Rheem's 2nd Generation Tankless Water Heater Line Offers New and Exclusive Features

Rheem Water Heating is introducing its 2nd generation tankless water heater product line with new and exclusive features that simplify selection for tankless water heater installers and specifiers. Rheem has expanded its tankless product line by adding 7.4 GPM direct vent models and 5.3 GPM models, while introducing a host of new and improved features including: EZ-Link technology, exclusive Guardian SBT™ (sensing burner technology), exclusive Guardian OFW™ (overheat film wrap), and exclusive high-altitude options.

Rheem 2nd generation tankless water heaters are the perfect solution to a wide variety of residential and commercial hot water applications, capable of handling all the hot water needs of a home, a business, or even large heavy-duty projects. About the size of a conventional medicine cabinet, these powerful, sophisticated, high-efficiency units deliver a continuous supply of hot water on demand, eliminating the need for a large storage tank and the high cost of heating and re-heating the water in it.

New direct vent model: First on the wave of new Rheem tankless products is the 7.4 GPM direct vent model. Available in both residential and heavy-duty residential/commercial models, the 7.4 GPM products are the perfect water heating solution for "tight," new-home construction – alleviating indoor air quality (IAQ) problems. Rheem direct vent products are designed to bring combustion air in from outside the home or business, eliminating the need for any additional provisions for combustion air.

New intermediate model: Rheem has also added an intermediate-size residential tankless gas water heater, designed to meet the hot-water needs of single-family homes with two bathrooms. The new RTG-53 series includes indoor direct vent, indoor power vent, and outdoor versions. The RTG-53 series is neatly positioned between Rheem's other two residential tankless units: the RTG-42, designed for homes with one bathroom; and the RTG-74, for homes with three bathrooms.

"Proper sizing is as critical to tankless water heaters as it is to their tank-type counterparts," says Jim Cika, Rheem Specialty Water Heating Manager. "But too often, identifying the right tankless model for an application can be confusing. With the new RTG-53 models joining the other two models in our line, Rheem expects to make the tankless sizing job for residential applications as easy as 1-2-3."

EZ-Link: The Easy Way to Expand

Rheem Flexible Tankless Water Heater Systems

Rheem Water Heating has also announced the addition of EZ-Link™ technology to all Rheem 2nd generation tankless products. EZ-Link enables two tankless units to be wall-hung, side by side, and connected with a communication cable, so they can operate as a single water heater. EZ-Link allows end users to meet the hot water demands of large homes (up to six bathrooms) or to expand their existing Rheem tankless water heater systems to meet the growing hot-water needs of family or business.

Let's say you have a customer with a four-bathroom home. You could install two RTG-53 series water heaters with an EZ-Link cable to meet their hot water demands. Or, say you have a customer who is building a new addition. Instead of replacing the existing Rheem tankless unit, simply connect a second Rheem tankless water heater to absorb the additional hot-water demand without taking up an excessive amount of space.

As Cika points out, "A typical tankless water heater is about 12 inches wide by 24 inches high, weighs about 50 pounds and can be mounted on either an interior or exterior wall. As a result, most spaces will be able to accommodate the additional unit relatively easily."
 
For larger hot-water applications, the MIC-180 manifold control allows you to link up to 20 Rheem tankless water heaters in a manifold configuration:
 > For large residential applications, up to 20 RTG series water heaters (all the same model) can be interlinked to meet large hot water demands.
 > For large heavy-duty residential or commercial applications, up to 20 GT series water heaters (all the same model) can be interlinked.

Other new features added to the Rheem 2nd generation tankless product line include the following:
 > 140°F thermostat is standard.
 > UMC-117 remote control can be set for 120°F, the standard setting for Rheem tankless units, up to a maximum 140°F.
 >Auto-On feature automatically restores power to the unit after a power outage.
 After power is restored, the thermostat resets itself to the previously selected temperature.
 > 0.66 GPM minimum activation flow is standard on all models.

Like the 1st generation Rheem tankless water heater line, all of the 2nd generation tankless products have an Energy Factor greater than .80, which qualifies these units for a federal income tax credit of up to $300 under the new Energy Policy Act of 2005. In addition, Rheem 2nd generation products continue to offer the following features:
 > Exclusive: Guardian SBT – sensing burner technology.
 > Exclusive: Guardian OFW – overheat film wrap.
 > Exclusive: Two high-altitude options – up to 6,560-or 9,840-ft. elevations.
 > Exclusive: All Rheem tankless models are third-party-certified by GAMA.
 > Low NOx emissions: All models are SCAQMD and TCEQ approved.

RHEEM MANUFACTURING COMPANY, headquartered in New York City, is a leading worldwide provider of home comfort systems including water heaters, heating and air conditioning equipment, pool and spa heaters, and boilers.