Combicore Re-use

Newt Loken

Thanks for the input you guys! I did get a warranty replacement, no labor though. They say they've improved the design, we'll see.
Just trying to eek some value out of a big chunk of metal.
Thanks, Newt

Newt Loken

Combicore Re-use

Has anyone reused a leaky combicore with any luck. We have a 4 year old leaker, at the heat exchange nipples that we have removed, and want to apply it as a water heater. Unfortunately the Pex-Al.-Pex heat exchanger drops to the bottom and .... If we put a Y-strainer on the hot out with an easy flush valve and periodic purges we may have a bargain (or a headache) for the customer. Tough to just throw out (recycle) a 4-5 year old 75 gallon powervent water heater with 10+ years left. Any one out there worn these shoes before?
Newt

hot_rod

Unfortunately

I've been down that same road with Combi's. A great concept with poor execution. Too bad they filled a nice nitche for small radiant applications. Poor choice of coil material, in my opinion.

I cut the top off the last failure to see what the heck was causing these heaters to fail. I found two big issues. As you mentioned the hx tube through thr galv nipple seemed to have corroded the aluminum HX tube away. Also all the coating had delamed from the hx coil and was laying between the coils and at the bottom of the tank. Wonder if it is the same material that failed in the dip tubes??

I think these remenants would raise some serious problems with the pumps, if you tried to reuse the tank. Y strainers would just move the problem to a different component! Seems you would be cleaning the strainer on a daily basis for a long time.

I think you may have to bite the bullet on this one. BW warrantied my last failure with two regular tanks. Kind of a drag getting two tanks into the space that one occupied

Better than a sharp stick in the eye, I suppose.

hot rod

nick z.

combi core

I just replaced one and it was replaced by Bradford -White. Give them a call, maybe they'll hepl you out.