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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2023
---------------The original review is below------------
After my Hot Water Tank sprung a leak, I began looking into a Hot Water Heater (HWH) to avoid wrestling with a large tank again. I have an all electric home and purchased an Emporia energy monitor from Amazon (an earlier Amazon review) to see what my average electrical usage is. I was looking at a 27kw HWH and my 200 amp service was looking adequate enough for installation. I decided on the ECOSmart-27. The installation guides are good and operation is simple. The unit was installed on the wall while the leaking tank was still in operation.
The ECO-27 has three heating chambers, A-first in the flow path, B-middle and C-the last chamber where the final temperature sensor is mounted. The unit only turns on when there is flow, otherwise the power usage is zero. According to the Emporia monitor, the B chamber is the workhorse. If only one element is needed, it will be the B chamber, up to 35 amps. If more heat is needed, the C element kicks in up to another 35 amps, then the A element. The highest usage I have seen is 90 amps. Although the amperage can be high when in heavy use, it uses less energy by not having to continuously heat 50 gallons of water.
I would suggest installing an energy monitor to watch the three elements deliver heat. I have an Amazon review of the Emporia model.
Three noted Quirks:
1) Delayed Hot Water - Hot water tanks not only heat the water inside but up to four feet of the discharge line, so they are quicker to deliver hot water than a HWH, however this is also a loss in efficiency. When HWHs are idle long enough for the chambers to cool completely it takes a few seconds longer for the hot water to be delivered to faucets.
2) Hot-Cool-Hot - The heating chambers get very hot and when the flow stops, the very hot water sits in the chambers with heating elements that are still very hot for several minutes. If someone opens a faucet at low/medium flow, the water may initially be too hot and turning off the elements may happen before the temperature stabilizes. I think that is behind the occasional hot-cool-hot sequence we are sometimes seeing at turn on.
3) Flickering Lights - Electrical usage fluctuates considerably on initial turn on and can go up near 100 amps at higher flows before stabilizing at a lower amperage. I have seen certain lights flicker some during that period but in my experience it has always been lights with dimmer bulbs (even if you don't have the dimmer switch) and only slightly noticeable.
I suspect all HWHs have these similar quirks but none of them are show stoppers. HW Tanks have their own quirks. When you consider these units can be installed and repaired by a do-it-yourselfer and easily replaced, they will soon make HWTs obsolete. Even if you spend the money to have the unit installed by a contractor, with the electrical & plumbing in place it should be relatively easy to maintain.
Updated April 2024 - While the HWH is operating as expected, I have given up on the warranty. Although I was very careful to have the unit installed properly and mailed the warranty registration card plus registered online the same week it was purchased (August-2023) the warranty is still not registered in my name (8 months). I have made regular calls to the number they listed and the support people say they have no way to connect a call to the warranty department or even contact them themselves. The agents can see the warranty info I mailed and emailed plus have records of the numerous calls I have made. They forward the info to their supervisor and that's the end of it. I dropped the rating down to three stars. I believe Rheem sells the same unit and use the same promo/support info, so if the warranty is important to you I would suggest giving them consideration.
---------------The original review is below------------
After my Hot Water Tank sprung a leak, I began looking into a Hot Water Heater (HWH) to avoid wrestling with a large tank again. I have an all electric home and purchased an Emporia energy monitor from Amazon (an earlier Amazon review) to see what my average electrical usage is. I was looking at a 27kw HWH and my 200 amp service was looking adequate enough for installation. I decided on the ECOSmart-27. The installation guides are good and operation is simple. The unit was installed on the wall while the leaking tank was still in operation.
The ECO-27 has three heating chambers, A-first in the flow path, B-middle and C-the last chamber where the final temperature sensor is mounted. The unit only turns on when there is flow, otherwise the power usage is zero. According to the Emporia monitor, the B chamber is the workhorse. If only one element is needed, it will be the B chamber, up to 35 amps. If more heat is needed, the C element kicks in up to another 35 amps, then the A element. The highest usage I have seen is 90 amps. Although the amperage can be high when in heavy use, it uses less energy by not having to continuously heat 50 gallons of water.
I would suggest installing an energy monitor to watch the three elements deliver heat. I have an Amazon review of the Emporia model.
Three noted Quirks:
1) Delayed Hot Water - Hot water tanks not only heat the water inside but up to four feet of the discharge line, so they are quicker to deliver hot water than a HWH, however this is also a loss in efficiency. When HWHs are idle long enough for the chambers to cool completely it takes a few seconds longer for the hot water to be delivered to faucets.
2) Hot-Cool-Hot - The heating chambers get very hot and when the flow stops, the very hot water sits in the chambers with heating elements that are still very hot for several minutes. If someone opens a faucet at low/medium flow, the water may initially be too hot and turning off the elements may happen before the temperature stabilizes. I think that is behind the occasional hot-cool-hot sequence we are sometimes seeing at turn on.
3) Flickering Lights - Electrical usage fluctuates considerably on initial turn on and can go up near 100 amps at higher flows before stabilizing at a lower amperage. I have seen certain lights flicker some during that period but in my experience it has always been lights with dimmer bulbs (even if you don't have the dimmer switch) and only slightly noticeable.
I suspect all HWHs have these similar quirks but none of them are show stoppers. HW Tanks have their own quirks. When you consider these units can be installed and repaired by a do-it-yourselfer and easily replaced, they will soon make HWTs obsolete. Even if you spend the money to have the unit installed by a contractor, with the electrical & plumbing in place it should be relatively easy to maintain.
