experience with Polaris High Efficiency heater?

Greg Swob

The local Lennox dealers are replacing Complete Heat units with Polaris. Had to work on one and as the others said- it's a pain unless raised above the floor. Sounds to me like these Lennox guys are changing one problem product for another. Greg

Jeff Lewis

Does anyone have experience with the Polaris High-Efficiency water heaters? They have a 50-gal. and 100-gal. model, rated at 95% efficiency. They claim that these heaters can handle both domestic hot water AND radiant floor heat. The specs are higher efficiency than many boilers, and the BTU's are around 150,000 - 190,000.

Just wondering if this makes sense instead of a full boiler.

For what it's worth, we are looking to put radiant floor heat in a new construction home. Two-story, 3500 sq. ft., located in northern Illinois, where it gets cold and very windy in January & Februrary.

Thanks.

Constantin

Do a search...

... the Polaris has been brought up a couple of times. Some people like them, others don't care for them at all. For example, according to a post I read here, as long as the tank temperature is cranked up to 140°F or more, condensation won't be as likely to destroy the ignitor.

However, first of all, I would check if this water heater is approved for your area. Many water heaters are used for space heating, but that doesn't mean they're legal.

Secondly, I would consider a low-mass, condensing, and modulating boiler with an indirect tank instead. An appliance built for the intended purpose (i.e. space heating) is likely to do better in a cold climate than a water heater. There are many excellent boilers to choose from, including (in alphabetical order) the Buderus GB142, HTP Munchkin, NTI Trinity, Triangle-Tube Prestige, Viessmann Vitodens, WM Ultra, etc.

If you go with a Polaris, do your maintenance people a favor and do not mount it directly on the floor. All the controls are on the underside, making service very difficult if it's close to the basement floor. Also, if Polaris does not have a separate HX for the heating zone, I would fit one. There is too much potential trouble WRT to open systems breeding legionalla, corroding circulators, and so on.

hr

I have use a few, BUT

install a heat exchanger for the radiant side. Using that tank as a combo DHW and radiant (open system) is a foolish way to do it In my opinion.

I've used them as stand alone radiant heaters, but the manufacture does not approve of this method, as they are not listed as "boilers"

hot rod

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Plumdog_2

Efficiency may not

be what you are led to believe. I am in process of trying to solve a bad installation; with underfloor radiant and one of these heaters. The owner says $600 a month for LP for less than 3000 sq. feet. Heck of a powerful water heater but you can get a real fine modulating boiler for the same price.

Blackoakbob

Polaris....no problem

I've used a few and with the addition of a flat plate heat exchanger they do a fine job. I had one warranty problem that was handled very professionally. I do agree they should be off the floor a couple inches for ease of service and testing. Follow the installation and start up instructions and it should be trouble-free. My cost seems slightly less the least expensive of the condensing boilers less the indirect hw. Best Regards.

Garritt Struiksma

Polaris Installations

Our company has installed a number of Polaris Hot Water Heaters and so far, I am not impressed. Although a open system can be piped such that you can achieve the high effiency, we have had more impressive luck with a closed loop system using a indirect fired water heater. I've personally replaced numerous ignitors with the polaris hot water heater and as a result, because of the service calls, I am not happy with the polaris at all. The best luck we have had is with the munchkin boiler using a triangle tube indirect fired hot water heater (because of the heat transfer is best with the dual tank system in the triangle tube water heaters). The munchkin effiency is 96% and used with the vision 1 system with outdoor reset (other vision options availible), you achieve a better system than the polaris water heater by far. If I had more time, I would start talking about how complex and efficient the tekmar controls are.
Good Luck.

bill clinton_3

Just caught this before it fell off the wall

Have installed lots of Polarie? Love the concept, but the reality has been less than thrilling. The older models worked pretty well with occasional igniter replacements.

Have seen bad trouble with the newer "improved" version; especially the high input 199,000 btu models. That combustion chamber gets HOT which causes lots of expansion and contraction of the stainless steel its composed of: Especially on the bottom where its not water cooled. Expansion and contraction causes flexing. Flexing causes metal fatigue. Metal fatigue causes cracking: Right between
the hole the burner goes in and the one the ignitor goes in--the weakest spot. Suddenly, you have a power burner shoving combustion products into your customers home.

Had to give up dating Polaris.

Bill