recommend a good tankless please

[housecarer]

plan to add a gas tankless, I have two bathrooms and 4 of us. no idea which tankless is good or bad. please tell me few good brands and models.
thanks,

[PLUMJOE]

a little expensive but it is where the tech is going http://www.eternalwaterheater.com/

[plumberscrack]

Your recent posts indicate you are installing a high efficiency gas boiler. The most obvious solution is to add a indirect fired heater to that installation.

[housecarer]

Your recent posts indicate you are installing a high efficiency gas boiler. The most obvious solution is to add a indirect fired heater to that installation.
you are right we are in the process to convert oil to gas. what is the "indirect fired heater"? is that a water tank and water inside is heated by water from the boiler?

[cpw]

you are right we are in the process to convert oil to gas. what is the "indirect fired heater"? is that a water tank and water inside is heated by water from the boiler?

Yes. The boiler's hot water has a heat exchanger that is used to transfer the heat to the holding tank.

[plumberscrack]

This way you are using a 93%+ gas appliance to heat your hot water instead of a less efficient tankless heater. Lower installation cost and much longer lifespan with the indirect heater.

I can't believe the estimators you've had out there haven't covered this with you already :scratchhead:

[housecarer]

My case is little complex. I have a solar panel hot water system which has electical back up. that hot water tank needs to be replaced now. we are thinking buy a storage tank only for the solar panel system and use the tankless as the backup. we can do manual switch. most of time we are going to use solar energy and also we don't want to heat entire tank each time because we may only a little and next is good sunshine.

[plumberscrack]

Bosch makes a tankless heater that is designed specifically for solar backup (1600PS-NG) I've worked on and removed more Bosch tankless heaters than I care to think about.

I'm sure there is a way to use the boiler as a backup to the solar tank using a plate heat exchanger maybe.

What does your solar guy recommend?

[plumbworker]

it depends on what type of solar system you have you might want to look into something like this a indirect solar tank with boiler backup the back up piping in not completed in the pic though...


http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq168/plumbworker/036.jpg

[cpw]

Plumbworker, I don't know what most of that stuff on the solar tank is, but it sure is pretty.

[DanLawrence]

Why does this thread seem like we are just trying to over complicate things?

:confused:

[housecarer]

Why does this thread seem like we are just trying to over complicate things?

:confused:
what is your idea?

[toolaholic]

Why does this thread seem like we are just trying to over complicate things?

:confused:

Over complicate ? We are watching some of the best ,experienced ,tradesman respond here.

I don't know about anyone else, I'm not qualified to be their Lackey!

[mtburdick]

Im pretty sure buderus offers a storage tank that has 2 coils through it. coil 1 would be your solar wich would be your primary. and then the 2nd coil would be from your boiler. this would only run when your solar was not mantainging the sufficient temperature. Im almost positive its buderus though. Ill get the flyer i looked at from the supply house tomorow and post the info on it. NM found the web page. Here you go. I personally would use this so you only need to have 1 tank.
http://www.buderussolar.com/Products/SolarStorageandExpansionTanks/tabid/313/Default.aspx

[housecarer]

Im pretty sure buderus offers a storage tank that has 2 coils through it. coil 1 would be your solar wich would be your primary. and then the 2nd coil would be from your boiler.

are those coils work as heat exchanger? Why I ask this because the solar fluid is not drinkable, it is antifreeze fluid. My exising heat changer has double wall to prevent leaking.

[kap]

Plumbworker, very nice job ! Always nice to see professional work done and tradesmen that remember what quality is all about ! :D

[mtburdick]

are those coils work as heat exchanger? Why I ask this because the solar fluid is not drinkable, it is antifreeze fluid. My exising heat changer has double wall to prevent leaking.

absolutely. All indirects are that way. Your boiler only runs at about 15 pis. City water where i live is about 80 to 120 psi. so if they weren't a heat exhanger it would be blowing off the relif valve all day long. They are intended for anti freeze being run through them on both the boiler and the solar side.

[toolaholic]

I'm fond of My rubbermaid Thermo 500. No expansion tank required,Quiet as a mouse.
One problem the trash man has taken it twice,so far.

[Plumbus]

I'm fond of My rubbermaid Thermo 500. No expansion tank required,Quiet as a mouse.
One problem the trash man has taken it twice,so far.

Got a picture of it, Tool?

[Plumbus]

it depends on what type of solar system you have you might want to look into something like this a indirect solar tank with boiler backup the back up piping in not completed in the pic though...


http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq168/plumbworker/036.jpg

Those babies look like they're 75 gallon units. Anything larger than 65 gallons requires 3 straps. And, where's the insulation on the hot and return lines. Clean work, though! Why two bibs on the return past the check? Why two gauges on return before the check? T & P dumped on the floor?? I don't think Dan would like that.

[Hulihan]

Following this thread, makes my laugh ! Good looking work, missing a few things, but so what, looks great !:jumping:

[plumbworker]

Those babies look like they're 75 gallon units. Anything larger than 65 gallons requires 3 straps. And, where's the insulation on the hot and return lines. Clean work, though! Why two bibs on the return past the check? Why two gauges on return before the check? T & P dumped on the floor?? I don't think Dan would like that.

Their 80gal. and actually mr shea did inspect this and called me on the straps i told him i would add two more straps (not shown in pic):wink2: as for the bibs ones a low point drain and the vertical bibs with the ball valve in between is the "block and purge" for filling the collector with glycol. The valve is closed and the bibs are opened you fill from the top bib glycol goes up the collector and back through to coil in the tank then purged from the bottom one. The gauge is a temp and pressure and the other gauge is being used as a plug during test lol thats where the expansion tank will sit.. as for the domestic return nothing had been insulated yet every tube in that room was insulated period even the cold. the floor is pitched and he didn't say a damn word about the t&ps, Thanks for keeping me in check scott

[plumbworker]

http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq168/plumbworker/004.jpg

[plumbworker]

http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq168/plumbworker/003.jpg



http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq168/plumbworker/012.jpg

[housecarer]

it must be a big house or a commercial building. what is that four taco boxes? controller? why four?

the initial investment must be close to 10 thousand.

[stokefire7]

Nice work . Scott

[mtburdick]

ok stupid question here you all keep mentioning the straps on water heaters. Is that just for California or something? I ask because the inspector here in Hudson NY has never mentioned any such thing.