Small water heater for a garage sink?

[bucktruck]

Hi all,
I will be plumbing my detached garage for a sink, and am looking for water heater options. I'd rather not run gas out there, so I am looking for electric options. Anyone have experience with small tankless heaters?

The sink will be used primarily for cleaning parts, washing hands, etc. Plus, it will keep me from having to use my kitchen sink, which I have (reluctantly) done in the past.

Thanks for any input!

 

[Ray-CA]

I have a small 2.5 gallon or so electric water heater on a switched outlet. Gives me pleanty of almost instant hot water. When we leave for more than a couple of days, I turn off the water to the shop and flip the water heater off to cut down on energy usage. Been working great for 4 years now.

Think I paid about $80 at Home Depot for the heater.

Ray

 

[bucktruck]

I have a small 2.5 gallon or so electric water heater on a switched outlet. Gives me pleanty of almost instant hot water. When we leave for more than a couple of days, I turn off the water to the shop and flip the water heater off to cut down on energy usage. Been working great for 4 years now.

Think I paid about $80 at Home Depot for the heater.

Ray

Do you have it on a separate circuit? I have a couple of 220V circuits for my air compressor and machine tools, and have an unused one that I have planned for a welder. I was considering having a switch for the water heater on the welder circuit, thinking that I would never use both at the same time.

 

[sberry]

That little one is 120v.

 

[MushCreek]

I have a 10 gallon tank-type that runs on 120V. Too slow, though, and don't want to leave it on all the time for the sporadic use it will get. I'm thinking about going with a small tankless. Not worried about overloading the shop electric, as I'm the only one using the equipment, so nothing else will be running when I'm washing up.

Anyone know how to winterize a tankless? I don't have heat, so I shut the water off in the barn for a few months in the winter. I drain the pipes; can you drain a tankless so it doesn't freeze?

 

[Notgrownup]

We use to have a on demand electric one in a trailer office at work and it worked good enough to wash your hands and such.

 

[yeldogt]

I have a 10 gallon 120v at my outdoor kitchen -- think you may find too slow to heat up if you are turning it off and on and want hot water in 15min. We went with the 10g because we need that much when cleaning up .. the 5g will recover quicker but it's not enough hot water at one shot for us (we have friends who used the 5). The 10 is hot in an hour or so .. never really timed it.

So -- you have to think about how much water you are going to need. Since we typically use the outdoor sink on the weekends --- it has a control/timer that will turn it on Friday afternoon and off early Monday. I can also keep it off and override to turn it on -- works for us. The 2.5g units are mostly for hand washing and quick clean up .. but they do recover quickly.

The 5 and 10g are about the same to purchase -- you should be able to use the rating info on the box to determine the yearly cost with your electric rates to see how much more the 10 will cost to run.

Naturally -- more power available changes what you can do.

 

[tom-ky]

We put a Eco Smart in the garage, we have a full bath in there but yet to use the shower. It keeps up with what we have done so far. You need a good power supply though.

 

[finn]

I have a small 110v heater under some shelves next to the compressor in the boiler room. Run to the bathroom sink is about 15 feet and to the slop sink is about 12 feet.

It provides enough hot water to wash up, do a few dishes after lunch, and fill a bucket to wash the car. Recovery is fast, and, being small with not much surface area to radiate heat from, standby losses are minimal so operational costs are minimal.

I have a spare 40 gallon electric, but will probably never install it because it will be a space hog in the boiler room.

My new boiler for the in floor radiant heat has provisions for DHW, and almost unlimited hot water, but, as long as the little guy is working well, I don’t feel any compulsion to install it.

I have enough projects as is.

 

[nadogail]

I have two small 120 Volt water heaters in two garages. As I recall they were about $60 each on Amazon, having warm water to wash my hands in is a luxury.

 

[Radix2]

I have two small 120 Volt water heaters in two garages. As I recall they were about $60 each on Amazon, having warm water to wash my hands in is a luxury.

I'd call it a bit more than a luxury - warm water makes soap work sooo much better on greasy hands.

