EEMAX Continuous Flow Hot Water Heater
By Better
I just installed the EEMAX tankless hot water heater system on my boat. It's the tankless one in the 2008/2009 Westmarine catalog. Background is I was replacing a hot water system for a customer in a large power boat, so we got the largest unit that they sell - the 29 amp one. It uses basically the entire contents of a 30-amp shore power cord to heat water. The marketing makes it sound dreamy. Unlimited hot showers, instant on-demand hot water, no draw unless you're using the system, etc.
Basically, I had to remove the first EEMAX heater because it came to me with a bad heating element. First installation: failed. After Westmarine kindly replaced it for me, I got it installed on the customer's boat. Turns out it puts out less than 0.5 GPM, a trickle that doesn't have enough pressure to hold up the little tab on the tub faucet that allows the shower to work. End result, not enough pressure to use in a shower. Turns out the way you make the water hotter is by closing a valve that pinches the outgoing flow of water. The company claims it can run 1.5 to 2 GPM. It can, just not hot. Or even lukewarm. The flow has to be pinched off to a trickle to make the water even remotely hot. Second installation: failed.
All this being said, my wife has been asking for hot water at our sink to wash her face at night. I took the unit home, and installed it under my sink in about 15 mins (I've gotten good at it the 3rd time around). Now I have a trickle of hot water for her to wash with, and it's enough to do dishes as well. Third installation: success.
In summary, this unit works. It makes hot water. It doesn't make enough for showering, and if you like alot of pressure it's not a good choice. It does not live up to the marketing, but it is handy enough for what we need it for.
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