Jump to content
Chapala.com Webboard

Boiler/Hot water tank/on Demand


ComputerGuy

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 54
  • Created
  • Last Reply

A few things: Tom, thanks, but they prefer their own brand and want $1200p just to turn up from Guad; I'm glad people have all sorts of ways with standard heaters, but my question specifically is looking for a repair person, since this is a de paso and I don't care about other types; and finally, Jreboll, 10 minutes is more than enough to fully heat a tank.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Min

12 minutes ago, ComputerGuy said:

A few things: Tom, thanks, but they prefer their own brand and want $1200p just to turn up from Guad; I'm glad people have all sorts of ways with standard heaters, but my question specifically is looking for a repair person, since this is a de paso and I don't care about other types; and finally, Jreboll, 10 minutes is more than enough to fully heat a tank.

Mine is a 40 gal wh. I’d rather wait and have breakfast while it heats up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

CG, then try Jose Martinez. 331.152.1369 

He cleaned out the hard water deposits once for me before I knew that there was a Bosch tech available. Note to all, it really helps to have a water softener so these repairs don't have to be made!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

57 minutes ago, johanson said:

As I recollect they are glass pipes, that surround a small dark colored tube or pipe.

Sorry I did not make myself clear. I was talking about pipes in the wall, not the tubes in the water heater. The distance to one shower is around 50 feet and it is not pressurized.  Takes awhile to heat up.  That is why I am interested in the recirculating system.  They also make one for the solar system.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Couple of mentions:

1 - The well water all across the lakeside north shore is universally "very hard".

2 - Many folks find it better / more practical (depending on design / layout of the house) to add an on-demand unit closer to the point of use if there is a very long hot water pipe run and long wait time.      This way, they get hot water right away, then the unit shuts itself off once the solar hot water arrives.       Still achieves the water savings, without the need to constantly heat and circulate water in the pipes, spending $$ and energy heating the ground 24/7.       YMMV.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

..... in other words keeping hot water in the pipes all the time regardless of the fact that one might not need hot water for many hours. "Heating the ground" refers to where the pipes often run, sitting there with hot water in them, loosing their heat to the ground, for 'no good reason' at the moment.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, RickS said:

..... in other words keeping hot water in the pipes all the time regardless of the fact that one might not need hot water for many hours. "Heating the ground" refers to where the pipes often run, sitting there with hot water in them, loosing their heat to the ground, for 'no good reason' at the moment.

 

Why would there be hot water in the pipes 24/7? A recirculating system can have a timer or a switch (manual or wi-fi) that can turn on the pump 10 to 15 minutes before you want to use the hot. The system uses a lot less energy and is a lot easier to install. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

26 minutes ago, Tiny said:

Why would there be hot water in the pipes 24/7? A recirculating system can have a timer or a switch (manual or wi-fi) that can turn on the pump 10 to 15 minutes before you want to use the hot. The system uses a lot less energy and is a lot easier to install. 

We tried that and it was difficult to figure out what the timing should be.

The best setup is highly insulated piping continuously circulating but highly insulated anything is hard to come by in this country.  The paucity of serious energy saving/water saving stuff in this country given the high energy prices should be a heckuva business opportunity for someone.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Mainecoons said:

We tried that and it was difficult to figure out what the timing should be.

That is why they make a version with switch.

 

1 hour ago, Mainecoons said:

The best setup is highly insulated piping continuously circulating but highly insulated anything is hard to come by in this country.  The paucity of serious energy saving/water saving stuff in this country given the high energy prices should be a heckuva business opportunity for someone.

That would be the best for new construction.  In my case that would tearing up around 50 feet of wall and ceiling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As Jreboll and Mainecoons both alluded to, most folks don't know 10 to 15 minutes in advance of when they'll want or need hot water, which makes a switch or a timer not very  useful for anyone who is not on a rigidly consistent schedule.    That is why the "heating the ground" comment was posted - those who have these circ systems tend to leave them on all the time for the convenience.      There are better options for many than a circ system, go "on-demand" gas or electric if this is needed, and this way, you only "heat what you use, when you use it".

Mainecoons comment on insulating any pipe in the ground is also a very good idea - we've seen homes that had TWO gas boilers, one after the other, simply due to how much  cooling effect the metal pipe run in the ground had on the water temp.      The TuboPlus double walled pipe (the green stuff) has some built-in insulating factor due to its design and materials, works much better in the ground than metal pipe does just by its nature and is essentially leak-proof as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, ComputerGuy said:

"On demand" problems are the whole reason for this thread.

CG, what is the brand and model of the unit?     That could help a lot.    Bosch, Kruger, CaloRex, HeatMaster, other?   And how many liters / min is it rated for?    And the approx. age?

Also, important to mention that having one in a "support" function vs as the full time heater, greatly extends the overall life and time between service interval needs.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, ComputerGuy said:

CaloRex; can't tell you the liters/min right now... maybe 9 years. Big enough for the requirements.

I'd suggest you're due for a new unit, given this info and your OP and what you're spending to "maintain" this one.     The issue may be more internal and not really the thermostat.     Given the very hard water in the area, and seeing a lot of these, 9 or 10 years is decent / typical for both tank and tankless style boilers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, the unit is well-maintained; pipes have been replaced, everything properly flushed and cleaned, copper tubing replaced, no silt in Chula Vista... we have another guy coming today. I don't disagree it is time to get rid of it, but it will be replaced with a standard hot water tank/boiler. I've had enough of this on-demand BS.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.




×
×
  • Create New...