Quick Answer: Girard makes exactly one current tankless water heater, the GSWH-2 (2GWHAM) — a 42,000-BTU propane on-demand unit rated for roughly 1.7 GPM, drawing about 3 amps at 12V, adjustable from 95-124°F, priced around $700-850 on Amazon and RV parts retailers. It’s now a Lippert Components brand (acquired 2022) rather than an independent manufacturer. It’s the lowest-BTU, lowest-power-draw unit among mainstream RV tankless brands — the right call for solar/battery-limited rigs with a single fixture, not for anyone chasing maximum flow.
If you’re searching “Girard tankless water heater,” you’ve probably already got one installed (or a rig that came with one) and want to know whether it’s actually good, what else Girard sells, or why it’s throwing an error code. The short version: there’s only one current model to evaluate, and its whole value proposition is drawing less power than anything else on the market — not moving more water.
Girard GSWH-2 (2GWHAM) — full spec breakdown
Girard GSWH-2 On-Demand RV Water Heater (2GWHAM)
- Brushless motor runs notably quieter than the forced-draft blower designs used by Furrion and Fogatti — a real difference in a small rig at night.
- Roughly 3-amp draw at 12V is the lowest of the mainstream RV drop-in brands, which matters on a solar-charged battery bank when you're boondocking rather than plugged into shore power.
- Built-in freeze protection, but like every RV tankless unit it still needs proper winterization or draining below freezing — freeze protection buys you margin, not immunity.
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By the numbers
- ~3 amps at 12V — Girard’s own spec for the 2GWHAM’s draw, the lowest among mainstream RV drop-in tankless brands and the main reason solar/boondocking owners choose it over a higher-BTU unit. — Girard/Lippert
- 1 GPM minimum flow — the approximate threshold RV owner forums (Forest River Forums, iRV2) consistently cite as the point below which the burner won’t stay lit, which explains most “intermittent no-ignition” complaints once a kinked line or partly closed valve is ruled out.
- 2022 acquisition — the year Lippert Components (LCI Industries) acquired Girard Products and Girard Systems; the GSWH-2 still ships under the Girard name, but manuals and parts now live on Lippert’s own support site. — Lippert Components
Girard’s discontinued sibling: the GSWH-1M
Before the GSWH-2, Girard sold the GSWH-1M — a smaller, adjustable 18,000-36,000 BTU unit. RV parts retailers and Lippert’s own support documentation still host the manual, but owner forums and retailer listings agree it’s no longer manufactured, with no direct like-for-like replacement; Lippert’s current lineup steers buyers to the fixed-42,000-BTU GSWH-2 instead. If you’re troubleshooting an older RV with a GSWH-1M already installed, the manual is still available through Lippert’s support site, but budget for a full GSWH-2 swap rather than a like-for-like part if it fails — the two units aren’t interchangeable spec-for-spec.
Common problems, from real RV owner forums
The 2GWHAM has a solid multi-year track record, but a few complaint patterns show up repeatedly on Forest River Forums, iRV2, and Airstream Forums:
- Intermittent no-hot-water / no-ignition faults. Often traced to flow dropping below the roughly 1 GPM the burner needs to stay lit — check for a kinked line or a valve that isn’t fully open before assuming a hardware failure.
- Sail-switch and flow-sensor failures. These are the components most commonly replaced under warranty, per repeated forum reports.
- Flame-sense and outlet-temperature error codes. Owners report these can appear after long storage or a battery voltage sag, not just genuine burner faults — checking 12V supply voltage is a common first troubleshooting step before ordering a part.
None of this is unique to Girard — every small propane-fired RV tankless unit shares similar failure points — but it’s worth knowing before you’re stuck troubleshooting one at a campsite. For a deeper dive on decoding specific fault codes across brands, see our tankless water heater error codes guide.
How the 2GWHAM stacks up against other RV tankless brands
| Brand / model | BTU | GPM | 12V draw | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Girard GSWH-2 (2GWHAM) | 42,000 | ~1.7 GPM | ~3A | Solar/battery-limited rigs, single fixture, quiet operation |
| Fogatti InstaShower 8 Plus | 55,000 | 2.9 GPM | ~5A | Best all-around flow and value |
| Camplux RE264 | 65,000 | 2.64 GPM (max 3.9) | ~5A | Biggest burner for the money |
| Furrion FWH09A | 60,000 | 2.4 GPM | ~5A+ | Factory-style OEM replacement |
The pattern is consistent: Girard trades BTU and GPM headroom for the lowest power draw in the category. If your rig runs two fixtures at once or you camp somewhere the incoming water runs cold, that trade-off costs you real flow. Full picks, pricing, and buying advice for all four brands are in our best RV tankless water heater roundup.
Who should actually buy the 2GWHAM
- Solar or limited-battery rigs: the ~3A draw is the best in the category — this is the single strongest reason to pick Girard over a higher-BTU competitor.
- Small trailers and van conversions with one shower/sink: 42,000 BTU and ~1.7 GPM is enough for a single fixture; it isn’t enough for simultaneous shower-plus-sink use in cold weather.
- Owners who value quiet operation: the brushless motor is noticeably quieter than forced-draft competitors, a real difference for small-rig sleeping quarters.
- Skip it if: you regularly camp in cold climates, run two fixtures at once, or plan to swap into a rig that already has a Furrion or Suburban door cutout — check the RV roundup for the higher-flow alternatives first.
The bottom line
Girard’s product line has consolidated to a single current model — the GSWH-2/2GWHAM — since Lippert Components acquired the brand in 2022, and the discontinued GSWH-1M isn’t a live buying option anymore. At 42,000 BTU and roughly 1.7 GPM, it’s the lowest-flow mainstream RV tankless unit, but its ~3-amp draw and near-silent brushless motor make it the right pick specifically for solar-powered, single-fixture rigs — not a general-purpose upgrade. That low draw is about easing the load on a battery-charged solar setup, not running the heater on solar directly; see our tankless water heater and solar power guide for the difference. If you need more flow for two fixtures or cold-climate camping, start with our best RV tankless water heater roundup to compare it against Fogatti, Camplux, and Furrion.