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Shower Water Heaters


dean
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Due to having a perimeter wall at my house in Chiang Mai leaning and about to fall down, it looks like I'll be back in LOS in either April or May to have it torn down and re-built properly. At that time, I'll check on the camera security system that I mentioned a couple of months ago. As I have 3 bathrooms in the house, with showers that have heaters that have long since quit working, I was thinking of buying them in the U.S. (Using Thai specifications) and saving some money. I would prefer to buy brands that are sold in Thailand, so I can get them serviced if need be. Am I being too cheap and could run into unanticipated problems bringing over heaters, or should I just buy quality (German) heaters sold in LOS?

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They were installed about 9 years ago. I left Thailand in October, 2008 and they were still working. I went back over the summer of 2013 and none of them worked. I haven't really checked but it's possible that they could be repaired. They are all Panasonic and it seems like their life span is around 5 years.

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I have to admit that going to HomePro or Global House in Chiang Mai and dealing with the sales people there, who have very limited knowledge of what they are selling, doesn't appeal much to me. I'll try to compare prices of quality heaters sold in Thailand to what a comparable heater would cost in the U.S. and decide if the savings was worth it. I've bought too many crap electrical products in Thailand that lasted about a year and were either not covered under warranty or I had to supply the invoice for warranty work. I tend to bring over quality towels and bed sheets/pillows in my luggage but may not this time, as I think that I have at least two replacement sets for the 5 beds in the house.

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Nearly ten yers old, in anycase, not really worth any attempt at a repair. I would have thought buying here in Thailand makes the most sence. Buy any branded well known make, all will come with the manufacturers guarantee card inside, normally 2 sometimes 5 years and will work fine i'm sure .....

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In the USA, each HW heater must be connected to a GFI, for safety.

 

For me, my HW heater, bought at Big C has been going OK for the past three years. Our water here in Samut Sakhon is not too bad, not a lot of calcium or iron, either will kill the HW heater.

 

When I was living in BKK, I saw a higher content of iron there. YMMV

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Most forms that I have looked at list the Stiebel heaters as among the top of the line heaters. Looking at EBay, they have a couple re-furnished units listed at $140 (one being sold as new/unopened at a pawn shop for around $40. I looked at HomePro/Global House 2 years ago and they were listed at 7,500-8,000 baht. I have no problem buying re-furbished equipment/tools in the U.S. and have done so many times. They are listed at 240 volt, 50-60 Hz, so I'm assuming that they can be used in Thailand. When my house was built, the local "electrician" did all the electrical work. I think that this time, I'll hire a recommended knowledgable electrician to install the heaters and inspect the entire house for possible electrical problems.

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