indirect hot water from steam boiler

Guy_6

You can "power" an indirect tank with the water in the bottom of the steam boiler. Put the circulator on a lower port on the boiler, pumping away, and return the water to a port at the normal water level. Be certain to choose an indirect with the transfer area (coil, tank, etc) that will remain below the lowest boiler water level.
The indirect will also benefit the boiler by cycling it during waht would normally be its off season.

Wes Grace_2

indirect hot water from steam boiler

I am replacing my gas steam boiler in 1850 house, hopefully with as high efficiency as I can reasonably get. I would like to include indirect hot water but my man George is cautioning me about the exchanger getting all gummed up because it is steam. I would gladly take the thing apart and give a good cleaning yearly if that is what it takes. I am pretty good about getting things right although George keeps reminding me about the time I put in a new disposer and had to pay $50 for an emergency call to have the plug knocked out! What do you think?

Rusty Powers

Steam Indirect

I've done it a dozen times w/o any callbacks. Find Dan's article and drawing first! The cliffnotes are - bronze or s.s. pump on supply, supply and return both get flowcontrol valves and connect below water line at opposite ends of boiler, bypass line between supply and return, purge valves on supply and return, and follow purging and setup instuctions. You may want a zoning circulator wired to run the boiler to a low limit if that's not existing....
P.S. we've yet to see sludge problems and the first one went in over ten years ago. Good Luck!

Ron Schroeder_3

Viessmann's horizontal tanks are approved

for use with steam. Their large heat exchanger coils are not condusive to plugging. If your heating system is otherwise healthy, the other components will not become contaminated either.