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Help choosing a hot water storage tank

rynoheat
rynoheat Member Posts: 37
in Domestic Hot Water

I realized my current tank is 28 years old, so I'm trying to make a plan to replace it. Since it's lasted this long and works well, I'd like to get something similar. I have a System 2000 EK1 with the plate heat exchanger. Whatever I get I want it to last a long time, I plan to die in this house.

Here's a photo of what I have:

20241202_152547.jpg
20241202_152603.jpg

I'm guessing it was specially made for EK because it has EK in the model number. I see HTP still sells stainless storage tanks in this size, but the ports are closer to the bottom, which I don't think will work as well with this setup. The way it's currently setup, the heated water comes in around the middle of the tank, which I assume is why we have really long lasting hot water.

The EK hot water documents I found don't show this tank design, but it seems their general strategy is to have the water coming from the PHE dumped near the top of the tank and cold coming in at the bottom.

Another option is to buy a stainless electric WH and do the dip tube modification and reversed flow that the EK hot water guide mentions.

The spot is a hair under 21 inches wide. I can remove the shelving above the tank, so height is not an issue.

What would you recommend?

Comments

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,780
    edited December 2024

    Any indirect will work. If you old one is stainless and it lasted this long I would go with something similar.

    You could also call EK (they lurk on this site and will probably respond).

    You can pm @Roger at EK.

  • Roger
    Roger Member Posts: 385

    Great question, @rynoheat (and thank you for your post, @EBEBRATT-Ed ; I like your idea of going with something similar as it's working so well, and recognize not all stainless tanks are created equal).

    You must have really good water as a 28 year old stainless steel tank is fantastic. We do not have any current manufactured stainless tanks to recommend - if you do go that route, we would not recommend any tank with a coil as it will lower your annual efficiency by 5% to 10% as the boiler will finish hot several cycles a day because it cannot purge to a hot tank that is not stratified (stratification and purge happens with the plate heat exchanger design that you have).

    Here are three thoughts for you:

    1. Install the glass lined tanks we stock (20" diameter x 48 1/2" height), and use a powered anode rod to protect the tank.
    2. Find a stainless steel storage tank (without a coil) that your heating pro recommends and send us the specs. We can look at it to see if it can be converted to work with your heat exchanger.
    3. Keep your existing tank and add a leak alarm and shut off system, and replace the tank when you need to. At 28 years, I know this is a stretch…

    Best,

    Roger

    President
    Energy Kinetics, Inc.
    jringel
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 6,950

    it sure seems like someone would make a storage tank out of plastic like the Rheem Marathon

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  • DCContrarian
    DCContrarian Member Posts: 799

    Even after 28 years, what's to fail on a stainless tank used for indirect heating?

  • rynoheat
    rynoheat Member Posts: 37
    edited December 2024

    @Roger Would you be able to tell me if the HTP SSU-45CB could be made to work with my system, or should I email?

  • Roger
    Roger Member Posts: 385

    @rynoheat , that tank should be fine. You can reuse your existing dip tube, and as the attached drawing shows, make sure that the dip tube is installed with the distribution holes facing horizontally.

    @ethicalpaul , I like the construction of the Marathon tank; Energy Kinetics would need to do extensive testing of dip tube design types to make sure the hot water from the plate heat exchanger is properly distributed when entering the tank from those "top of the tank" fittings so that it fosters good stratification and makes thermal purge function properly.

    Best,

    Roger

    Superstor Aquabank Piping.pdf

    President
    Energy Kinetics, Inc.
    jringelethicalpaul
  • rynoheat
    rynoheat Member Posts: 37

    @Roger

    Unfortunately it seems from HTP's documentation, they only have two outlets near the top on the 80 gallon and larger tanks. So that means I couldn't set it up like in the document you posted and wouldn't get good stratification.

    SSU-45CB.jpg

    Since I can't find any other manufacturer selling a stainless storage tank under 80 gallons, could you tell me if it's possible to use HTP EVR040C2X045 with the dip tube modification? It's a stainless electric tank, I would obviously not be using the heating elements.

    I guess if that won't work I'll have to switch to the glass lined tank.

    Thanks for your help, EK's customer service and excellent boiler has made me a customer for life.

    Roger
  • Roger
    Roger Member Posts: 385

    Off, sorry about that - I looked at the 80 gallon tank diagram you posted.

    Yes, you can use the HTP EVR040C2X045. We have an electric tank conversion kit with a dip tube and other instructions about optimizing the location of the tank thermostat for thermal purge.

    President
    Energy Kinetics, Inc.
    rynoheat
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,762
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1824656#Comment_1824656

    the argosy is a composite buffer tank. I suppose the plate HX could use two ports, two ports for H&C

    IMG_0870.jpeg

    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream

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