Because they provide hot water almost immediately, tankless water heaters have become increasingly popular. Many people who are sick of constantly running out of hot water have switched to Rinnai tankless water heaters. Follow our Rinnai RUR160iN review to decide if this model is suitable for your needs.
Product Overview
Even though Rinnai is a market leader in tankless water heaters today, the company started in Japan in 1920 under the name “Rinnai and Co.” When Hidejiro Naito and Kanekichi Kayashi began their business, they didn’t sell water heaters but produced and sold pressurized oil cooking burners [1].
But as prospects for growth arose in the 1930s, Naito and Kayashi seized the chance to enter the gas sector, leading them to develop space and water heaters.
Since the 1960s, Rinnai has been a leader in the hot water sector. It entered the American market for the first time in 1974 [2].
Although Rinnai’s dominance of the tankless water heater market is a relatively recent development, it began in Los Angeles and swiftly extended throughout the entire country.
Product Features
- Endless Hot Water: Our tankless hot water...
- Energy and Space Efficient: The tankless...
- Optimal Water Pressure: With a hot water flow...
The Rinnai RUR160iN gas heater is designed for maximum effectiveness. It receives Energy Star accreditation because it is a condensing tankless water heater that catches and recycles exhaust gas to utilize its heat fully.
The Rinnai RUR160 is a member of the Sensei SE+ Series, a line of tankless, ultra-high efficiency water heaters that have earned Energy Star certification. The RUR160 can be used both at home and at work.
The RUR160 must be purchased for indoor or outdoor use and is offered in either Natural Gas or Liquid Propane.
Whether to install indoors or outside must be made at the time of purchase. The RUR160 provides concentric and PVC/CPVC venting for indoor installations. Maximum installation freedom is provided by the dual venting option on the top of the device; one concentric vent or two PVC/CPVC/PP pipes may be utilized for venting [4].
When venting concentrically, one pipe lets in outside air while the other lets the exhaust out. Ventilation is not required for outdoor installation. The RUR160iN is a product that needs to be vented and is intended for indoor installation.
On the Rinnai Sensei Series indoor units with condensing technology, built-in freeze protection is available down to -22°F. The device has an incorporated check valve between the turbofan and the combustion chamber that prevents cold air from entering the ventilation system and exhaust backflow in typical vent applications.
In addition, the Fiber Mesh Premix Burner assists in distributing flames evenly for maximum performance under any circumstance [5].
Capasity
It has a 160,000 BTU heating capacity and delivers hot water at a flow rate of 0.26 to 8.0 GPM. For low-demand activities like shaving when warm water is required but not at a rapid rate, the minimal GPMs is ideal!
It is the best tankless option for a house with two to three bathrooms. The RUR160 performs best when 2 to 5 fixtures are being used simultaneously.
Therefore, two people can shower and get ready for the day while someone else is doing the dishes, and there will still be enough hot water left over to run the laundry, a dishwasher load, or both! The temperature of the groundwater directly affects the simultaneous use of fixtures.
The front panel of the water heater comes with the MC-91-2US controller. The standard minimum and maximum temperature settings are 98° and 120°F, respectively. The device has a maximum setting that may be adjusted to 140°F. The RUR160iN unit’s parameters can be changed to provide a higher hot water flow of up to 9 GPM [6].
When you turn on the tap for a condensing tankless water heater, such as the RUR160iN, cold water enters the tankless heater and ignites the flame. The heat exchanger made of stainless steel pre-heats the water as it moves through it. The copper heat exchanger’s coils allow for further heating as the fluid flows through them.
It then leaves the water heater, travels through your pipes, and arrives at the fixture requesting hot water. The flame adjusts to heat more or less water depending on how much hot water is required.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi technology is available with the RUR160iN for remote management and monitoring. A monitoring dealer is necessary for remote diagnostics and monitoring. Service technicians for Rinnai may send you automatic maintenance notifications, check the efficiency of your tankless water heater over Wi-Fi, and possibly even deliver quick service. The Rinnai Control-R Wi-Fi Module easily snaps into the tankless water heater.
You may start recirculation and manage your hot water from anywhere in the house by downloading the mobile app (if installed). Additionally, the Control-R supports pairing and voice control with Amazon Alexa [7].
ThermaCirc 360 Recirculation Technology by Rinnai is incorporated into the RUR160. You may program recirculation technology to follow patterns corresponding to how much hot water you use. The integrated pump pumps water from the RUR160 through the return line and back to the heater when the Dedicated Mode operates in conjunction with a dedicated return line.
Installation
Installing a thermal bypass valve at the fixture farthest from the RUR160 is possible for use in the Crossover Mode if a dedicated return line is unavailable. Isolation valves are included with the RUR160 to make maintenance and servicing simpler.
This unit has a thermal bypass valve with the crossover recirculation mode. The Control-R Wi-Fi controller is incompatible with the recirculation controller (MC-195T-US; available separately).
A tankless water heater rarely has a space problem. The dimensions of a Rinnai RUR160 tankless heater are 26.4″h x 18.5″w x 11.4″d, which is somewhat larger than a carry-on bag [8].
Rinnai RUR160iN review
The following clearances are required for installation on a wall when using them:
| Clearances | |
| Top:
(0″ from vent components) |
2″ |
| Bottom / Ground: | 12″ |
| Front:
(minimum of 24″ required for servicing)
|
0″ |
| Vent: | 0″ |
| Sides: | 2″ |
Flexible venting options are available for installation with the RUR160iN.
- Schedule 40 or Concentric PVC/CPVC
- Non-Direct Vent (Room Air);
- Common Direct Vent; Direct Vent (Concentric and Twin Pipe) (Direct Vent and Room Air)
- Maximum equivalent vent lengths are:
- Twin Pipe Vent Sizes and Lengths: 2″/ 65 Ft. or 3″/ 150 Ft.
- Concentric Vent Sizes and Lengths: 2″ x 4″/ 65 Ft. or 3″x 5″ / 150 Ft.
Related: Rinnai vs Takagi water heaters
Conclusion
Each model of the Rinnai tankless water heater is constructed to the same standards and requirements. For instance, Rinnai heaters can run on either natural gas or propane.
Additionally, every Rinnai water heater has a uniform energy factor (UEF) ranging from .79 to .95. UEF refers to a water heater’s efficiency.
Higher UEF ratings are preferable because they signify a heater is more energy-efficient and will save you money without getting too scientific.
Additionally, most Rinnai tankless water heaters have a three- to four-fixture capacity. To put it another way, they are excellent multitaskers. A lot of Rinnai water heaters also adhere to Energy Star regulations.
Michael Davis is a heating & plumbing expert who currently works as independent contractor in SC. He also writes for Plumbertip.
For almost 10 years he worked on various plumbing tasks across South Carolina.
