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Building a buffer tank
hot_rod
Member Posts: 24,912
Actually moving this 6 gallon from our old home that we demoed.
This will have a high temperature fin tube zone 150F or so at design, spare zone for indirect. Lochinvar Nobel running ODR, the radiant in slab zones will modulate proportionally with a manual 3 way mix valve. First time trying a 2 temperature system with a manual valve.
Boiler sensor in the tank well.
6 gallon in the tank, 1.4 in the Nobel, misc piping = @9 gallon
A 4500 W element gives me 15,000 BTU/hr for LP back up.
1-1/4x 1 tee with a 3/4 mipX 1" copper adapter increases the 3/4 side ports to 1-1/4" easily.
This will have a high temperature fin tube zone 150F or so at design, spare zone for indirect. Lochinvar Nobel running ODR, the radiant in slab zones will modulate proportionally with a manual 3 way mix valve. First time trying a 2 temperature system with a manual valve.
Boiler sensor in the tank well.
6 gallon in the tank, 1.4 in the Nobel, misc piping = @9 gallon
A 4500 W element gives me 15,000 BTU/hr for LP back up.
1-1/4x 1 tee with a 3/4 mipX 1" copper adapter increases the 3/4 side ports to 1-1/4" easily.
Bob "hot rod" Rohr
trainer for Caleffi NA
Living the hydronic dream
trainer for Caleffi NA
Living the hydronic dream
2
Comments
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Nice dryer cord on there!Serving Northern Maine HVAC & Controls. I burn wood, it smells good!
1 -
I am assuming you are going to be piping the relief valve in to the external piping? This looks like a pretty cool idea though. Will be interesting to see how it performs.
PS. I came up with 17,680 btu's with that element. Did I miss something? I am remembering it as 3913 btu's per kilowatt, but it has been a really long day.
Rick0 -
thanks Rick. I installed this tank in 2017, it has been working as expected. I have not tried the electric element back up yet. I'm moving the tank from one building to another now.
3.41 is the conversion, KW to BTU. I remember it being a number switch from π which is 3.14.
I've found you can also buy 5500 and 6000 watt elements, which will still run on a 30 A circuit, although the 6KW are longer and do not fit into all tanks.
5500÷ 240= 23A
6000÷ 240= 25ABob "hot rod" Rohr
trainer for Caleffi NA
Living the hydronic dream0 -
More coffee this morning! Now I remember it is 3413, instead of 3913. I like the pi conversion thought. Makes sense. I am thinking of using just the tank with the higher element for a customer who has a small shop space with just one loop. I still don't like the idea of using electric here due to the cost, but it is only a small space with one loop and he keeps the heat around 45, so it shouldn't be to bad to heat.
Rick0 -
Great tank idea, there is a time and place for electric back up or supplement.Bob "hot rod" Rohr
trainer for Caleffi NA
Living the hydronic dream0
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