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Hot water storage tanks with heat exchanger

Parachute
Parachute Member Posts: 25
I'm looking for a stainless steel hot water storage tank with electrical backup and internal heat exchanger. These suckers are real hard to find. So far the only manufacturer I've seen are Heat-Flo Heating Products. Any others? I'm going to power the unit with a boiler in the winter and use electric in the summer.

Comments

  • Rich_49
    Rich_49 Member Posts: 2,766
    You didn't get what you didn't pay for and it will never be what you thought it would .
    Langans Plumbing & Heating LLC
    732-751-1560
    Serving most of New Jersey, Eastern Pa .
    Consultation, Design & Installation anywhere
    Rich McGrath 732-581-3833
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,024
    Are you sold on stainless. There seem to eat lot more choices with glass lined steel.

    Unless you plan on running some extreme temperatures, a quality glass lined tank should last a good long time.

    Remember an indirect is much different than a gas fired steel tank where the burner against the steel generally leads to failure.

    I do like that HeatFlo tank, if you go stainless. It is sold under various names if you are price shopping
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • Parachute
    Parachute Member Posts: 25
    Thanks very much Rich. B)
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,042
    I'm curious as to why you don't use the boiler in the summer?

    Also with an internal heat exchanger the failure of it (HX) or the tank means you lose both items.
  • Parachute
    Parachute Member Posts: 25
    edited August 2015
    Using a boiler in the summer? My a/c unit would really be complaining with the heat a boiler throws off. Plus eventually, I'm going to install a couple of solar panels to power the Hot water electric backup. I've had very good experience with the two indirect water heaters I've used over the last 30 years. I've never even heard of a failure, although I guess with some combination of very hard water or some other corrosive imbalance, the pipes in the heat exchanger could fail.
  • Rich_49
    Rich_49 Member Posts: 2,766
    What type of boiler do you speak parachute ? Cast iron would be my guess ? What fuel does the boiler utilize ?
    You didn't get what you didn't pay for and it will never be what you thought it would .
    Langans Plumbing & Heating LLC
    732-751-1560
    Serving most of New Jersey, Eastern Pa .
    Consultation, Design & Installation anywhere
    Rich McGrath 732-581-3833
  • Parachute
    Parachute Member Posts: 25
    I use a Triangle Tube natural gas mod/con but it still throws off a fair amount of heat in the utility room. Not to mention the noise.
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,024
    Are you considering a DC element powered directly from a PV module, for solar input?
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • Parachute
    Parachute Member Posts: 25
    Hot Rod, as you know, this whole area is very much influx both price-wise and product-wise. I currently have an evacuated tub on the roof feeding a closed loop solar water heater along with a small 40 gallon indirect fired by my boiler. I figured when you add up the electricity needed for the pump and the differential controller--not to mention periodic anti-freeze and air purging maintenance--I could do better in my old age with a hot water storage tank with electric backup that works all year around and could eventually be powered by solar panels. Some articles online have recommended doing this with a stand-alone high efficiency, heat pump water heater. But I already have a boiler and those high efficiency units don't yet seem ready for prime time.
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,024
    Not a bad plan. Electric backup with a timer is a common way to use dual fuel. If and when the tank need replacing a dual coil, boiler bottom, solar top, and an electric element would be sweet.

    I agree on the heat pump WHs, it has to be the right application to reap the benefits.
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream