Well N A, The Tankless Water Heater is the Bomb!

**Ghost214** · 05-04-2011, 07:34 PM

thanks for the info. i think there are better options out there for me, maybe more expensive, but at least it will be right(I know that is a matter of opinion, dont really think there is a right or wrong way with a lot of things). But seriously thank you to everyone on here that is willing to help people out. I know that when i can help, i will!!

**guy incognito** · 05-10-2011, 01:10 PM

So how much has your gas bill gone up since you've been running this?

**legallyflying** · 05-10-2011, 03:20 PM

Hard to tell because it's winter time and I have gas heat. Maybe $20...maybe. Put it this way, it hasn't been any higher than last years bills. NG is damn cheap. Waaaaaaay cheaper than propane.

**budleydoright** · 05-10-2011, 07:51 PM

Even running propane it's lots less than compressed co2. I go through almost 3 bottles of compressed @ 20.ea per cycle a 5lb tank of propane used to last me 2-3 cycles.

**mrduke** · 05-10-2011, 09:21 PM

agreeed with budley i can get 10-12 weeks of 12/12 out of a propane tank

**guy incognito** · 05-12-2011, 01:46 PM

Natural gas is mostly methane which is CH4. It is priced by the thousand cubic feet for usually around $11 for residential. 1,000 cubic feet gives you 44.6 lbs of natural gas.

(35.31 cubic feet in 1 cubic meter
1000 Liters in 1 cubic meter
one mole of gas at ideal conditions occupies 22.4 L
Methane has a molecular weight of 16
453.6 grams per pound.)

One methane molecule gives you one co2 molecule. The molecular wt of methane and co2 are 16 and 44 respectively. So every unit of natural gas turns into 44/16 units of co2.

44.6 lbs of NG (for about $11) turns into 122.6 lbs of CO2

Propane is C3H8 with a molecular wt of 44 and turns into 3 CO2 molecules each at 44. So each unit of propane turns into 3 units of CO2. 122.6 lbs of CO2 would require 40.87 lbs of propane, or about 2 normal bbq tank fulls (probably $30-40).

122.6 lbs of CO2 would require 122.6 lbs of compressed CO2, or about 6 tank fulls from a 20-lb tank. No idea what a 20 lb fill up of CO2 costs but its probably a lot more than $2.

**legallyflying** · 05-12-2011, 04:42 PM

Nicely done!! A 20lb co2 tank costs $16 in the city to refill. So its safe to say that NG burner is 800% cheaper than bottled Co2?

For those staring blankly at the screen and your NG bill. You probably see cost per therm. A therm is equal to 100 cubic feet. Incognito, you must live near me as my gas is 1.15 per therm. Pretty damn close to your $11 per 1,000 cubic feet estimate.

**guy incognito** · 05-13-2011, 06:18 AM

I just looked up the average cost in the usa. I don't even receive hard copies of my gas bill, it gets automatically billed. I see the charge every month in my email, but i'm not even sure of the units I get charged in. I don't think you could say it's 800% cheaper; wouldn't 100% cheaper be $0? But you could say bottled is about 800% more expensive to run compared with NG.

I'm going to set this thing up real soon. Should pay for itself within the first month.

**boomdawg** · 05-15-2011, 04:38 AM

Well Fuck yeah again!
Up and running tonight!
Ill post a pic or two later when I wake up.
I seem to be cycling more often than you guys. About every 5 minutes between pump/gen on/off. Is that ok or should I lower monitor for more overshoot/longer cycle? Overshoot is minimal (1540) and my digigro telaire is mounted as high as the gen exhaust but opposite side room. Run time is less than 2 minutes until off at 1500ppm.
Temps are running 85ish with dehumid at 50%.
Way stoked!
Thanks LF and also Budley for the advice.

**legallyflying** · 05-16-2011, 10:56 AM

You could go for a little more overshoot and reduce cycle times. probably 6 of one half dozen of another. It would cycle less but stay on a little longer. Your temps humidity sound good so maybe just try it and see what heppens. Sounds pretty dialed though. Glad to share the stoke. They are pretty pimp. Now you can throw your cylinder out the window