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Homeowner Forum / Construction / October 2006Hot water tank return
I heard that you can install a line from the tank where the drain spigot is. That you remove the spigot, and run a line to the farthest hot water riser. It is supposed to allow the hot water to circulate naturally. Anyone heard of this. Not using an electric pump would be worth the savings to me.  Signatureplease reply to bargerw NO @ SPAM bellsouth.net and remove the NOSPAM Sure, I have mine that way. Have had for years. Water will go the way of least resistance though so you put a loop in the return line, I have found 17' works well. I have also installed in many houses. The 17' return makes the water travel an entra 34' on that leg and when the water is being drawn at the far end it will pull mostly from the supply side because of the extra resistance the loop imposes. Cold water falls so it will rise on the supply side and fall into the bottom of the heater. No pump, gravity does it. > I heard that you can install a line from the tank where > the drain spigot is. That you remove the spigot, and run [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > please reply to bargerw NO @ SPAM bellsouth.net and > remove the NOSPAM > I heard that you can install a line from the tank where the drain spigot is. > That you remove the spigot, and run a line to the farthest hot water riser. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > -- > please reply to bargerw NO @ SPAM bellsouth.net and remove the NOSPAM Bill- Yes, hte concept can work but I've never used it or seen an installation The concept is a thermo-siphon checkout http://www.chilipepperapp.com/tscs.htm cheers Bob Your link is correct to a point. It uses a check valve. I have found they don't work that well. The return pressure isn't enough to push them open all the time. I have even installed them on a short line going down hill on a 45 degree so they hang looser which works better but any lime or corrosion will hang them up. I have found the loop works well. > > I heard that you can install a line from the tank where > > the drain spigot is. That you remove the spigot, and [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > cheers > Bob I might clarify one other thing. For ease of illustration of the system the illisustration shows the return line returning across the floor. Not necessary, just attach it to the ceiling back to the heater. I do try to get a couple inches of fall in the return line though and of course there is the fall from the ceiling down to the heater at that end. > Your link is correct to a point. It uses a check valve. I have > found they don't work that well. The return [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > cheers > > Bob My HW tank (Propane) is on the second floor. All lines to the two baths upstairs are under the second floor. The kitchen, wash room, and other bath on the first floor will just have to wait for hot water. I thought about attaching the return from the farthest bath room on the second floor. (Maybe 15 - 20 feet). Signatureplease reply to bargerw NO @ SPAM bellsouth.net and remove the NOSPAM >I might clarify one other thing. For ease of illustration of the system >the illisustration shows the return line returning across the floor. Not [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] >> > cheers >> > Bob > Your link is correct to a point. It uses a check valve. I have > found they don't work that well. The return pressure isn't enough [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > cheers > > Bob Bill- I would agree with Glenn about the check valve in a thermo-siphon; un-necessary & more trouble than it's worth. Glen, I've never installed a thermo-siphon or even a pumped hot water circulator. I had a ranch style that took FOREVER to get hot but I sold it before that project got ever to the top of the list. Anyway, in a pumped situation I've seen check valves and always seen the return plumbed into the drain valve. I was toying with the idea in my installation of plumbing it into the cold water inlet w/ a check valve so that the returned water would go down the dip tube. It's pretty much a moot point now becuase my current house has stacked baths & a water heater in the central untility basement.....max run ~18ft to shower & about 25' to kitchen any comments about drain valve vs cold water inlet for the return water in apumped system cheers Bob Thanks to Glenn n BobK. That's what I was looking for. Signatureplease reply to bargerw NO @ SPAM bellsouth.net and remove the NOSPAM >I heard that you can install a line from the tank where the drain spigot >is. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Not using an electric pump would be worth the savings to me. > I heard that you can install a line from the tank where the drain spigot is. > That you remove the spigot, and run a line to the farthest hot water riser. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Not using an electric pump would be worth the savings to me. The problem is a thermal syphon works best if the return pipe isn't insulated. (= heat losses). You dont need to run an electric pump all the time. Use a thermostat on the return pipe and a time clock. An alternative is to fit a self regulating heat tape and insulate the pipes well. |
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