Tempra 12 Trend | Tempra 12 Plus

Our Stiebel has been running for 2 years now with a perfect track record so far. It supplies hot water to 2 bedrooms in the back of the house. We live in OKC, OK and can have some pretty cold temps outside but the Tempra 24 keeps up and can kick out enough hot water even on those really cold mornings when you need a good HOT shower. I got the Tempra "Plus" because it will restrict flow rate to maintain water outlet temp if necessary, something the standard Tempra will not do. Also, its nice to have the digital display on the front of the unit, so you can see whats going on when the unit is in operation. We have the temp set to 128F; the max output temp is 140F. It's totally silent in operation, only thing I notice is that it actually will slightly dim the lights in the house when it kicks on. Installation is simple enough, with the electric feed being the most difficult part to get done at my house. We have the heater mounted in a closet in our hallway, where it just hangs on the wall taking up no room at all. The 24 does require very heavy electric feed to produce such a large temp rise with cold inlet temps, while keeping total flow rate high enough for a hot shower. The electric requirement is 2 x 60 amp single phase 240v circuits. That's a total of 240 amps maximum going to this beast - more than many homes can supply having only 200A service at the main panel (240 amps because each 240v single phase circuit consists of 2 legs of 120v so you'll need room for 4 60A breakers in your panel - plus the main CB must support the 240A max draw) Efficiency: all I can say is WOW. Ditching out liquid propane fired hot water tank was one of the best decisions I've made. Now we only pay for the hot water we use instead of keeping 50 gallons hot 24/7. This has reduced our LP use a bunch - our monthly LP bill dropped substantially. I can't precisely say how much we're saving by ditching the LP system (since we also run LP heat here on very cold days) but its between $20 and $40 bucks a month. Our electric bill hasn't changed either, and we have a precise record of our electric use as reported by our "smart" meter on the house. All in all, I give it 5 stars because of its superb performance, efficiency, ease of installation, and high quality design + construction.

Having lived overseas for many years, I was familiar with tankless hot water heaters, but they were always gas. I was a little weary about an electric unit. After reading many reviews about the different ones out there, I went with the Stiebel Eltron. So far, I have been very impressed. FWIW, I have an 1800 sf older home in eastern PA. It only has 1.5 bathrooms, HE washer, and dishwasher. I have the unit set at 105 degrees. That is more than hot enough for what I need. Perhaps in the winter, I might need to turn it up a little. People has commented on Ytube and other places that water pressure will suffer, but I haven't found that to be the case. In fact, my water pressure actually improved. I'm not sure why. The only thing I could think of is that I installed this unit a little closer to the bathroom, eliminating about 8 foot of copper piping. Also some of the old piping or my old tank could of had some hard water build up. People have also commented about the water temperature fluctuating. I haven't found that to be the case either. I think this only happens with the non "plus" models. The "Plus" model has the advanced flow control that seems to eliminate the problem. Other people have commented about lights flickering. Once again, I haven't found that to be the case. I don't see why this unit would cause that. I would guess those people have some other issue going on in their panel or wiring. I did the install entirely by myself, including the wiring. I'll go on the record that I don't consider myself an experienced handyman, but I have taken a few adult ed courses and read a few books on wiring and plumbing. I also read the Tempra manual front to back, and checked the manufacturer's website for more information. I spent about another $300 at HD for extra tools, parts, and the NM 6-2 wire. I used Sharkbites for all the fittings. The hardest part for me was running the 6-2 wire from the unit to the panel and make it look clean. It took me a full day but I took my time. An experienced person will probably be able to do this a lot quicker. Contrary to what many people seem to think, you DO NOT need to use the Watts tankless heater service valves with an electric unit. In fact, the manual discourages it. The cold side of the unit has a tiny filter screen that needs to be cleaned annually, and the manual says it is best to use flexible stainless steel hoses to connect to the unit. Because I didn't use the Watts service valves, I did install the 3M Aquapure scale filter. This requires shut off valves before and after the filter, one of them with a drain plug, so keep that in mind when planning your install. You also do NOT need to have a T/P valve on the hot water side of the unit. There is a built-in T/P valve. However, if your local inspector won't pass it without one, you might have to install one for show. UPDATE (A Month later): Okay, it has been a month since I've installed this. So far it has been working great. However, I have an LG HE washer. I've noticed if you try to take a shower while the washer is running, there is some pretty dramatic pulsing on the water pressure. Also, because the HE washer rapidly opens and closes the hot water valve, it doesn't leave enough time for the copper piping to heat up to get hot water to the washer. This is not really a problem for me, since I mostly wash with cold water anyway, but for some, this might be a deal breaker. Running the hot water for a minute to heat up the pipes may also be a solution. A small tank with circulation pump might be another solution if you really need your wash water to be hot. A friend who is a fire fighter also recommended that a fire alarm be installed on the ceiling directly above the unit. He has responded to several house fires where the cause were cheap quality Chinese made units. Apparently, the cheap units sometimes catch fire. A fire alarm directly above the unit would have detected when the unit starts to smolder before a full on fire occurs. The Stiebel Eltron is a high quality German made unit, however, fire alarms are inexpensive and make sense as a precaution.

