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Super Stor

rickh
rickh Member Posts: 22
Anyone have any idea what the maximum sustained temperature we can maintain in a SSU 119 dual coil tank. Manual doesn't say and supplier is indicating just about what ever we want.
Been having a problem with tanks not holding up and looking for a cure, talking about tanks not lasting even a year . Have had 3 tanks let go over a 4 year span. There are two tanks in series, city water and tests out fine.
This place goes through a lot of water, thermal expansion tank in place an properly sized.
Thanks

Comments

  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,561
    What is the application and how are the tanks failing?
    I imagine that your temp will be limited by the boiler water temp and the flow rates on both sides. Not sure exactly what you are asking.
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • delta T
    delta T Member Posts: 884
    I have to think this is related to water quality. I doubt you are getting temp high enough to stress the tanks to failure in that short timespan. What were the numbers on the city water? partucularly chlorides? What fails? is it the coil or the tank? Has the boiler side water been tested?
    kcoppGBart
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 5,804
    Three tanks in four years at the same location?
    What do you mean by "let go"?
    Tank leak, HX leak?
    I've replaced numerous SSU tanks under warranty, mostly due to HX leaks, but not at that rate. Certainly seems like its water or mechanical.
    Pics?
  • rickh
    rickh Member Posts: 22
    Tanks just start gushing water from lower tappings, coil is fine that's not a problem, the vessel is failing. The water sample was taken and sent off to lab HTP uses and has there blessing that all is fine with water.
    Installed in a linen service operation, pretty much run non stop from early in the morning until mid afternoon. Nothing unusual about the installation or even the operation just that the tanks basically appear to fail way too soon and looking for possible reasons.
  • rickh
    rickh Member Posts: 22
    Thinking maybe thermal shock or high temperature. HTP thinking electrolysis but I don't know. Tested and seemed okay, ran a separate ground wire to be sure.
  • Alan (California Radiant) Forbes
    Alan (California Radiant) Forbes Member Posts: 3,979
    edited May 2018
    rickh said:

    Thinking maybe thermal shock or high temperature. HTP thinking electrolysis but I don't know. Tested and seemed okay, ran a separate ground wire to be sure.

    Neither should effect stainless steel. Time to change manufacturers although it would be nice to know what's going on? The owner must be getting fed up, no?
    8.33 lbs./gal. x 60 min./hr. x 20°ΔT = 10,000 BTU's/hour

    Two btu per sq ft for degree difference for a slab
  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,576
    Is there a long run of pipe into the failed tappings which could elongate when hot, and put stress on that part of the tank?—NBC
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,273
    Hi, Are there any check valves / backflow preventers? I might put a pressure gauge on it that has a red needle for highest pressure and see what it says. I know, it shouldn't need checking with an expansion tank in place, but those do fail sometimes. :o

    Yours, Larry
  • rickh
    rickh Member Posts: 22
    HTP has been good about covering tanks under warranty but no one is real happy about this. Anticipate another tank to let go within 6 months. The last one only lasted 4 months. Have checked pressure numerous times, tops out at 60# and when they are running have seen it down as low as 15. The main coming in is too small and they draw it way down.
    Rep coming up in a couple of days ( 2nd time ) to see if we can get this straightened out.
    No on piping, comes out of tanks and then up above for clearance back to boiler, etc.
    Thanks
  • JohnNY
    JohnNY Member Posts: 3,226
    A couple of years ago, I noticed the the jackets on several of the many Super Stor tanks I had installed were warping. I called HTP and was told the tanks have no real tolerance to be aware of but that the jackets would be expected to fail after around 160° of sustained storage temperature.
    Maybe that helps.
    Contact John "JohnNY" Cataneo, NYC Master Plumber, Lic 1784
    Consulting & Troubleshooting
    Heating in NYC or NJ.
    Classes
  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 2,761
    It's a **** to weld stainless ...
    I have enough experience to know , that I dont know it all
  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,576
    Even with a swing joint, any elongation stress could still be transferred to the tank, as a rocking motion.
    Maybe it’s time to switch to all copper.—NBC
  • GBart
    GBart Member Posts: 746
    did HTP take the failed tanks back and do an analysis??

    that would be definitive
    delta T
  • rickh
    rickh Member Posts: 22
    Yes surely the one we just replaced is on the way to be examined. Will see rep on Friday and hopefully get this resolved. Thanks
  • NY_Rob
    NY_Rob Member Posts: 1,370
    Are the SSU tanks made in China or Korea now?

