Water heater for radiant zone

jfgh

I am going to be installing a gas fired water heater to feed a small radiant zone (16 x 20 room). Question is how should I pipe the connections to the water heater? Use both hot and cold connections on top of the heater or use the hot connection on top and pipe the return to the water heater drain connection?

jeff_51

won't make any differance

use whichever is easier. The cold inlet side of course has a dip tube that will bring the water down to the bottom of the tank. The drain will be a little lower but with the mixing you will get and since that water heater is only about 75% efficient and since it is way oversized, I don't think it will make and differance

hr

I like

to use the top and bottom taps. Remove the dip tube and use that as a supply, then remove the drain cock, install a brass tee and reinstall the drain cock.

This frees up the other "hot" top tap for an excellent air purger. The top of a water heater is a domed cap, air ends up at this point and a simple float type air vent handles air.

I agree WH's are the least efficient way to do radiant. Consider a Munchkin 50K. It modulates way down and thrives at radiant temperatures and is outdoor reset-able...

Probably mid to high 90% efficient for slab radiant temperatures. The installed cost difference may pay back fairly quickly with fuel costs expected to see huge increases. Close to 70% increase in NG in my area.

hot rod

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