# AO Smith Next Hybrid



## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

First off... Stay away, far away. I've only put in one of these and it's been problems ever since. From clogged filters to short cycling this thing is a nightmare. I'm always looking for the next great technology in high efficiency water heating and I found this and decided to give it a try. It's basically a tankless heater attached to a 25 gallon storage tank. I had high hopes for it but it was an enormous let down. I was out again today to clean the filter and now it's also short cycling and giving sporadic hot water. We ended up just deciding to replace it with a new one. I was trying to put a vertex in but boss man said we'll go back with the same thing. I told him I think it's just a POS and we should do something else. It has been installed almost a year now. 

While I was researching this water heater I read in the product literature that it's recommended that a water filter of at least 5 microns be installed right before the unit, which I did and still this stupid little "filter" still gets clogged. 

Enjoy the pics and heed my warning.


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## HSI (Jun 3, 2011)

Thanks for the warning. 

I have looked into them a while back and was curious how well they performed. 
Not sure there is a better solution for the money then a reg tank type heater.


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

The only real benefit is that it gives high efficiency while claiming to hooking up to existing gas line. Too bad it's a POS. And the thing is big and awkward to carry. It comes with 3/4" black nipples that screw into the sides to make carrying it a little easier. It doesn't really help much at all.. I would've liked to just let it roll down the stairs.


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## moonapprentice (Aug 23, 2012)

Agree.. everything from the short cycling, and clogged filter happened to me as well.... It is a POs


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

I know that they say in the specs you can hook these up to a standard gas line. That is false, you have to upside it just like you do any other tankless heater. The Eternal makes the same claim but as anyone with basic gas and BTU knowledge can tell you it needs to be sized properly.

I came across a couple of these and each one was installed improper, and or the calibration was not done properly.

Once I corrected the errors the unit works great, so far no complaints.


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

I have calibrated it. Customer is fed up with it. 

It seems anything that stays at that 100k btu mark claims it will hook up to existing gas line.. Which it will as long as the existing gas line is oversized for the 40k btu heater it replaced. I always draw a riser diagram to make sure there is enough gas available and then test the gas pressure after installation to make sure it stays within spec.


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

I read some bad reviews on it but usually with something like this they are usually installation errors that cause problems.


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## JoshJ (May 10, 2012)

A while back one of my wholesalers was trying to give one of these away cheap - road show model - I thought about it, but decided no. Heard a couple stories like yours that make me glad I didn't take it.

What is the filter that plugs? Inlet?


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

JoshJ said:


> A while back one of my wholesalers was trying to give one of these away cheap - road show model - I thought about it, but decided no. Heard a couple stories like yours that make me glad I didn't take it.
> 
> What is the filter that plugs? Inlet?


Yes. A small filter on the inlet. It clogs with some algae like material that I swear comes from the braided supply lines it uses.


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## JoshJ (May 10, 2012)

Was the house new when the tank was put in? Kind of weird to only see something like that on the HWT inlet only, eh?


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

Is the house on a well?

Sent from my iPhone 10.5


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

Sorry bro, I put one of these in last year at customer request.

PITA

Ran new gas line after trying with existing. Also noticed no service valves on the tankless. Had issues that had to be addressed with the engineer who designed it. Since left that company, don't know if things finally got resolved.


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## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

I installed one and Had the same problems as the OP. There are a couple of old threads about that POS.


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## TallCoolOne (Dec 19, 2010)

Never seen one before

Thanks for the heads up...:thumbsup:


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## UN1TED-WE-PLUMB (Oct 3, 2012)

House is on city water. 

The filter was installed like that per manufacturer instructions.


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## Msavage (Jan 12, 2014)

*Next hybrid*

I have seen this water heater. The issue with the is that it was installed incorrectly the vent run is way too long. The problems you are having with this heater is an install error not the water heater. I am not saying these heaters are great but they won't work at all if installed incorrectly


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Msavage said:


> I have seen this water heater. The issue with the is that it was installed incorrectly the vent run is way too long. The problems you are having with this heater is an install error not the water heater. I am not saying these heaters are great but they won't work at all if installed incorrectly


What make you quaified to say this without introduction???


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## ibeplumber (Sep 20, 2011)

We have installed two of these...same issues. I'm pretty sure the are not being made any longer.


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## Msavage (Jan 12, 2014)

I am speaking about the water heater pictured at the beginning of this post. You are correct in saying the next heater is not made anymore. The heater pictured at the beginning of this post was vented with 2" pipe and has a run of almost 40' with 5 90 degree turns. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to look in the install guide to see that is wrong. Also the vent is flat which is causing water to build up in vent, which is causing the short cycling.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

they look like big, big trouble... Actually all the VERTEX heaters that smith made are nothing but trouble too....

we might get the honor of tearing out a leaking 50 gal Vertex heater next week and replaceing it with a 75 gallon common power vent... someone else installed it 4 years ago. and its been nothing but trouble from day one...
..

but now for some reason , the customer thinks we should do this change out and make a 60 mile round trip to pick up and take the old heater back to the supply house for only a few hundred bucks....:no: Like I need the exercise 


I guess they are gonna need to get someone off craigs list....


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## Msavage (Jan 12, 2014)

What error has been coming up on that vertex heater


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Msavage said:


> What error has been coming up on that vertex heater


 The error been flashing," didn't post introduction". " didn't post introduction" " didn't post introduction" " didn't post introduction". That's 4 times you didn't read the site rules..


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## Gene S. (Sep 24, 2013)

We installed 6 at my previous gig and replaced all but one with standard Bradford *********** venter's. POS. I had our AO Smith rep out on all of them. No installation faults except on one the vent restrictor had fallen out onto the ground. It still didn't work right. on the last one one of the guys who I guess helped design it came out as well- Customers were pissed enough that my supplier offered any standard power vented tank as a replacement at no cost AND they paid my labor to swap them out. Said they would fight AO Smith to get paid.


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