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Comparison

Bradford White RG240T6N (40 gal tank) vs Rinnai RU199iN (tankless)

Verdict in brief

These are the two most common replacement paths for a Metro Vancouver home with a 40-gallon gas tank. The RG240T6N is a like-for-like swap under an existing chimney: 284 L first-hour delivery, no electricity, UEF 0.64, lowest installed cost. The RU199iN delivers continuous hot water at UEF 0.95 but needs PVC venting, a larger gas line, a condensate drain and a 120 V outlet, and its winter flow at a 40 °C rise is far below its 11 GPM headline. Choose by peak demand and by what the installation site allows.

Side by side

Published manufacturer figures with units. Storage and flow figures are different measures and are shown on their own rows; blanks mean not applicable or not published.

Comparison of Bradford White RG240T6N and Rinnai RU199iN
SpecificationBradford White RG240T6NGas storage tankRinnai RU199iNGas tankless
Rated nominal volume40 US gal (33 Imp. gal, 151 L)—
First-hour rating75 US gal (284 L)—
Recovery at 90 °F (50 °C) rise, natural gas43 US gal/h (36 Imp. gal/h, 163 L/h)—
Maximum flow with parameter adjustment—11 GPM (42 L/min) at unspecified rise rise
Minimum activation flow—0.4 GPM (1.5 L/min)
Input, natural gas40,000 BTU/h—
Maximum gas input—199,000 BTU/h
Uniform Energy Factor (UEF), medium draw0.640.95
Vent connection3 in or 4 in (76 or 102 mm) draft hood—
Vent material—2 in PVC/CPVC/polypropylene or 3 in/5 in concentric
Electrical supplyNone required (millivolt control powered by the pilot thermopile)120 V, 60 Hz; 84 W normal, 1.3 W standby, 148 W with freeze protection; 4 A max, 10 A fuse
Condensate drain—1/2 in NPT (13 mm)
Height to top of heater56 5/8 in (1438 mm)26.4 in (670 mm) cabinet; 31.3 in (795 mm) with fittings per rinnai.ca
Shipping weight134 lb (61 kg)64 lb (29 kg)

“—” means not applicable to that system type or not published by the manufacturer. Flow figures are only comparable at the same temperature rise; UEF values are only comparable within the same draw pattern.

What actually separates them

The comparison table deliberately leaves blanks. A tank's capacity is stored volume plus recovery, expressed as a first-hour rating; a tankless unit's capacity is flow at a temperature rise. They are not the same measure, and putting 284 L beside 42 L/min tells you nothing until you know your peak hour. Two back-to-back showers and a dishwasher fit comfortably inside the tank's first hour; the tankless unit will run those showers indefinitely one after another, but two at once in January may drop below a comfortable flow.

Efficiency is the second trap. UEF 0.64 and UEF 0.95 are both Uniform Energy Factors, but they are measured under different draw patterns (medium for this tank, high for the tankless unit), and Rinnai's sheet also quotes a legacy EF of 0.96 that is a different test again. The direction is real, since a condensing tankless unit wastes far less standby energy than an atmospheric tank, but the arithmetic gap is not a promise of a 30% lower gas bill, and WaterHeating.ca publishes no savings claims.

Installation is usually the deciding factor. The tank reuses the existing draft hood and chimney and needs no power. The tankless unit needs 2" PVC or polypropylene venting to an exterior wall within 65 equivalent feet, a gas supply able to carry 199,000 BTU/h (about five times the tank's input), a condensate drain and a 120 V receptacle, plus isolation valves for the annual flush. In a Burnaby basement with the tank in the middle of the house under a masonry chimney, that work is most of the price difference, which is why the estimator carries a separate conversion allowance.

Ownership differs too. The tank needs its anode checked every two years and its relief valve exercised annually, carries a 6-year tank and parts warranty with no labour, and keeps working in a power outage. The tankless unit needs annual descaling as a warranty condition, carries 15-year heat exchanger and 5-year parts and labour terms when registered, and stops when the power does.

Bradford White · Gas storage tank

Bradford White RG240T6N

CurrentSold in Canada
Nominal capacity
40 US gal (33 Imp. gal, 151 L)
First-hour delivery
75 US gal (284 L)
Input
40,000 BTU/h

The Bradford White RG240T6N is a 40 US gallon (151 L) atmospheric-vent natural gas storage water heater with a 40,000 BTU/h input, 75 US gallon first-hour rating and UEF 0.64, sold in Canada through wholesale channels. It is the like-for-like replacement for most 40-gallon gas tanks in older Metro Vancouver homes.

Natural gasPropaneAtmospheric (draft hood)
Specifications, manuals and service

Rinnai · Gas tankless

Rinnai RU199iN

CurrentSold in Canada
Max input
199,000 BTU/h
Flow at unspecified rise rise
11 GPM (42 L/min)
Uniform Energy Factor (UEF)
0.95

The Rinnai RU199iN is an indoor condensing natural gas tankless water heater with a 15,000–199,000 BTU/h input, UEF 0.95, 2" PVC venting and up to 11 GPM (42 L/min) of flow at an unstated temperature rise. It is listed on rinnai.ca and is the largest residential RU model, with a propane version, the RU199iP.

Natural gasPropaneCondensing, PVC/CPVC/PP
Specifications, manuals and service

Frequently asked questions

Which one is cheaper to install?

The tank, almost always, when a suitable chimney exists. The tankless conversion adds venting, gas, condensate and electrical work. The instant estimator shows demo ranges for both with the conversion allowance itemized.

Which one gives more hot water?

Different kinds of more. The tank delivers about 284 L in a busy hour and then recovers; the tankless unit delivers a limited flow for as long as you like. For several simultaneous fixtures the tank often wins in winter; for long sequential use the tankless unit wins.

Can I compare their efficiency numbers directly?

Only loosely. Both are UEF, but tested under different draw patterns, and neither should be compared with a legacy EF. Treat the gap as directional, not as a savings percentage.

Not sure which one fits your home?

A consultation includes a hot-water demand review so capacity is right for your winter, not the brochure's.

On-site service in Metro Vancouver, BC. Call to check availability.

Call 604-359-1081Request a consultation

Related

Sources and verification

Facts checked September 7, 2026. Last updated September 7, 2026. Technical reviewer: not yet assigned.

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