 

[tarmy]

You mean like this? Works great and put it on a switch like others mentioned. Mine in on a caster dolly I made for it that I use to push it out in the driveway to drain when it is off in freezing temps to avoid problems...

 

[Ray-CA]

Do you have it on a separate circuit? I have a couple of 220V circuits for my air compressor and machine tools, and have an unused one that I have planned for a welder. I was considering having a switch for the water heater on the welder circuit, thinking that I would never use both at the same time.

We built a small (24x8) kitchen/seating area walled off from the main shop area. That area is on 2-circuits one for lights and ceiling fan. The other is for the outlets. So, it’s not on it’s own circuit, but it doesn’t share a line with the shop.

Hope that’s clear.

Ray

 

[indyokie]

I sell tankless electric for a living - based on incoming / and handwashing at 105 degrees = flowing 1.5 gpm for a newer kitchen sink faucet

Incoming Water Temp (°F) 52.0 ( northern CA )
Desired Output Temp (°F) 105.0 ( handwashing temp )
Temperature Rise (°F) 53.0
Flow Rate (GPM) 1.5
Power Required (kW) 11.6

Having 220 is good, you'll need 60 amps of 220v to run 1.5 gpm.
- Look at a Eemax HA013240. It's a 13kw unit at 240V but runs at 220V you say you have.
single Phase
kW 13
Voltage 220
Amps 59.09

The mini tanks folks are showing are a good option as well, 120v 15 amps and they plug right in, tanks require piping the T&P valve to a drain - Tankless have no T&P valve.

 

[SALIV8]

I sell tankless electric for a living - based on incoming / and handwashing at 105 degrees = flowing 1.5 gpm for a newer kitchen sink faucet

Incoming Water Temp (°F) 52.0 ( northern CA )
Desired Output Temp (°F) 105.0 ( handwashing temp )
Temperature Rise (°F) 53.0
Flow Rate (GPM) 1.5
Power Required (kW) 11.6

Having 220 is good, you'll need 60 amps of 220v to run 1.5 gpm.
- Look at a Eemax HA013240. It's a 13kw unit at 240V but runs at 220V you say you have.
single Phase
kW 13
Voltage 220
Amps 59.09

The mini tanks folks are showing are a good option as well, 120v 15 amps and they plug right in, tanks require piping the T&P valve to a drain - Tankless have no T&P valve.

60 amps?

 

[Skiff Builder]

I use an electric tankless. Steibel Eltron, 240V, 50 amp,12K, for my boatshop. I can take a shower with it. Very happy with it ,almost 3 years installed.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DSKJ38Y/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Worked at a place that had an electric tankless. Took a few times to get used to it. The water was hotter with a low flow rate. Open it up to full flow and the water was barely warm enough.

 

[Uncle Dave]

In the attic of my shop I have a 9.9 gallon electric WH, works off a 20 amp circuit. It works fine for a shower and washing machine. I never run out of hot water. It was there when we moved in ten years ago, great so far. Dave

 

[larry4406]

What is a point of use tankless water heater?

Point of use = A unit located proximate to the fixture vs remote

Tankless = a unit without a tank, generates on demand.

 

[DFB]

I put in both a tankless and one of the small tank heater 6 gal at work the tankless is for hot water for hand washing sink in a remote bathroom and the the tank unit is under the sink base in our donut shop, and used for light dishwashing purposes.

Though the tankless serves it purpose there is not much hot water. IMO get a small tank

 

[Stuart in MN]

60 amps?

People generally don't realize the amount of energy required to run a tankless heater of any size, some them require 120 amps or more. For a handwashing sink in a home hobby garage, one of the small electric tank heaters should be fine. They run on 120vac so you can just plug them into standard receptacle, are inexpensive to buy and install, and won't cost that much to run.

 

[rslaback]

I put a 220v unit in my camper that plugs into the 50amp outlet at the campsite. Specifically I bought this Atmor unit.

We use it primarily as an instant hot water source for dishes and it has been awesome for me.

My psychic powers **** so I am not a big fan of the tank turned on and off model. Not when tankless is an option.