Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Heaters Causing Water Loss

Options
alecd70
alecd70 Member Posts: 2
in THE MAIN WALL
Attached are photos of my setup. So, the original point-of-use water heater was replaced (I believe 1.5 gallons) with the pictured six gallon heater ( https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rheem-Performance-6-gal-6-Year-2000-Watt-Single-Element-Electric-Point-Of-Use-Water-Heater-XE06P06PU20U0/204318372 ).

After turning on any of our heaters (hydronic heating system) we have hot water loss. I have unplugged the point-of-use water heater so that I can run the recirculating pump (I don't think it should be plugged in, as it's only on 15 amps). The tankless heater was serviced over the summer. Is my recirculating pump bad (as it is pretty warm)? Should I get a smaller point-of-use water heating that I can keep plugged in? Attached are photos of my setup.






Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,338
    Options
    OK, I'm confused. Are you getting water loss from your heating system? Or from the point of use water heater?

    If it's from the heating system, it can't be the point of use water heater -- unless someone really messed up and connected the point of use water heater to the heating system, which is an absolute no-no.

    If it's from the new point of use system, is there provision for expansion? And is the loss from the pressure relief valve, or somewhere else?
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,505
    Options
    WTFrig?

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

    SuperTechkcopp
  • SuperTech
    SuperTech Member Posts: 2,170
    edited October 2020
    Options
    STEVEusaPA said:
    WTFrig?
    I'm completely confused by those pictures too. Not sure what is going on there.

    Is that setup all connected using washing machine hoses?
  • alecd70
    alecd70 Member Posts: 2
    Options
    Thanks for the responses. With the hydronic heaters running we lose some hot water throughout the house.
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,569
    Options
    Are you heating your domestic water with the same appliance as your heating water? What model is the wall unit?
    Are you losing pressure at the tap or is the water getting cold.
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,338
    Options
    Or are you actually losing water somewhere, and if so, from the heating system or the domestic hot water?

    And please please tell me that they're not connected...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,569
    Options
    @Jamie Hall I would be willing to bet they are connected. Potable exp tank, bronze circ, pvc piping. Bring on the legionella...
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,158
    Options
    Looks like you have a combined hot water hydronic system, same water is in the tube as then house?
    Looks to be a 6 gallon tank, they are often a 1300W element, not a lot of hot water produced.
    With that many loops there must be another heat source?
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 4,864
    Options
    Again just like your post on HVAC-TALK that set up is illegal and dangerous!

    Safety relief cant be teed together!
    You cant use domestic heating water for potable hot water!
    No back flow preventers in any picture!
    Water heaters are not designed for domestic heating!
  • STEAM DOCTOR
    STEAM DOCTOR Member Posts: 1,973
    Options
    To quote the 101st airborne " Gory Gory, what a ........."
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,376
    Options
    STEAM DOCTOR said:

    To quote the 101st airborne " Gory Gory, what a ........."

    Wow, it's been 45 years since I heard that.

    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,376
    Options
    @alecd70,
    Please get a hydronics pro in there to straighten that mess out before you poison yourself and your family or someone comes down with Legionella from that setup.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 4,864
    Options
    Ironman said:
    @alecd70, Please get a hydronics pro in there to straighten that mess out before you poison yourself and your family or someone comes down with Legionella from that setup.
    That sounds familiar 🤔

Categories