Our Rating
Summary:
4.6
Do you need a water heater that can work outside instead of inside? Are you looking for a high capacity tankless water heater that can work with your home’s propane supply? The Rheem outdoor tankless water heater offers users a 6.4 gallon per minute capacity that will raise the tap water temperature by 35 degrees. It offers 10 feet of thermostat wire and a UMC-117 remote control with purchase for easier installation and use. Priced around $600 on Amazon, this low nox version could be just the solution you’ve been trying to find.
This unit does require a ¾ inch gas line to operate correctly. If you can connect that gas line to a portable propane tank, however, you can have a very portable solution for hot water. Some users have noted that attached to a 10 gallon tank, this water heater can last for 60 days to supply hot water to a 2 person home. Here are some other observations about this Rheem outdoor tankless water heater to consider.
#1. It has a lot of strength. This water heater outperforms the competition. The 6+ GPM capacity allows users to run two faucets, a shower, and a hot water appliance [like a dishwasher] all at the same time and still have hot water to spare. The results are consistent and continuous, so unless the propane runs out, users are going to run out of hot water.
#2. Lower capacities mean hotter water. The 35 degree source temperature change might not be enough for some homes, but that’s at the 6.4 GPM capacity. At 5.3 GPM, users will experience a 45 degree temperature change. At 3 GPM, some users may experience up to a 60 degree change at the source.
#3. It has protections against freezing built into the unit. This Rheem outdoor tankless water heater has electric freeze protection built into it, so having a power source attached in addition the propane may be necessary for certain homeowners. This does not protect the plumbing that is connected to the hot water heater, however, so using insulation is recommended during extended periods of cold.
#4. Hard water users can expect a lot of maintenance issues. The scale will build up in this tankless water heater rather quickly. Without soft water, expect to be flushing out this water heater at least once per year to eliminate scale build-up. For those without hard water, it is possible to get 3-5 years of use before a flush of scale is necessary.
#5. Watch the water filter screens carefully. This tankless water heater filters the water through a screening process that must be kept clear to keep this unit functioning properly. That isn’t going to be problematic for most users, but once a month or so, just take a peek at them to make sure the unit can distribute hot water correctly.
For a portable or outdoor solution that runs on propane, the Rheem outdoor tankless water heater offers users consistent results that can work for the whole home. If you use propane as your primary source of heat, then we recommend taking a look at this water heater today to see if it could fit your needs.