---------------The original review is below------------
After my Hot Water Tank sprung a leak, I began looking into a Hot Water Heater (HWH) to avoid wrestling with a large tank again. I have an all electric home and purchased an Emporia energy monitor from Amazon (an earlier Amazon review) to see what my average electrical usage is. I was looking at a 27kw HWH and my 200 amp service was looking adequate enough for installation. I decided on the ECOSmart-27. The installation guides are good and operation is simple. The unit was installed on the wall while the leaking tank was still in operation.
The ECO-27 has three heating chambers, A-first in the flow path, B-middle and C-the last chamber where the final temperature sensor is mounted. The unit only turns on when there is flow, otherwise the power usage is zero. According to the Emporia monitor, the B chamber is the workhorse. If only one element is needed, it will be the B chamber, up to 35 amps. If more heat is needed, the C element kicks in up to another 35 amps, then the A element. The highest usage I have seen is 90 amps. Although the amperage can be high when in heavy use, it uses less energy by not having to continuously heat 50 gallons of water.
I would suggest installing an energy monitor to watch the three elements deliver heat. I have an Amazon review of the Emporia model.
Three noted Quirks:
1) Delayed Hot Water - Hot water tanks not only heat the water inside but up to four feet of the discharge line, so they are quicker to deliver hot water than a HWH, however this is also a loss in efficiency. When HWHs are idle long enough for the chambers to cool completely it takes a few seconds longer for the hot water to be delivered to faucets.
2) Hot-Cool-Hot - The heating chambers get very hot and when the flow stops, the very hot water sits in the chambers with heating elements that are still very hot for several minutes. If someone opens a faucet at low/medium flow, the water may initially be too hot and turning off the elements may happen before the temperature stabilizes. I think that is behind the occasional hot-cool-hot sequence we are sometimes seeing at turn on.
3) Flickering Lights - Electrical usage fluctuates considerably on initial turn on and can go up near 100 amps at higher flows before stabilizing at a lower amperage. I have seen certain lights flicker some during that period but in my experience it has always been lights with dimmer bulbs (even if you don't have the dimmer switch) and only slightly noticeable.
I suspect all HWHs have these similar quirks but none of them are show stoppers. HW Tanks have their own quirks. When you consider these units can be installed and repaired by a do-it-yourselfer and easily replaced, they will soon make HWTs obsolete. Even if you spend the money to have the unit installed by a contractor, with the electrical & plumbing in place it should be relatively easy to maintain.
Will make HW Tanks obsolete ... but the warranty is an absolute joke
Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2023
Updated April 2024 - While the HWH is operating as expected, I have given up on the warranty. Although I was very careful to have the unit installed properly and mailed the warranty registration card plus registered online the same week it was purchased (August-2023) the warranty is still not registered in my name (8 months). I have made regular calls to the number they listed and the support people say they have no way to connect a call to the warranty department or even contact them themselves. The agents can see the warranty info I mailed and emailed plus have records of the numerous calls I have made. They forward the info to their supervisor and that's the end of it. I dropped the rating down to three stars. I believe Rheem sells the same unit and use the same promo/support info, so if the warranty is important to you I would suggest giving them consideration.Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2023
---------------The original review is below------------
After my Hot Water Tank sprung a leak, I began looking into a Hot Water Heater (HWH) to avoid wrestling with a large tank again. I have an all electric home and purchased an Emporia energy monitor from Amazon (an earlier Amazon review) to see what my average electrical usage is. I was looking at a 27kw HWH and my 200 amp service was looking adequate enough for installation. I decided on the ECOSmart-27. The installation guides are good and operation is simple. The unit was installed on the wall while the leaking tank was still in operation.
The ECO-27 has three heating chambers, A-first in the flow path, B-middle and C-the last chamber where the final temperature sensor is mounted. The unit only turns on when there is flow, otherwise the power usage is zero. According to the Emporia monitor, the B chamber is the workhorse. If only one element is needed, it will be the B chamber, up to 35 amps. If more heat is needed, the C element kicks in up to another 35 amps, then the A element. The highest usage I have seen is 90 amps. Although the amperage can be high when in heavy use, it uses less energy by not having to continuously heat 50 gallons of water.
I would suggest installing an energy monitor to watch the three elements deliver heat. I have an Amazon review of the Emporia model.
Three noted Quirks:
1) Delayed Hot Water - Hot water tanks not only heat the water inside but up to four feet of the discharge line, so they are quicker to deliver hot water than a HWH, however this is also a loss in efficiency. When HWHs are idle long enough for the chambers to cool completely it takes a few seconds longer for the hot water to be delivered to faucets.
2) Hot-Cool-Hot - The heating chambers get very hot and when the flow stops, the very hot water sits in the chambers with heating elements that are still very hot for several minutes. If someone opens a faucet at low/medium flow, the water may initially be too hot and turning off the elements may happen before the temperature stabilizes. I think that is behind the occasional hot-cool-hot sequence we are sometimes seeing at turn on.
3) Flickering Lights - Electrical usage fluctuates considerably on initial turn on and can go up near 100 amps at higher flows before stabilizing at a lower amperage. I have seen certain lights flicker some during that period but in my experience it has always been lights with dimmer bulbs (even if you don't have the dimmer switch) and only slightly noticeable.
I suspect all HWHs have these similar quirks but none of them are show stoppers. HW Tanks have their own quirks. When you consider these units can be installed and repaired by a do-it-yourselfer and easily replaced, they will soon make HWTs obsolete. Even if you spend the money to have the unit installed by a contractor, with the electrical & plumbing in place it should be relatively easy to maintain.
Images in this review
