120v Point Of Use Water Heaters

[launderess]

Between recent hate on natural gas and other things more and more new construction of multi-family units in area now have these 120v point of use water heaters. One had no idea such things existed (only am familiar with 208v-240v), but apparently they have become a thing.

Am showing link only for representation purposes.

https://hibid.com/lot/218276952/ge-point-of-use-water-heater--electric

Of course in Europe and many other parts of world point of use water heaters long have been common for multi-family housing. American apartment dwellers long have been spoiled by hot water and or heating from a central supply.

Have stayed in apartments in France where water heater for apartment also provided hot water for heating (radiators). That doesn't seem to have taken off yet in big way around here, but who knows what may happen in future.

Issue for many tenants in these new buildings is having to adjust lifestyles to cost of energy use. Electric rates locally are quite dear so one can imagine those used to spa like experiences in bath on daily basis are in for a shock when bill comes.

 

[DADoES]

 
Those have been around for years.  Typically are small capacity 3 to 5 gal to boost a lavatory or kitchen sink.  18 gal is larger than typical, would be slow recovery.  Workable for a shower with lag-time betwen uses.  Not suitable for a bathtub. 

 

[circlew]

The one in the link is the tank type, and we have one about that size at the place I work. It serves two washbasins in the restrooms, and two laundry tubs, all within 15' of the unit. Seems to serve the purpose well. I don't know if it operates on 120 or 240 volts.

There are tankless point of use water heaters available, and the smaller units are 120 volt. I'm thinking about getting rid of my tank type unit, and getting a couple small tankless ones, but large enough that they are 240 volt. I'm going to discuss it with the plumber when he comes back.

 

[circlew]

I was in the storage room today where the little water heater is located. I looked at the rating plate, and it is a 6 gallon 120 volt model.

 

[whatsername]

My grandparents put a 3-gal one in their new build house under the kitchen sink since it took longer than anywhere else to get hot. The house was built with a dedicated outlet for a disposal, but they have never wanted a disposal and are on septic anyway so they just took advantage of the unused circuit. This was about 15 years ago.