Best Indirect

prm

I'd like to hear some opinions about different makes and models of indirect DHW units.

My father has a 40gal-ish Vaughn Top Performer set a bit high with a tempering valve and we can't run it out of water, even with people visiting for the holidays. Heat source is a 120kbtu Buderus.

My boss has a similarly sized HTP Super-stor with a 199kbtu munchkin and no tempering. 1.8 showers is the limit. To be fair he has a Republican shower head that flows something like 5 gal a minute.

I need an indirect for an efficient 3 BR house with only one unique feature, my wife's 160 gal bathtub. Heat source is a Munchkin 80T.

Please compare and contrast different models of indirect and the merits of tempering or not.

What would you do in your house. Keep in mind the bathtub is NOT negotiable.

Thanks.

Weezbo

additional plate exchanger.

point of use plate exchanger on small indoor swimming pools.:)that fixture could have its own zone:)

ScottMP

Your dad

Has to run the Vaughn at a higher temp with a mixing valve because under normal conditions that tank wont' perform !

You need a 160 gallon hot water atnk if you want to fill that tub. Gallons in / gallons out. Maybe a dedicated Rinnia hot water heater just for the tub. Tell your boss to put in a lower flow shower head and watch him take a long shower.

Many of these problems can be associated with piping problems and are not necessarly the out put of the system. Your boss's set up should provide him with plenty of hot water, but not at five gallon a minute.

Scott



To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Pat Clark

Limited High demand

We just did a remodel on a Bed & Breakfast that had an existing 41 gal indirect. 9 bedrooms plus owners unit. Virtually empty during winter months or maybe 1 to 2 guest rooms occupied. Totally full all the time thru the summer. Hot water would run out occasionally during the summer at full capacity.

Solution - - We installed a 50 gallon hot water storage tank (electric water heater not wired) on the incoming cold line to the indirect. Ran a recirc line from the indirect to the storage tank with a Grundfos pump and timer. Timer is set to come on at 5am to heat up the water in the storage tank so that they now have 91 gallons available for peak loads during morning and evening. When they only have a few rooms rented out they would switch the recirc pump off and utilize the 41 gallons only from the indirect. Minimizes wasted energy to keep maximum gallons of hot water available all the time but resolves the problem of running out at peak demand times.

You could do this in your situation by sizing the indirect for the house load without the tub and size the storage tank to meet the added load of the tub. You would only need an on/off switch on the recirc line so that you could switch on 1 to 2 hours prior to filling tub and switch off when done.

We install and recommend the Burnham Alliance indirect.

Pat

Dave_22

Millennium??

Has anyone used the Millennium Store-Ex series?

prm_2

Saving water

One thing I would like to do is save water. This is a soaking tub only, so the water can be reused a few times. Also the used water can be used to flush toilets. I have some ideas about storage tanks and pumps but want to see what The Wall thinks.

hr

How's your water quality?

I tend to shy away from finned coil indirect tanks if you have hard water. Say 10 grains or more. With high temperature boiler water they tend to plug the coils quickly. Here is a coil after one years service, in a hard water application. no sence spending a lot of cash on a nice indirect that ends up looking like this. Not exactly the efficient DHW generator you may expect.

Or a tank with a removable, or inspectable coil would be a good choice. mkes it easy to know when service to the coil is needed.

I, also, have had excellent luck with the tank in tank design. Triangle Tube, Weil McLain, and Aqua-Therm all label this style tank. Made in Belgium, I believe.

Here is a shot of a Weil (grey) and a green Aqua-Therm.

It also adds a little capacitance to the system as the outer tank holds around 6 gallons or so, depending on the size tank you select. Has a lot of heat transfer surface area.

hot rod

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Weezbo

sold on indirect ?

plate would only call when you actually need water at the fixture.or a re circu pump with a mixer bypass to the inlet of the indirect and voila! mucho hot water all the time.pre heats incoming water to the indirect or supplies water to the fixture. point of use water heater is ok ,kinda.i used to like amtrol then there was lotsa leaks, went weil mclain then about two or three years ago i asked a buddy and he said amtrols tsnks were no longer leaking so i installed maybe 25 since then and have had no problems.

prm_3

Plate heat exchangers

If I use a plate heat exchanger for DHW and no tank, how do I control the DHW temp? Tempering valve?

My 80kbtu heat source will won't make 2 gal / minute of hot water. That's an hour and a half to fill the tub, that will never fly. I think I need to store some hot water somewhere.

hr

To generate continous

hot water at that rate takes horsepower. look at the spec sheets on instantanous typr water heaters. generally you will see 150- 180,000 input BTUs or more to supply 2 gpm.

Also read the delta t. Taking water from a winter time 40° to 130, of course will change the output capacity a bit

Add some storage, and make sure you keep the DHW side of FP heat exchangers clean and scale free or capacity drops quickly.

hot rod

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

prm_4

Tanks

Anyone know were I can get a heated (or jacketed) storage tank?

I have to fill the tub faster than the well can supply water, this has to be an open tank style system and I pump the water from the tank up to the tub.

kevin coppinger_4

most any water heater....

manufactuer will have one..State, Brad White...etc kpc

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Ken_15

Sure does look like a Crown Mega-Store!!!

John Starcher_7

What are the feelings about...

the Amtrol Hot Water Mate 40 gallon unit.

Leaker? Good unit? What is the heat exchanger like, and is it easy to maintain??

Starch