So I did a lot of research and review reading before deciding on the Tempra 29. I live in the Pacific Northwest and our water can get pretty friggin cold so I wanted a unit that could handle it. With the price of the unit aside, expect to pay almost 3/4 of that for electrical and plumbing upgrades. The 3 GFCI 50 amp double pole breakers were about $100 each (got on eBay), 125' of 8/2 gauge wire was about $110 (Lowes), the Aqua-Pure AP430SS de scaling unit was about $65 (Amazon), the tankless water heater service valve kit (get it!) was about $130 (hardware store), and assorted flexible hoses for hooking up to the water inlet and outlet were about $50. Before purchasing, make sure you've got enough room in your breaker panel. The 3 double pole breakers take up some space. You'll need 3 lengths on the 8/2 wiring; one for each on the 3 220V heating elements. Luckily my breaker box is right next to the water heater so I just had to go into the attic and drop the new wire down. I had to drill a couple of bigger holes in the wall studs because of the wire thickness. The breaker panel part takes some carefulness so if you don't know what you're doing, get an electrician. I like playing with electrical and got a lot of advice from electricians in my family (dad and brother) so that helped me. As for the plumbing, it wasn't far from the inlet and outlet so it was just connecting some new hoses. I do suggest the Aqua-Pure kit mentioned earlier for longevity. Couldn't hurt for just $65 more, right? With that kit, it is suggested to put a pressure release valve in the line before the Aqua-Pure unit to make changing the filter easier. You should also get the service valve kit too. If you ever need to make repairs down the line (or want to attach a hose and fill an outdoor hot tub with preheated water) they are very necessary. Here's a little tip too for the valves...get couplings to attach between the valve unit and the Tempra unit. Without them there's not really a way to promise that when you tighten to valve onto the Tempra unit that the valve will face the way you want it when fully tightened. It will also make it easier if you attach them before you put the Tempra on the wall. We've had it up and running for 6 months now and enjoy endless, temperature adjustable, hot water. I get to take longer showers and save money on my electric bill at the same time! Win win!

I am very happy with my decision to switch to an on-demand style water heater. This unit, SE Tempra 29 Plus, has performed very well during the first week of use. It is capable of running at 3.3 GPM with incoming water at 49 degrees F and output at 122F. This will fill my garden tub and run a shower at the same time, or run two showers and a faucet with the flow slightly reduced. Different functionality/Limitations- Please remember when you switch to a on-demand style heater that the flow (or max number of points of use) will be limited by the power rating of the unit; however, you will not be limited by the amount of time you can use the heater. I found this ideal for the garden tub as a tank style heater can fill the tub, but is then out of commission for about an hour. The same goes for showers. Two showers and a washing machines could be ran with the tank, but after doing this the tank was down for an hour. This does not happen with the on-demand style and it will continue to put out hot water as long as you want to run it. Minor temperature fluctuations with well water - I do notice small temperature fluctuations while using the unit. I believe these are associated with the pressure tank and cycling of the well pump. When the tank is charging (well pump is running), the water drops a couple of degrees (just noticeable enough to feel, not enough to adjust the water temp). I believe this is due to the water bypassing the pressure tank and coming directly to the heater. This incoming water is slightly colder than the water that has warmed up inside the pressure tank in the crawl space. This water then makes its way through the heater and reduces the output on the hot line side (because of the constant temperature control of the plus unit). The cold line side rises in pressure due to the pump pressurizing the tank and mixes slightly more cold water. I believe this could be eliminated by adding a buffer tank (5-20gal) between the pressure tank and house inlet that would allow the water to mix and acclimate, but this would only be added if someone was extremely sensitive to temperature variations. Some other positives: Easy installation. If you know plumbing and electricity this can be installed in an afternoon if your lucky with the placement of everything. It took me a weekend by myself to install. Most of the time was spent routing the power cables and mounting boxes. Saves space, No Footprint! This unit was ideal for my house. I had a 50gal tank in my half-bath and it was an eyesore and a space hog. The SE 29 was wall mounted on the garage side of the wall without taking any floor space and minimal wall space that wasn't being utilized. Others: Unlimited hot water, Better looking than a tank heater, and easily adjustable temp.

Worst. It draws so much power a family of four who monitors their water carefully at 10 minute showers will spend upwards of 1100 dollars in electricity every month. Not a money saver!! Do not buy. Perhaps it is malfunctioning?

