Only arbitrarily minimal. My Eco-18 has a pattern of making really hot water, then warm, then hot again as it stabilizes just as the faucet/shower is turned on, only at beginning (eg. Mornings). I verified this by asking a family member to turn on a tub faucet as I measured the temperature at the copper "water-out" side directly near the unit. I can also tell by the way the bathroom lights dim ever so briefly (twice) as the initial electrical surges hit the power panel. After all, the TWO elements pull about 37 Amps EACH at initial start-up. It takes about 7-10 seconds for the unit to stabilize it's temperature output (and the bathroom lights remain at constant brightness); but I can live with that. It's no major complaint. If there's any critics out there: 1.) Yes, I installed all electrical as per NEMA standards, 2.) Yes, my main panel is rated for this amperage with plenty reserve capacity, and 3.) Yes, I installed a separate 100-amp subpanel with two 40-amp breakers dedicated to this water heater (as described in the installation instructions) using (overkill) 6-gauge wire as a safety precaution.
Pro's? - - Small package size, space savings compared to a conventional 40-gallon tank. Hang it on the wall, make the connections, set it once and forget it. "Hot water forever." On a side note, South Florida water is quite hard. Curiosity got the best of me with the old tank-heater. I cut it open and discovered a 4-inch thick layer of calcium deposits on bottom of 7-year old tank. How does this relate to the Eco-18, you may ask? Well, since water flow through the Eco-18 is at a high velocity, I have a feeling that calcium deposits cannot collect within unit.....so it will last a looooong time. Time will tell. The one-year duration for my household has proven successful thus far.
Middle-Ground Opinions? - - There's lots of talk about energy cost savings. Well...<pause> (?) ...I did a comparison of my household's last year Kilo-Watt usage to this year (month by month) and did not notice any consistent measurable savings. Of course, there are variables to consider such as growing kids, the time they spend in the bathroom preparing for the day, and how much laundry ends up in the hamper every other day. All this tends to increase as teenagers get older. The only quantifiable fact is that the Eco-18 does not consume power while at idle...waiting for the next person to turn on hot water.
Despite the lengthy narrative, I'll give the Eco-18 a number "9" on a scale of 1 to 10. A small human learning curve and adaptation is necessary to live harmoniously with the heater. Be sure to have the temp pre-set to 120, be aware that a minimum water flow is necessary to "wake the heater up", and don't be nervous about the lights dimming temporarily as the heating elements energize. ...enjoy. :-)
Cons? - - Only arbitrarily minimal. My Eco-18 has a pattern of making really hot water, then warm, then hot again as it stabilizes just as the faucet/shower is turned on, only at beginning (eg. Mornings). I verified this by asking a family member to turn on a tub faucet as I measured the temperature at the copper "water-out" side directly near the unit. I can also tell by the way the bathroom lights dim ever so briefly (twice) as the initial electrical surges hit the power panel. After all, the TWO elements pull about 37 Amps EACH at initial start-up. It takes about 7-10 seconds for the unit to stabilize it's temperature output (and the bathroom lights remain at constant brightness); but I can live with that. It's no major complaint. If there's any critics out there: 1.) Yes, I installed all electrical as per NEMA standards, 2.) Yes, my main panel is rated for this amperage with plenty reserve capacity, and 3.) Yes, I installed a separate 100-amp subpanel with two 40-amp breakers dedicated to this water heater (as described in the installation instructions) using (overkill) 6-gauge wire as a safety precaution.
Pro's? - - Small package size, space savings compared to a conventional 40-gallon tank. Hang it on the wall, make the connections, set it once and forget it. "Hot water forever." On a side note, South Florida water is quite hard. Curiosity got the best of me with the old tank-heater. I cut it open and discovered a 4-inch thick layer of calcium deposits on bottom of 7-year old tank. How does this relate to the Eco-18, you may ask? Well, since water flow through the Eco-18 is at a high velocity, I have a feeling that calcium deposits cannot collect within unit.....so it will last a looooong time. Time will tell. The one-year duration for my household has proven successful thus far.
Middle-Ground Opinions? - - There's lots of talk about energy cost savings. Well...<pause> (?) ...I did a comparison of my household's last year Kilo-Watt usage to this year (month by month) and did not notice any consistent measurable savings. Of course, there are variables to consider such as growing kids, the time they spend in the bathroom preparing for the day, and how much laundry ends up in the hamper every other day. All this tends to increase as teenagers get older. The only quantifiable fact is that the Eco-18 does not consume power while at idle...waiting for the next person to turn on hot water.
Despite the lengthy narrative, I'll give the Eco-18 a number "9" on a scale of 1 to 10. A small human learning curve and adaptation is necessary to live harmoniously with the heater. Be sure to have the temp pre-set to 120, be aware that a minimum water flow is necessary to "wake the heater up", and don't be nervous about the lights dimming temporarily as the heating elements energize. ...enjoy. :-)
