Tank HW, Indirect HW or TurboMax

rsc92

My house is approx. 3500 square feet.  3 full bathrooms and one 1/2 bathroom  Washer, dishwasher, slop sink,etc.



We are a family of 5 with busy mornings. 



Master shower is a shower for 2.  With Rain forest shower head, 2 fixed heads and 2 handheld's.  Don't know gpm flow rates.  All grohe heads.  Some have water saver removed.



Kid's shower is a Moen shower-head.  This is a tub/shower



Guest Bath is a shower with Moen shower-head



Our usage is as follows:

Master bath frequently has 2 heads running at once and sometimes rain head also at same time.  These are frequently used for 10-20 minute intervals

Kid's shower - used for 15 minute intervals



Guest shower - not used often, but with visitors used for 10-20 min.



It is very common for master shower to be used at same time as kids shower.

At present we have a 75 gallon rheem power-vent hot water heater.  It can handle shower after shower without a problem provided only the kids shower is used.  It can handle the master shower with no problem (2 heads running at once).  Problems arise if master shower and kids shower are running at same time or if 2 showers have been taken in kids shower and then we use master shower.



Rheem hot water heater is 12 years old and we are trying to be pro-active about changing it before it breaks and leaves us without hot water.



I have had a few plumbers in and they all recommend an indirect HW heater connected to our boiler.  Our boiler is a Burnham PVG6 NI .  It is rated at 175 MBH/ 143MBH.



Given our usage what should i install?  One plumber insists that the turbomax 23 is the best solution, but i am not convinced it can handle the two showerheads in the master and the kids shower simultaneously.  The turbomax conceptually seems great, but i am uncertain. 



Another plumber said we should put in an indirect tank of 80 gallons.  He said it will provide far more hot water than our 75 gallon Rheem does. 



I don't know if i should just put another rheem hw heater in (this unit we have now has worked very well for 12 years), get an indirect tank or go the turbomax.  I would love to go with the turbomax, but i am unsure it can handle the load and it costs a lot to purchase/install.



Any input would be appreciated. 

lchmb

I would

go with an indirect and mixing valve. Run the tank to a higher temp and blend out to required temp...

rsc92

What Size Tank

What size tank would you go with?  I dont care about spending a little more now to be sure we will not run out of hot water.

lchmb

personally

I would go with at least a 50 gallon tank, running it at 150 degree's and mixing down. You can go to the manufacturer site's and check the recovery rates for each tank to make sure it covers you..If nothing else, put in the 80, with mixing valve, It wont cost much more to run...

Robert_25

go for the 80...

Our household also uses a fair amount of domestic hot water.  A few months ago I installed an 80 gallon indirect water heater.  Since then no one has even mentioned the water heater....it just provides a steady supply of hot water.