Orbek 14kW Tankless Water Heater Electric, ORBEK 240 Volt On Demand Instant Hot Water Heater, with LED Digital Display, ETL Certified, Up to 3.38 GPM for 2-3 Point of Use

Why I switched and what I expected

I replaced a tired 40‑gallon tank that struggled with back‑to‑back showers with the Orbek 14kW tankless heater to free up space and stop heating water I wasn’t using. My goals were simple: faster hot water at the tap, stable temperatures during showers, and enough capacity for a small household without rewiring half the house. On paper, the Orbek 14kW checks most of those boxes: compact footprint, 240V/60A requirements, LED temperature control from 86–140°F, and a claimed 3.38 GPM “up to” flow. After installing and living with it, here’s how it actually performs.

Installation: compact and straightforward if you’re comfortable with 240V

Physically mounting the unit is easy. The Orbek is small (about 14.2 x 9.5 x 3.1 inches), light enough for one person, and the wall bracket tolerates modest alignment errors. Plumbing is 1/2" NPT; I used short copper stubs and isolation valves with service ports so I can flush it later. If you’re running PEX, adapters make the transitions simple.

Electrical is where you’ll need to be confident. The heater requires:
- A dedicated 240V, 60A two‑pole breaker
- One set of 6 AWG copper conductors (two hots and a ground)
- A short, direct run to minimize voltage drop

If your panel is near capacity or far from the installation point, plan accordingly. I pulled 6/2 copper to a new 60A breaker and landed the wires on clearly labeled terminals. There’s no neutral. The internal wiring is tidy, and the strain relief is decent. As with any high‑draw appliance, check local code and use a permit if required.

One practical note: the unit comes dry. Bleed air from the lines before powering on, and follow the manual’s purge sequence to avoid dry‑firing. Once powered, initial setup took a minute—set the temperature on the LED display and you’re done.

Performance and capacity: honest numbers matter

The Orbek 14kW heats quickly. While the company cites “3 seconds,” that’s the heat‑up inside the unit; your wait at the faucet still depends on the distance to the fixture. In my case, a bathroom 15 feet away gets hot water in under 10 seconds; a kitchen 40 feet away takes longer, just as it would with any system.

Where this heater earns its keep is in its modulating control. It ramps power smoothly to match flow, and I never experienced the “yo‑yo” temperature swings common in older tankless units when someone flushes a toilet or a second tap opens. Set it and it holds.

Capacity is the most important piece. Realistic output depends on your inlet water temperature and your flow targets. A quick rule of thumb for electric units: GPM ≈ kW × 6.81 ÷ ΔT (temperature rise in °F). At 14kW:
- With a 50°F rise (e.g., 60°F inlet to 110°F shower), expect about 1.9 GPM.
- With a 35°F rise (e.g., 70°F inlet to 105°F), expect about 2.7 GPM.
- The advertised “up to 3.38 GPM” aligns with a roughly 28°F rise (warm‑climate, low setpoint).

In my mild‑climate home (inlet water ~60–65°F), one 1.8 GPM shower plus a bathroom sink at reduced flow is comfortable. Two showers simultaneously is doable with efficient 1.5 GPM heads if you set the temperature around 105–110°F and avoid cranking both to full blast. In colder weather (inlet ~50°F), it becomes a one‑shower unit unless you accept lower flow.

If you’re hoping to run two showers and a dishwasher at the same time in winter, you’ll want a larger kW model or staged units. But for a small household prioritizing showers over simultaneous heavy use, the 14kW hits a sweet spot.

Temperature control and user experience

The interface is simple and effective. The LED display is bright, the capacitive buttons respond reliably, and adjustments in 1°F steps actually translate to real‑world stability. The control board modulates rapidly (the spec notes 20,000 power adjustments per second), and you can feel it: there are no sudden spikes when someone nudges a faucet.

A few usability highlights:
- You can set between 86°F and 140°F. I found 108–112°F ideal for showers with low‑flow heads.
- The readout tracks real‑time outlet temperature within a degree or two of my inline thermometer.
- There’s a soft start to prevent thermal shocks when you open a tap fully.

The unit is quiet—an unobtrusive electrical hum but no clicking solenoids or fan noise typical of gas units.

Efficiency and operating costs

Compared with tanked electric, tankless systems avoid standby losses. In my usage pattern (2–3 showers per day, intermittent kitchen and bath use), I saw a drop in daily kWh consumption versus the old 40‑gallon tank, though “up to 60% savings” is optimistic for most homes. Your outcome depends on usage profile and climate. If you run many small hot‑water draws across the day, the Orbek’s advantage widens; if you draw once in the morning and once at night, the gap narrows.

One design choice I appreciate is the water‑electricity separation architecture. The heating elements aren’t bathing in the same way older designs were, which helps reduce scale and corrosion. Pair that with a whole‑home sediment filter and annual flushing, and you’ll give the unit the best chance at a long, efficient life.

Safety and build quality

The Orbek 14kW carries an ETL mark and includes protection for leakage, over‑temperature, dry‑heat, and surge/lightning events. I intentionally closed the cold inlet briefly to test dry‑run protection; it faulted quickly and recovered without complaint once flow returned. The thermistors respond quickly, and the fault codes are intelligible.

Internally, the plumbing is clean, with accessible service points. The enclosure is plastic but rigid, the backplate metal. I’d like to see gasketed cable entry for dust protection, but this is a minor quibble. For utility rooms or conditioned spaces, it’s more than adequate.

What I’d change

• Capacity transparency: The “up to 3.38 GPM” headline is technically accurate in warm‑water scenarios, but buyers would benefit from a simple table showing expected GPM at 30/40/50°F rises. I’ve included the math above to set expectations.
• Included accessories: Isolation valves with flush ports would make first‑time installs easier. Budget for them; they’re worth it for maintenance.
• Mounting template: A paper drill template would save a few minutes for single‑person installs.

None of these are deal‑breakers, but they’re worth noting.

Who it’s best for

• Small households (1–3 people) in mild to warm climates
• Homes with low‑flow fixtures (1.5–1.8 GPM showers)
• Remodels where space is limited and a 60A circuit is available
• People who value stable shower temps and minimal maintenance

Who should look elsewhere:
- Large households wanting to run multiple high‑flow fixtures at once, especially in cold‑water regions—consider a higher‑kW unit or multiple units in parallel
- Homes without spare panel capacity or with long wire runs that make 6 AWG impractical

Practical setup tips

• Use low‑flow showerheads; they effectively increase the unit’s usable capacity.
• Set a realistic temperature target (105–112°F for showers). Higher setpoints reduce available flow.
• Install isolation valves with service ports and plan to flush annually in hard‑water areas.
• If your inlet temp swings seasonally, create a winter and summer setpoint and adjust twice a year.

The bottom line

The Orbek 14kW strikes a sensible balance for smaller homes: it’s compact, easy to live with, and delivers stable, instantly available hot water at realistic flow rates for one major use at a time, sometimes two with efficient fixtures. The controls are thoughtful, the safety net is robust, and the ETL listing adds confidence. Its limitations are inherent to the 14kW class, not unique to this model: capacity drops as inlet water gets colder, and you’ll need that dedicated 60A circuit.

Recommendation: I recommend the Orbek 14kW for small households or accessory spaces that want the benefits of tankless without the cost and wiring demands of larger units. It’s a well‑executed, honest performer if you size it to your climate and fixtures, and it turns an aging, space‑hogging tank into tidy, dependable hot water on demand. If you need more simultaneous capacity, step up in wattage or plan for a second unit—but as a compact everyday workhorse, this one delivers.