    The HTP UFT boilers are made in Korea.

  • Solid_Fuel_Man
    Solid_Fuel_Man Member Posts: 2,646
    It's threads like this that really steer the direction of what I put in. I'm sure we all remember the AO Smith water heater debacle. Good on them to at least warrant the tanks. Flowing this one.
    Serving Northern Maine HVAC & Controls. I burn wood, it smells good!
    JohnNY
  • rickh
    rickh Member Posts: 22
    Really think it is a problem specific to the building. Going to add a second water hammer as this does still occur and the thermal x tank will not hold a proper charge. Tank is also about a year old and must be subjected to the water hammer which will shorten there life, I guess along with the SSU
  • GBart
    GBart Member Posts: 746
    If HTP moved manufacturing to China that wouldn't be good, their metals are not high quality or consistent, they are full of fillers and god knows what.
  • Rich_49
    Rich_49 Member Posts: 2,766
    NY_Rob said:

    Are the SSU tanks made in China or Korea now?

    The HTP UFT boilers are made in Korea.

    HTP has a small prtion of their line manufactured in Korea , not China . AFAIK , UFT and Combis are produced overseas .
    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
  • GBart
    GBart Member Posts: 746
    edited May 2018
    Same metal issues.

    Plus they can't even make even threads on black iron pipe.
  • NY_Rob
    NY_Rob Member Posts: 1,370
    edited May 2018
    Rich said:

    NY_Rob said:

    Are the SSU tanks made in China or Korea now?

    The HTP UFT boilers are made in Korea.

    HTP has a small prtion of their line manufactured in Korea , not China . AFAIK , UFT and Combis are produced overseas .
    HTP is a little "cute" when describing the manufacture origin of the UFT boilers... "made in Korea... finished in the USA". Nobody (outside of HTP) actually knows what the means, but the UFT's have stood up fairly well.

    I haven't seen anything on the HTP site mentioning where their SS Ultra's are made. Nowadays if something is made in the USA it's a big deal and it's plastered all over the product page and the product itself. If it's made overseas it's usually buried somewhere in small print or not available until you get the product and find it on a country of origin label where required by law.
    It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility to have Korea sub out some of the manufacturing of their HTP branded products like the SS Ultra's to China at this point. Toyota does this with the engines in it's current RAV4 Hybrid SUV. Owners were not too happy when they found their RAV4 engines were made in China vs. Japan like the rest of the vehicle.

    GBart
  • Henry
    Henry Member Posts: 998
    I have been twice to HTP. The UFT heat exchanger comes from Korea and the boiler is assembled at the plant. The EFT has a Polish heat exchanger. All the S/S tanks are assembled in the plant. HTP is the second largest consumer of S/S after the US navy. From looking at a similar situation here, I would say that it is water hammer that is the cause.
    NY_RobRich_49Solid_Fuel_Man
  • Rich_49
    Rich_49 Member Posts: 2,766
    Henry said:

    I have been twice to HTP. The UFT heat exchanger comes from Korea and the boiler is assembled at the plant. The EFT has a Polish heat exchanger. All the S/S tanks are assembled in the plant. HTP is the second largest consumer of S/S after the US navy. From looking at a similar situation here, I would say that it is water hammer that is the cause.

    Henry is correct . ALL tanks are welded and assembled here . That includes Phoenix , Pioneer , Versa , SSU , SSC . HTP also insulates tanks for a few other manufacturers here in the US . Some laser welders they operate right Henry ?


    MADE in AMERICA
    http://www.htproducts.com/literature/lp-81.pdf

    http://www.htproducts.com/literature/pioneerbrochure.pdf

    http://www.htproducts.com/literature/lp-191i.pdf

    NO CLAIM it is MADE in AMERICA
    http://www.htproducts.com/literature/UFTWallFloor-Brochure.pdf

    http://www.htproducts.com/literature/EliteFT-Brochure.pdf
    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
  • Henry
    Henry Member Posts: 998
    They make for others and have a licensed version of the condensing tanks made by Giant in Montreal.
  • RomanP
    RomanP Member Posts: 102
    Could it be a factory defect?