indirect water heater

Rich_18

Looks like crap!

cj_3

new indirect hot water system but not ENOUGH hot water

I had an oil fired hot water system and when I had to get a new one I was told indirect was best. With the indirect I don't have enough hot water for even 1 shower. The company said the problem is the wrong size nozzle on my boiler. I had the nozzle changed to 2 other sizes but still not enough hot water. I always had plenty of hot water with my old system. Any suggestions? I want to tell them to come take out the indirect and put another oil fired system in.

Firedragon_4

Wow, I hope that

wasn't a tankless you had or these guys have a big problem(s). If it was an indirect heater, the size would have a lot to do with it, but in many cases a direct will outperform an indirect.

It sounds like they have fired it to capacity(?). With three attempts I hope so.

So, I would recommend they check whether they are cold-starting or not, I wouldn't. Check if there is a 'priority system' and if it's connected to the system controller and finally did they size this thing right?

What did you have before (specifically)?
What do you have now?

Unknown

And...........

Make sure the pump is the right size, the boiler piping is the right size, and that the water is actually all going through the boiler, and not through the other zones.

It could be as simple as a hung up flow-check valve.

Noel

ed wallace

indirect

make sure the indirect is piped correctly sounds like the boiler water is going into the wrong part of the indirect

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Floyd_9

Can you get some pics.....???

A picture is worth many words...... if you could get a digital camera and post the boiler, indirect and the piping... it would make it much easier to troubleshoot....
I agree... it sounds like a piping or circ. pump problem.

Floyd

cj_3

Thanks for responding - enclosed are pictures of the system. A follow-up to all this: it seems like it's a little better now - after 20 minutes in the shower the water gets cooler but we shut the cold water off and the water stays "warm" enough. Someone told me that it might be better now, because the weather outside is warmer and the burner is not working to heat the house - just the water.

Thanks for your help.

ed wallace

indirect problem

couple of problem that i see 1st is the boiler piping is to small you need a minimum of 1 1/4 black pipe off the boiler then a couple of 1 1/4 tees feeding the house zones and indirect 2nd problem the indirect needs its own circulater or a zone controller

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Floyd_10

Wow, cj

The pictures say it all....
Everything NOT to do is there..... too small of piping off of the boiler and no circ. for the indirect.
The kink in the pipe to bend it where it needed to go is a good touch also.....not!!!!

Increase the piping off of the boiler to 1-1/4.... replace the zone valve with a circ. pump and install a relay panel with priority for the indirect.

You will then have PLENTY of piping hot water...:-)

Floyd

PS. I wish I could see where that pipe at the back of the boiler goes into the boiler. I hope that the pipe that I see in the front isn't the return and that the pipe and the back isn't the supply. It looks like they both come off of the the top half of the boiler. Not good....

Dan_15

Indirect install

Sir, I believe the equipment is not the issue here, its the installation. Any manufactures equipment would have the same results install in this manner. As suggested by others, the installation needs to be addressed. Please use the "Find a Professional" feature offered on this website to help locate a good contractor. The point here is "The equipment is only as good as the installation". Thanks and if possible, post pictures of the results.

Nick Dearing

WOW

A monkey could have done better. This gives hydronics and indirects a bad name just because someone doesn't know how to install them.

Ron Schroeder

Smart

I finished installing a Smart40 today after about 60 hours in the basement. This heater makes a ton of HOT water if installed correctly. I will be installing a smaller nozzle soon.

ed wallace

indirect

now thats the way it should be done

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RianS

Looks bad

I have installed many indirects on gas and oil boilers and most have a recovery rate of about 120 gallons per hour which means under normal conditions you will never run out of hot water. I have found some problems with the aquastats sent with them though. I recently had a problem with one I installed about 6 months ago that ran out of hot water and found the aquastat didnt call for heat until the water was already getting cold. Check that as well. RianS

R. Swatton

Flow Check Placement

Greg,
Nice install, but next time install the flow check in front of the circulator. Helps to prevent pump cavitation.

Rich

Autorized Heat Transfer Products
Service Agent

Ron Schroeder

Rich,
A swing gate is upstream and a Taco flow check is downstream of the circulator. I am a rooky and did not want any of that hot water leaking out of the tank. Do you have any suggestions for controls. I disconnected the Taco zone valves that feed the baseboard. The domestic hot water has absolute priority of the boiler. The boiler is a 4 section pin type with a 8124 aquistat. I was looking at a Tekmar 256, but I am unsure if this would be overkill.

Also, I need advice on the boiler. I cleaned the pins and combustion chamber today with all the sheet metal off. You can really clean this boiler good with the top off and the burner off. I did not replace the rug on the sides. The target wall is about three years old and I did not touch that. Is the rug even needed?

Maine Ken

Greg, I would highly recommend replacing the blanket in that V-1. It will thank you every year you service it!!!

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Ron Schroeder

Ken, The service guy left a piece of the liner when he replaced the target wall. I think it will be enough. I did cover the floor of the chamber with the old liner, but I could not salvage enough for the sides. The question is what does the liner do? Does it make the oil burn hotter and keep the bottom protected from deposits?

Jim\"Rocky\"Kelleher

Spelling

Rich looks like your really proud to be a Heat Transfer Products Service agent, you may want to check on the spelling of ( authorized ) by the way what are the perks of being an authorized HTP service agent?

C-TEC

CO?

I was wondering if the contractor checked the carbon-monoxide production, in the flue, after changing the nozzles?
Do you think it’s overfired?