Excelent product! Very easy to install. Temperature setting completely stable. No ups and downs. One recommendation: I would use a removable cover instead of one with the hinges. Hard to turn cover in tight places. New update: (29-jul-2021) Nothing to report after over four years of service. Happy camper! Latest update (15-jan-2019): Bad news. Unit stopped working on January 11th, 2019 - 20 months after installation - Called Tech Support at Stiebel-Eltron and troubleshot problem to a bad FLOW SENSOR (P/N 286461). Unit was still under 3-year warranty but in the US only, no international warranty. Since water heater was installed in Costa Rica, I contacted the local S-E distribuitor to confirm bad part. They tested it at their repair shop and fault was confirmed. They replaced faulty flow sensor and now everything checks good. Total expense about $78 in part and labor. Stiebel-Eltron USA mailed me - to my US address - a replacement flow sensor at no cost which I will keep as spare. Update after almost 10 months of usage: Experience has been great this far. Not a single issue to report. On 15-mar-2018 I installed an Aqua-Pure AP430SS Hot Water System Protector made by 3M to protect unit against scale build-up. See picture enclosed. Remember to use plenty of teflon tape on the two 3/4 in. threaded male adapters to the T (filter head); otherwise, you will get water sippage. Notes: 1. I wanted to purchase the Tempra Plus 15 for better capacity but had no choice since previous water heater was wired for one double pole breaker. Too expensive to rewire, no room in wall conduit. 2. Removed and replaced previous Titan II water heater after one year of use. Energy hug, water temperature very unstable and no temp setting. 3. Installed unit under house stairs. 4. Had to use 3/4 in to 1/2 in reducer on water inlet since my water lines are 1/2 in dia. 5. This is a small unit. Be careful not to use more than two open water outlets at a time, especially with laundry machine; otherwise, you will get substantial reduction in water flow. This is normal since unit controls water flow on demand, not water temperature. 6. Used TSJ 3 x 6 AWG cable - black, white and green - for power supply per manufacturer's instructions. 7. Used shut off valve on cold and hot lines for ease of maintenance. 8. I will be checking my energy bill on the next months. 9. First power bill (after more than 30 days from installation): 256 KWh. Previous bill: 292 KWh, reduction of 12.33%.

I chose the tankless water heater to remove a half water heater that was taking up space in the kitchen of my 409sft apartment. This was the perfect solution which I ended up placing in a small cabinet in the corner of the kitchen. I did have to do some electrical and plumbing modifications (pricey) due to my placement of the heater. This item provides good water flow and heat to my shower which is 20ft approx away from the heater at 122 degrees. I have found with my configuration that if I go over 125 degree I lose water flow to my shower. When I am showering at 122 degrees, to me it is perfect since it allows me to back off from the tempreture and raise it as the shower goes on. I am not finished remodelling and have not used it with multiple faucets or my dishwasher, more to follow. Pro's: 1. Great size for a small apartment 2. Only one 60A 2 pole breaker needed 3. Constant hot water!! Con's: 1. Get a good plumber and electrician to work together to find the correct electrical needed and waterflow to the farthest unit needing hot water. I have been using this product for 1 month now and I really enjoy it. I would say do your research on the electrical requirments on your house and the temprature rise from the ground water to your desired water temprature. I am living in Hawaii and there is not a huge rise in temp. needed to affect the waterflow.

We have had this for over 6 months so far and it's been fantastic!! Did the install myself. You will need 200 AMP service to run this! If your not sure what service you have or what it is, just take a look at your electric pannel and find the main BIG breaker that cuts off everything. It will have the total AMP # on the breaker. Like other have said, it does take 2 60A breakers, make sure you have room on your pannel for them to fit. They will take up 4 slots and you will need 6 gauge wire to run. Got a 125 foot roll at Home Depot along with the new copper and breakers. Also, Stiebel recomends you get a water softner if you have hard water in your area. Otherwise it will void the warrenty and shorten the heaters life. Home Depot for that too! Oh, and I don't work there, I'm a mortgage banker. Anyhoo, we have a 2 1/2 bath 2600 sq home in Louisville Kentucky. I have five people in our home and both showers, dishwasher, and washing macheine can be running all at once with no drop in water temperature. We have the temp set at 114 degrees. I did put 2 gpm flow heads on both showers. I did think the water heater was not working at first in my master bath because the temp would not go over 90 degrees, but after a few weeks rembered the Delta shower fixture has the ability to set specific temps. I made the adjustment and boom, hot water! This thing runs the entire house with no problems! Could not be happier. And, I have noticed a lower electric bill! This did replace a 50 gallon water heater that was in a closet under our stairs. Needless to say, got my closet back and have this system mounted on the wall. Takes up no space! Some people on here say to get your flow rate, temp rise, bla bla bla. But, you can just check out Stiebel's web site and it will tell you wich water heater will work for your area and # of baths in your home. Very simple and spot on! I did call them about the water softner or other options, they were very nice and helpful. Another note, my dad helped his buddy install a gas tankless heater, he has had problems with it from day one. Plus you have to change out your gas pipe and other junk. I say go electirc. Hope this helps!