Indirect Water Heaters

Joe Brix

> Recovery rate what matters when it comes to hot <BR>
> water heaters . Which is better ? Check out there <BR>
> ratings . <BR>
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Steve Garson_2

Indirect Water Heaters

In looking at options for indirect water heaters, it looks like there are two very different approaches. I'm curious of people's experience and opinions.

1. The Turbomax fills the entire tank with boiler water, i.e. around 40 gallons. The domestic HW is heated via long copper coils that pass through this large volume of hot water. The claim being more hot water, better heat transfer and more efficiency.

2. The Superstore seems to use the more common approach with a coil that the boiler water circulates through, to heat the tank of water.

Can you pros share your opinions on this subject?

Big Ed_3

Recovery Rate

Recovery rate what matters when it comes to hot water heaters . Which is better ? Check out there ratings .

Joe Brix

The inverse indirects

like the turbomax and ErgoMax are better for low volume HW systems as they provide some buffering by holding 20 gal of boiler water. If you have short cycling issues, I'd look into getting one. If you already had a large gravity system or a large volume boiler, I'd go regular indirect.

Steve Garson_2

Joe:

I'd be using a small Munchkin T-50, heating a 30,000 BTU heat load and a 40 gallon water heater.

hr

Keep in mind with reverse indirects

you need to maintain that tank temperature at 180F or so to get DHW. So any radiant used off that "buffer" will need a mix down mechanism.

Also standby loss would be higher with a 180 tank temperature. Beef up the insulation jacket for sure. The last reverse indirect I used had a 1/2 thick fiberglass wrap!

I've been extremely pleased with the performance of a small 32 gallon Triangle Tube (tank in tank) indirect connected to my 80K Lochinvar Knight. It provides endless showers at a "useable flow rate

If it does get drained down, recovery is also quick, when piped with 1" and a dedicated, prioritizes circ.

I've also used some mod cons with plate type HXers built in. With enough BTUs they too will provide endless DHW. The HX will need periodic cleaning if the water is hard.

hot rod

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Joe Brix

With such a small mod/con

You'd probably be better of with a regular 40gl indirect so you have a good supply of HW to drain down. It would take the T50 a good 10-15 minutes to recovery the indirect since it doesn't put out a ton of BTU's.

ScottMP

I agree

we've had great luck with Super-Stors,more so when we add a Sparco Mixer and run the tank up to 160.

I have been looking into the TurboMAx and installed on with a new Buderus for a small restaraunt. The output is amazing IF you have the btu's to drive it. I think a smaller boiler won't give you what you need.

Scott

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