× Stiebel Eltron Electronic Instantaneous Water Heater - any good?

Discussion in 'Plumbers' Talk' started by agofarkas, Dec 4, 2020.

  1. agofarkas

    agofarkas New Member

    Anyone have experience with the Stiebel Eltron Electronic Instantaneous Water Heater 12.0kW?

    I'm looking for a water heater to heat two sinks and a shower in my summer house. Is this the right thing to get? I'm trying to avoid having faffy little water heaters everywhere, and just want one heater for the whole space.

    Anyone else done this before or have any recommendations/tips?

    thanks
     
  2. andy48

    andy48 Screwfix Select

    1. Lived in Germany for a while. Stiebel Eltron is a respected make.
    2. How are you going to get 53 amp electricity supply to your summerhouse? You'll probably need 16 mm SWA cable - around £7.25 / metre.
    3. And how are you going to get rid of the waste water?
     
  3. agofarkas

    agofarkas New Member

    @andy48

    we are running more power out to the shed and there’s already a toilet out there, so waste water is accommodated.

    is this water heater the kind of thing that will allow me to put normal shower and sink faucets in? Should it be put up in the crawl space or does it not matter?
    Thanks for any and all pointers!
     
  4. rogerk101

    rogerk101 Screwfix Select

    You can use a 12kW instantaneous water heater for a really good shower, but it's not appropriate for a bath.
    Also, you can't use it with a thermostatic shower. It can only be used with a manual mixer.
    I have mine mounted under the bath behind the bath side panel.
     
  5. agofarkas

    agofarkas New Member

    So does it need to sit in the bathroom, or can I put it further upstream and have it heat sink and shower?
     
  6. rogerk101

    rogerk101 Screwfix Select

    You can put it wherever you want, but I'd suggest insulating the hot water pipes if you're doing long runs, as it loses quite a bit of heat ... heat that you can't afford to lose because it's only 12kW and the only way it can get the water to a decent temperature is to restrict the flow a bit. That's why they don't suggest you use it for a bath. It's perfectly OK for a shower though.
    FWIW, mine heats the water for the shower, the basin and the kitchen sink, but fortunately the maximum run from the bath to the kitchen sink is only about 3m as the kitchen is directly below the bathroom. I have 25mm thick insulation on the hot water pipes and that helps a huge amount.
     
  7. agofarkas

    agofarkas New Member

    Super helpful, thank you! My kitchen and bathroom are going to be 2 m apart in a summer house that is only 25 sq m, so I think it will be fine.

    While you’re being so helpful - did you consider any other brands/products and what made you choose this one above the others?

    Thanks again.
     
  8. rogerk101

    rogerk101 Screwfix Select

    I have a Redring in a rental home that I own, and a Galaxy in my own home. They're both fine.
     
  9. zimmi

    zimmi New Member

    Apologies, I realise this is a 2 year old thread.

    I am wanting to install a Stiebel Eltron DCE-X 10/12 Premium, and I can't seem to find any information regarding the flow rate this unit can produce. I understand that it says "2 sinks + shower" but I can't understand what not a bath? If it is able to supply 2 sinks, why not a bath? Surely a bath is achievable as long as you have the flow rate at a reasonable level? My sinks flow rate is roughly 11l/m, couldn't the water heater produce say 7l/m and fill the bath?

    thanks in advance
     
  10. rogerk101

    rogerk101 Screwfix Select

    12kW means you can only get hot water at low flow or warm water at strong flow. A bath at low flow would be cold by the time it was full.
     
  11. zimmi

    zimmi New Member

    gotcha! Appricated
     
  12. Stephen J Brown

    Stephen J Brown New Member

    Thanks for this thread as I want to put a stiebel eltron in my flat. The note on insulating the hot pipes and keeping close to the bathroom was very helpful as I would not have thought of it.
     
  13. Kybosh

    Kybosh New Member


    I appreciate this is an old thread, but thought I could contribute some useful information. According to Stiebel Eltron technical department the DCE-X 12 has an outward flow rate of 5 1/2 ltrs minute at 60c, assuming an incoming water temperature of 10c. I contacted Stiebel Eltron for the info as have been tryng to find a shower to use alongside this in a bungalow with no gas supply.
    Unfortunately I can't find a major shower manufacturer that are willing to confirm any of their products will work adequately with a hot water supply at that rate and Stiebel aren't willing to give any recommendations either - no particuarly useful. I am thinking of installing a low pressure thermostatic shower (Triton Elina tmv3 is my current favourite) and fitting a pressure reducing valve on the cold side to match flow rates and see how it goes.

    I'll report back with a report when the installation is complete.
     
  14. rogerk101

    rogerk101 Screwfix Select

    Every instantaneous hot water product I've looked at states very explicitly NOT to use it with a thermostatic shower mixer. They must have a manual shower mixer. I have one, and it's perfect.
     
  15. Kybosh

    Kybosh New Member

    Hi Roger, really appreciate your feedback on the subject, I can see by your previous thread responses you have 2 IHW heaters currently in use so understand their limitations.
    I have double checked the online instructions manual for DCE-X 10/12 and there is no mention regarding the non use of a thermostatic valve. Instruction manual can be found here:https://www.stiebel-eltron.co.uk/co...ructionandinstallationmanual_doc-00083066.pdf I've also spoken with their technical team and there was no warning from them in relation to this either. I did explain my proposed setup with having the pressure regulated across both the hot and the cold supply.

    I can see why it could be an issue, there needs to be a certain level of pressure for a thermostat to open, which is why I am looking to use a low pressure thermostatic shower - as previously mentioned the Triton Elina will work with as little as 0.1 bar.

    Update to my initial design; BES sell a water pressure equalising valve, designed to balance the water pressure equally between hot and cold, adjusting the higher to balance the lower prior to entering a thermostat
     
    rogerk101 likes this.
  16. rogerk101

    rogerk101 Screwfix Select

    Let us know how it turns out
     
  17. ColdFarmHouse

    ColdFarmHouse New Member

    any Update on your set up with the pressure equaliser?
    really struggling to find a Traditional Look Brass riser shower that's not Thermostatic.... so thinking similar plan.
     
  18. ColdFarmHouse

    ColdFarmHouse New Member

    all installed - hot water to taps sorted - install shower soon hopefully...
     
  19. Shadi

    Shadi New Member

    Any update @ColdFarmHouse? Or anyone else?

    Similar plan here, I'm looking for a tankless, all electric solution for a small property with two small sinks and a showe. The Stiebel Eltron DCE 12.0kW seems like it might work. I think it should deliver about 6.1l per minute flow for a hot shower, but struggling to work out if this will be enough. Shower manufacturers won't confirm either, so curious to know how you got on.
     
  20. CGN

    CGN Screwfix Select

    fit an electric shower and use an ariston 15l for the sinks.
     

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