Pro's Opinion of the Groundfos UP10-16APMBU/LC Adaptive Recirc

jimna01

I contemplating having one of this installed with a dedicated return. My heating system Groundfos circulators work great. In the days of COVID I am home all the time so an occupancy sensor model is useless and my DW would never use a remote (has a hard time with TV remotes) . A time of day system might work, as long as we can also control wihen the dishwasher gets full . This looks attractive as it senses when you use water and over a two week period it looks at the usage and puts together a program. I understand while it is doing that it operates in a temperature mode and may run more often. Anyone have experience with this in real life?

JUGHNE

So where is gravity recirc now illegal?

EdTheHeaterMan

The concept is valid, asking for anyone with experience with this is not going to get you much response IMHO. As a contractor, if i were to install something like this, My customer would be the best person to tell you their experience. I dought you would find the average customer on this site unless there was a problem that could not be resolved by the installing plumber.

That said, the conclusion would be that there are no problems with that particular device. I believe this is the only post on the device you will find on the internet with such an inquiry. Sometimes hearing nothing is a good thing.

I got a Supply House Job because I rarely called for help when I was doing the contractor thing. I was hired to replace the tech support guy who was leaving. My Tech problem calls to equipment purchase ratio was super low. When I got the job and started fielding 'contractor customer" problems, I got to know who was good at their job and who was not. The less you hear about a part (or person) the better it is.

JUGHNE

In some situations with the pump in the basement of a 2 story house, it will gravity flow with the pump shut off.
I have seen it happen. So still illegal?

JUGHNE

What if the WH is cranked to 130* and all the returning water is reheated to this temp?

JUGHNE

Then we are all going to die...not many WH run at 160.

Larry Weingarten

Hi @jimna01 , I know there might be trouble , but have a look at the remote push button control that gothotwater.com has. It's a simple thing and by pressing it before going for a shower, or whatever, it saves over 90% of the energy waste and you get quick hot water. Just leave one on the nightstand and life is easy!

About the legionella discussion, ASHRAE says 140 F kills the bug, but slowly. Also, if you get one foot per second flow in the lines, it scrubs the inside of the pipe so biofilms have a harder time growing and harboring legionella. So, although gravity systems can work for hot water, they will likely also help grow bugs.

Yours, Larry

jimna01

Quite a conversation. I am going ahead with the install, and yes my water heater is set to 130 and I am chlorinated city water. Install is this Thursday and I and I will report back in a week and then a couple of weeks after it has "programmed" itself.

tim smith

Why not occupancy? Wireless sensors and relay, placed where it sees you coming into bath room and ? Near kitch sink if needed. I think if you oversize recirc main pipe to 3/4 , oversize pump some for faster flow rate, this keeps the unneeded energy loss to a minimum. Pretty simple too. I had wired in my house and this set up. Appx 45ft from water heater to master sink. 1/2 record. Took appx 30 sec once I was at door of bathroom.