Does anyone have a panasonic dh-3ms1? Somehow it takes a while before the water gets "hot" (temp knob set at max). Did I have a faulty unit(new, just started using recently) or it just behaves like that?

There is the waterflow control knob. Reduce the flow to feel what result.

Hi sifus.

My tenanted unit meru 45l tank heater on switch totally no hot water. A year ago hose leaking spent 350 repaired now heating element failed need 380+100 to replace.

Decided to move to instant heater instead.
Noob questions:

1.Should water be let out from the tank since no longer in use in future?
2.How to empty an erected Meru tank with outlet hose on top and inlet hose at bottom? If you know any expert plumber in this please ask to DM me price.

The current switch is 2-way meaning 1 heater shared between 2 bathrooms. Developer cheap design. Managed to install 1 instant heater using the original heater wiring.

In 2nd bathroom, it is renovated with a 3 pin socket for shaver, hairdryer etc. The current heater switch is outside bathroom.

3.Can this socket be converted to instant heater switch? If it is not safe, does it means need to add wiring and drill a hole to reach the current switch outside bathroom? Tenant doesn't want too many holes n wiring casings, need fast job that do not inconvenience them. However, safety must come first.

Hope all great sifus can enlighten me. Thanks.

Are you planning to diy or pay someone to do it ? But reading your post, I think is the latter.

Dont stress yourself. Engage a competent person to do it.

Definitely engaging professionals. Just trying to understand the problems as few plumbers and electricians gave different solutions so I get confused.

Is it possible to do a straight swap mcb(water heater) to rcbo? 10mA sensitive of course.
Mom's house. With elcb somewhere in DB.

This post has been edited by UnknownH: Nov 17 2022, 12:31 PM

Definitely possible.But need to trace back the neutral line from the WH circuit at the DB box.
Will require a dedicated neutral, cannot share with other circuit, account balance sheet not tally

Does anyone have a gas water heater in the apartment? Is it possible at all to have gas water heater in condo apartment instead of instant electric heater?

Yes, is similar to boiling a kettle of water on the gas stove and have instant warm water flow. During my college days, I used to spend few nights at a friend's place in Cameron and he is using the gas wh.

for safety make sure to addon RCBO. got mine from schneider electric

Bosch water heater main issue is not hot enough.. even at highest level

Unless yours is a lemon, that's just the power rating. Bosch and most brands use 3.6/3.8KW, look for Pana/Joven/Centon high power models if you want very hot water.

Adjust to lower water flow level.

Yeah it is the same as all instant water heaters in the market. Output water temperature is affected by:


1. Input water temperature

- the colder the input water temperature (eg. raining season), the output water temperature will be colder as well,

- unless the water heater models have the output water temperature stabilizer function that is found in expensive models.


2. Power Rating

- the higher the power rating, the hotter the output temperature.

- Most common power rating in Malaysia is 3.6kW and 3.8kW (nearly all brands), followed by 4.2kW and 4.5kW (Centon, Deka, etc.), even up to 7kW (Centon, Beebest).

- The higher the power rating, the higher specification is required for your electrical components, eg. MCB, wirings, switch. For example, all water heaters with power rating below 5.7kW u should use 4mm wiring cables, while power rating above 5.7kW to 7.2kW should use 6mm wiring cables (which is much more expensive compared to 4mm).


3. Water Flow

- The faster the water flow, the lower the output temperature.

- Water flow can be affected by:

i. Your original bathroom water flow (eg. condos are usually much faster than landed properties, unless it is installed with powerful booster pump at the water source piping).

ii. Flow restrictor / regulator found in water heater parts such as stop valves.

iii. Shower handset nozzles size and quantity.
Eg. Panasonic nozzles are much smaller than most brands, so overall water flow is slower with shaper spray (sometimes quite painful haha) and nozzles tend to get clogged much faster than other brands and need cleaning, but with the benefit that output water temperature is hotter.
Eg. Joven's shower handset I think has lesser quantity of nozzles compared to other Malaysian brands like Alpha and Centon too, which results in lesser output water spray, but hotter output temperature.


- - - - -


So if you have issue with your water heater's output water temperature being not hot enough, either:

1. Get a new water heater with higher power rating, or

2. Lower your water flow by adjusting your stop valve (most brand's stop valve has a regulator function to reduce water flow), or

3. Get a new shower handset with smaller nozzles or lesser nozzles quantity.

This post has been edited by Selene Yeo: Jan 18 2023, 12:27 PM

hi guys, i just bought an alpha i8 and a centon water heater, both with pumps. The problem im facing is the water is barely even hot. i love my hooooot showers (i had a joven big tank for my water heater).

is there any way i can make it hotter? its just soooo disappointing ...

Are you saying you switched from storage to instant heater? It will not be as hot, period.
You can reduce the input water flow to make it hotter, that's about it unless you want to hack and install a high-power model (yours is 3.6kW).

Of course it is different. Instant water heater's heat generation has 3 factors, mentioned in my previous post. But regardless, even the most powerful instant water heater available in Malaysia cannot achieve the hot water temperature generated by a storage water heater.

Both instant water heater and storage water heater are different technologies, and they have their own advantages and disadvantages. Comparing both of then is like comparing a plane and a ship.

i understand the comparison is apples and oranges, but is there no instant water heater close of having "proper" hot water?

Many people in this thread are using instant water heaters, including myself, and are satisfied enough with instant water heaters, or hot water is "proper" enough for us.

Even if you go for the hottest instant water heaters available in Malaysia, eg. 7kW ones by CENTON / BEEBEST, those can generated on average about 50°C hot water (depending on water flow & input water temperature), while storage water heater is about 70°C hot water. See the stark differences?

And not forgetting 7kW instant water heaters u will have to reinstall high spec 6mm cable / 40A MCB / 40A switches, which might cost quite a lot, and may end up similar to the cost of installing a storage water heater. Cost vs. output, if u want hotter water similar like your previous storage water heater, then u should have budgeted to install a new storage water heater, not an instant water heater.

And if u take the time to read the thread, there is already a few answers to your question on how to make the output of instant water heaters hotter (also resent to u below), if u decide to stick with instant water heaters.

thank you for the reply, and the lookback.