Dual use on an aquabooster

Unknown

that store hot water produced from a coil . A few customers asked us if we could keep the 220 hooked in as a backup in case the boiler went down . Since they dont come with a tapping into the tank for a well and aquastat , would there be a sensible place to install an aquastat on the coil piping - someplace like you would install it on a recirc line ? It would probably cycle the bronze circ more , but would it keep the tank at the desired temp ?

Steve Paul

Electric water heaters as aqua boosters

Why not use the water heaters existing thermostat to control the circulator and the boiler when the stored temperature falls to a pre-determined level? I think you could use it to control an 845 relay with the additional XX terminals.

Unknown

Yep , we use

the lower of the 2 surface mount aquastats to control the bronze circ . But doing that we have to disconnect that aquastat from its heating element , as well as the power going in . To switch it back to electric , if needs be , would require rewiring it again . I was looking for a way to keep the 220 wired as is and adding an aquastat for the circ . Thanks Steve .

[Deleted User]

Hot water storage

I do this all the time. I use a tekmar 151 and put the 10k sensor down low on the tank next to the lower aquastat. If the boiler goes bad the owner just turns on the braker.Please note it is best, I feel, to plumb the hot water return back into the hose bib location from the heat exanger.Dont pull the water from the bottom of the tank to the heat exanger it will get cloged.

J.C.A._3

Ron,

I think it would be tough to fish a couple of 14 gauge wires down to a seperate "surface mounted type" control through the insulation, and question if you can run 220 and 110 wires that close together .

Seems to me , if you put a hole to fit a BX connector in the lower cover, and installed an additional surface mounted switch, (how to mount it ?) you could do it AS LONG AS THE HOMEOWNER KNOWS how to switch between the two.

I like the thermister with a setpoint control suggestion too ! A bit more pricy, but a whole lot easier to do ! Chris

Boilerpro_3

Been thinking about that too

Maybe a freeze protection stat placed in the living space with a relay to turn on the water heater elements and the bronze and system circulators?

Boilerpro

Dale

2 things

What ever you do with an electric water heater keep in mind that the (an) ECO must control both elements, I have see people forget this when splitting the sensing for the purpose you describe. An extra ECO can be added to the bottom element if a split is made. As to your question you could use a current sensing relay on one side of the line to the heater, something like a 120 volt april air control. Then is the water in the heater got too cold the element would start to heat and the sensed current would close the relay contact to trigger a pump start circuit.
Another way would be to put another wire into the heater that goes to the output of the top thermostat, this would be the second leg to a 240 or 120 tfmr coil that when powered would start the pump. If It were me I would use a strap mounted aquastat as a high limit on the tank output to make things even a little more safer.

Unknown

Tough is a word for it

We try it every once in a while - the last time I wound up pushing some 1/4 oil line through the insulation to make a chase for the wires . That was after about 15 minutes of fishing - not the fun kind - and coming up short .

Some tanks come with a side tapping up high for an optional place for the relief valve . What about using that tapping for a well and aquastat ?