Product FAQ's
Q. Does a Rinnai Tankless Water Heater have a standing pilot?
A. No. Rinnai Tankless Gas Water Heaters have a direct-spark electronic ignition.
Q. What are the power supply requirements for a Rinnai Tankless Water Heater?
A. Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters require 120 volts AC, 60 Hz and less than three amps.
Q. Can I install a Rinnai Tankless Water Heater myself?
A. Rinnai recommends that tankless water heater installation should be performed by a licensed contractor who is trained to handle the plumbing, gas, electrical and venting aspects of a tankless water heater and is aware of all local and national codes. Having a non-licensed professional perform the installation can cause operational and performance issues.
Q. Can Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters be used on houseboats or RVs?
A. Unfortunately, our tankless water heaters cannot be used in houseboats or RVs. However, we have specific units available that are certified to be installed in Mobile and Modular Homes. These units include both our Luxury and Value Series units.
Q. Can a Rinnai Tankless Water Heater be used to heat a pool or spa?
A. Rinnai Tankless Hot Water Heaters cannot be used for heating pools or spas. The chemicals used would damage the components of the water heater.
Q. What is the life expectancy of a Rinnai Tankless Water Heater?
A. The life expectancy of a Rinnai Tankless Hot Water Heater is up to 20 years. Actual performance will vary depending on water quality, usage rates, environmental conditions, and regular maintenance.
Q. What is temperature rise?
A. The maximum flow rate that our tankless hot water heaters can produce depends on temperature rise — the difference between the set temperature of the unit and that of the incoming ground water. For instance, if you set the temperature of the unit to 120° F and the incoming groundwater temperature is 60° F, the temperature rise is 60°.
The lower the set temperature, and the higher the incoming groundwater temperature, the more hot water flow the unit can produce and vice versa. If sized correctly for your application, the unit(s) should not have a problem producing enough flow for your hot water needs.
Q. What is the minimum water flow required to operate a Rinnai Tankless Water Heater?
A. Please keep in mind that Rinnai Tankless Gas Water Heaters need to see a demand of over 0.4 to 0.6 gallons per minute of water flow through the hot side in order to ignite and 0.26 gallons per minute to stay in operation. If the flow rate falls below this level, the unit will turn off because it senses that hot water is no longer needed.
There are several possible solutions to minimum flow rate issues: lowering the temperature on the unit to a more comfortable temperature to avoid cutting in too much cold water; cleaning the inlet water filter on the cold water inlet of the unit (sediment buildup in the filter can decrease flow into the unit); cleaning or removing the aerators from showerheads or fixtures; or replacing low-flow showerheads or fixtures.
If you believe that this is not the issue, contact your original installer or plumber to service the unit.
Q. Can an external Rinnai Tankless Water Heater be used in cold climates?
A. Yes. Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters feature freeze protection for outside temperatures as cold as -22° F (-30° C) for indoor models or as cold as -4° F (-20° C) for outdoor models when protected from direct wind exposure, as long as there is both power and gas supply to the appliance. The pipes feeding the unit MUST be heat-traced and insulated to provide freeze protection.
Rinnai strongly recommends the installation of an optional drain-down system on units installed outside in cold climates. This system, if installed, will allow all water inside the unit to drain out if there’s a power and/or gas outage or a component failure in the product. See the owner’s manual for optional drain-down system piping.
Q. What types of fuel do Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters use?
A. Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters operate using natural gas or propane and have an electronic ignition.
Q. Do Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters have a UL Rating?
A. Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters are not UL certified, but are certified by CSA International to ANSI Z21.10.3 Standard Gas Water Heaters, Volume III, Storage Water Heaters with Input Ratings Above 75,000 Btu/h. However, the following internal electrical components are UL certified:
a. Transformer E (UL 1411) b. Relay (UL 41515) c. Wire & Conduit (UL 1430).
Q. Does Rinnai manufacture an electric tankless water heater?
A. We do not make an electric model. There are several potential drawbacks to electric tankless water heater units: First, the power requirements of electric units large enough to provide hot water for a typical household can be prohibitive. For example, a unit that can provide three gallons per minute with an 80° F temperature rise would require about a 150 amp 230VAC circuit. This is about eight times the power required for a three-ton central air conditioning system.
Second, the relative operating cost of electric tankless water heaters is much higher than gas water heaters. Based on national averages, electricity costs almost twice as much per BTU as natural gas. Even with propane, gas tankless water heaters are considerably less expensive to operate than those that run on electricity
Q. Does Rinnai offer a battery backup system?
A. We do not offer a battery backup system—also known as an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS)—for our products. Please check with your local retail store for a UPS that may be suitable for your needs
Q. Can a Rinnai Tankless Water Heater be installed in a mobile home?
A .We have specific tankless water heaters available that are certified for installation in Mobile and Modular Homes. These units include both our Luxury and Value Series units.
Q. What size gas line does a Rinnai Tankless Water Heater require?
A. Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters typically require a ¾" gas line to provide a sufficient gas supply to the unit’s burner. However, if there is sufficient pressure and the gas line is short enough, there are some cases where a ½" gas line can be used, which is the most common size used in the United States and Canada. This can make switching from a tank-style water heater to a tankless water heater faster, easier and less expensive.
As with all tankless water heater applications, installers should check and abide by local gas-pipe size and licensing rules and codes.
Q. Can a Rinnai Tankless Water Heater be converted to a different gas type?
A. Rinnai offers a limited Field Conversion Program. Kits for converting gas tankless water heaters from natural gas to propane or vice versa are available for most models. Please have your installer/service provider call 1-800-621-9419 to find out if your model qualifies and to obtain a detailed step-by-step conversion instruction kit.
These kits are available directly from Rinnai, and will be shipped only after the installer/service provider has contacted Rinnai’s technical support services and consulted one of our technical specialists, to ensure the installer/service provider performing the conversion is qualified to do so. The Field Conversion Program is available for products which have been installed and where gas type availability has changed. It will not be approved for use in conversion of non-sold inventory or mobile homes.