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Quick answer: For most busy households with room outside, a stainless steel gas storage tank like the Aquamax is the low-maintenance choice. A Rheem Stellar suits people who value looks and first-hour capacity, and continuous flow suits smaller households or tight spaces.
When a gas hot water system dies in Ryde, Epping or Eastwood, the first question I get is “what should I replace it with?” Most people expect me to say the cheapest tank that fits. If you’ve got the room for a storage tank, my answer is usually an Aquamax stainless steel unit, like the G340SS or G390SS. Here’s why, and when I’d say something else.
Stainless steel vs glass-lined tanks
Most gas storage tanks, including the Rheem Stellar 330 and 360, are vitreous enamel. That means a steel tank lined with a glass coating. They work well, but the lining isn’t perfect, so the tank relies on a sacrificial anode, a metal rod that corrodes so the tank doesn’t. When the anode is used up, the tank starts rusting from the inside. To get a full life out of one, the anode should be checked and replaced every few years, and most people never do it.
An Aquamax tank is stainless steel all the way through, so there’s no anode to replace. Servicing is mostly a yearly check of the gas pressure and valves. For a lot of my customers that’s the whole point. They want to install it and forget about it.
A bit of history: Aquamax was designed and built in Australia, and Rheem bought the brand later. So it’s not some unknown import.
What about the Rheem Stellar?
The Stellar is a good unit. It recovers quickly, and plenty of people like the way it looks. If that matters to you, I’m happy to put one in. Just know it’ll need more maintenance over its life than a stainless tank. My usual advice: Aquamax if you care most about reliability and low upkeep, Stellar if looks and first-hour capacity matter more.
Storage tank or continuous flow?
Continuous flow units like the Rinnai 26 or 32 litre are great when space is tight, and they never run out. The catch is how many things they can run at once. In a three or four bedroom home where two showers, the dishwasher and the washing machine all go on at 7am, a 26 or 32 litre unit can struggle and the temperature drops.
A properly sized storage tank handles that morning rush better. The Aquamax recovers about 181 litres an hour. If you’ve got the space outside and a busy household, I’ll usually point you towards a tank.
The install matters as much as the unit
A lot of “faulty” gas hot water systems are really just badly set up. Every gas appliance has a test point where we connect a manometer to set the exact gas pressure. Skip that step and you get a burner that won’t light properly, fluctuating temperatures or a unit that burns more gas than it should. We set and test every install at the test point, and it’s done to the Plumbing Code of Australia and the manufacturer’s specs.
Repair or replace?
- Tank leaking from the bottom or the body: it’s finished. It needs replacing.
- Pilot keeps going out, no ignition, thermostat problems: often a repair, if the tank is otherwise in good shape.
- Relief valve dripping a little: normal while heating. Pouring out constantly means the valve or pressure needs looking at.
- Unit over 10 years old and playing up: worth pricing a replacement before you spend money on repairs.
I’ll always tell you which one makes sense. I’d rather replace a cheap part than sell you a new tank you don’t need.
If your hot water’s out in Ryde, Epping, Eastwood or nearby, call me on 0451 001 503. Most of the time we can have a new system in the same day.
Quick questions
No. Aquamax tanks are stainless steel, so there is no sacrificial anode to replace. Servicing is mainly a yearly check of gas pressure and valves.
For homes where several showers and appliances run at once, a properly sized storage tank usually copes better. Continuous flow is better where space is tight or the household is small.
