My next project natural gas tankless hot water heater. - Page 4

pinballlooking · 01-25-14, 01:53 PM

Thanks we really like it. I really think it is the best of both worlds between saving water and natural gas.

Yes the recirc loop returns to the cold water side of the heater. I have a back flow preventer there so it only takes the path when the pump it running.
The aquastat installs over a copper pipe and mointors the water temp once it warms up past the set point it will take away the power to the pump. So this would work for your setup also it would turn off the pump once the water reached the aquastat temp once the water cools back off it will put power back to the pump.

This all works independent or over rides what my automation tells the pump when the water is hot.

No sense running the pump if the water is hot.

This is a good read it is more on rentals but it applies to us also.
Home Energy Magazine :: Money Down the Drain: Controlling Hot Water Recirculation Costs

pinballlooking · 02-06-14, 05:23 PM

We like the new tankless hot water heater. We keep the water @120 deg. This works good for the kids. But when I shower I like it hotter. We have a steam setting on the shower head. This really warms up the shower. It is a pain to go into the garage and change the temp. Then we have to remember to change it back.

My tank has a Takagi Temperature Remote Controller I just ordered. This will go in the master bath room we can turn up the hot water for the shower the back down.

This will also display additional error codes if it ever has issues (I hope I do not need that feature)

It would be nice if it was wireless but it is wired so I will have to fish one more wire.

They had free shipping and $25 off if you use V.me Visa.

Mikesolar · 02-06-14, 05:44 PM

Do you find any issues at all with it? The most common ones are the time it takes to get to the taps and some of them will be hot, then cool, then stay hot. It is called sandwiching.

pinballlooking · 02-06-14, 05:55 PM

We have it so when you turn on the bathroom light it starts the recirculation pump. We use a different amount of time depending how far you are away from the tank. This really helps that so that is not much of an issue. The hot water pipes and the return lines are all insulated.

So if you just use a little water and turn it back off the pump keeps it running. This makes it less likely to have the sandwich effect.

We a happy with it so far.

Mikesolar · 02-06-14, 05:58 PM

That is a good idea....the light switch. I may try that when i do another tankless that is a distance away from the master bath.

pinballlooking · 02-06-14, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikesolar

That is a good idea....the light switch. I may try that when i do another tankless that is a distance away from the master bath.

We have it that way for the two bath rooms ½ bath and under kitchen sink light.

pinballlooking · 02-23-14, 09:33 PM

build.com sent me the wrong remote so I sent it back.
I found the remote I needed new on EBay for $70 shipped (best offer.) this was a better price.

For the long wiring I used phone cable. The phone guy had put in a temporary phone line until they could put it under ground. I asked if I could have the wire he said sure they would just toss in in the garbage anyway. So I put some of it to good use.

I now have control of my tankless hot water heater in my master bath room. We will bump up the hot water for showers then put it back down after the shower. This will be so much simpler than going out to the garage to adjust the temp then I forget to turn it back.

I got this Digital Inspection Camera for XMas. ($59.99 Black Friday)
Inspection Camera - Save on this Digital Inspection Camera
It worked great to help fish the wiring up through the wall. Since the shower is behind that wall it was very hard to fish the wire up through the wall but with this handy tool it was very easy.

pinballlooking · 03-23-14, 01:54 PM

My Condensate is plumed to a ½ pex about 20’ at a downward slope. There are two weep holes at the hot water heater and when we shower or use a fair amount of hot water it is dripping out the weep holes.
Any suggestions how to fix this? Do I need to add a Tee with an air vent to this drain?
Is this to long for gravity feed?

Mikesolar · 03-23-14, 06:05 PM

The easiest thing to do is to have a drain from the heater loosely plug in larger tube so that there is an air gap before the 1/2" PEX tube. There is probably too much back pressure.

pinballlooking · 03-23-14, 07:04 PM

Thanks for your help.
Here is what I came up with to relive the backpressure. It is about 2' 3/4 Pvc then a clear piece of hose then the 1/2 Pex. I just tested it and it all seems to be good now.

I put a 4” piece of clear hose between the PVC and the Pex so I can see if it gets backedup.

01-25-14, 01:53 PM	#31
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,929 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	Thanks we really like it. I really think it is the best of both worlds between saving water and natural gas. Yes the recirc loop returns to the cold water side of the heater. I have a back flow preventer there so it only takes the path when the pump it running. The aquastat installs over a copper pipe and mointors the water temp once it warms up past the set point it will take away the power to the pump. So this would work for your setup also it would turn off the pump once the water reached the aquastat temp once the water cools back off it will put power back to the pump. This all works independent or over rides what my automation tells the pump when the water is hot. No sense running the pump if the water is hot. This is a good read it is more on rentals but it applies to us also. Home Energy Magazine :: Money Down the Drain: Controlling Hot Water Recirculation Costs Last edited by pinballlooking; 02-06-14 at 05:28 PM..

02-06-14, 05:23 PM	#32
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,929 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	We like the new tankless hot water heater. We keep the water @120 deg. This works good for the kids. But when I shower I like it hotter. We have a steam setting on the shower head. This really warms up the shower. It is a pain to go into the garage and change the temp. Then we have to remember to change it back. My tank has a Takagi Temperature Remote Controller I just ordered. This will go in the master bath room we can turn up the hot water for the shower the back down. This will also display additional error codes if it ever has issues (I hope I do not need that feature) It would be nice if it was wireless but it is wired so I will have to fish one more wire. They had free shipping and $25 off if you use V.me Visa. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Daox; 02-06-14 at 05:33 PM..

02-06-14, 05:55 PM	#34
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,929 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	We have it so when you turn on the bathroom light it starts the recirculation pump. We use a different amount of time depending how far you are away from the tank. This really helps that so that is not much of an issue. The hot water pipes and the return lines are all insulated. So if you just use a little water and turn it back off the pump keeps it running. This makes it less likely to have the sandwich effect. We a happy with it so far. Last edited by pinballlooking; 02-06-14 at 05:58 PM..

02-23-14, 09:33 PM	#37
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,929 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	build.com sent me the wrong remote so I sent it back. I found the remote I needed new on EBay for $70 shipped (best offer.) this was a better price. For the long wiring I used phone cable. The phone guy had put in a temporary phone line until they could put it under ground. I asked if I could have the wire he said sure they would just toss in in the garbage anyway. So I put some of it to good use. I now have control of my tankless hot water heater in my master bath room. We will bump up the hot water for showers then put it back down after the shower. This will be so much simpler than going out to the garage to adjust the temp then I forget to turn it back. I got this Digital Inspection Camera for XMas. ($59.99 Black Friday) Inspection Camera - Save on this Digital Inspection Camera It worked great to help fish the wiring up through the wall. Since the shower is behind that wall it was very hard to fish the wire up through the wall but with this handy tool it was very easy. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by pinballlooking; 03-05-14 at 10:19 AM..

03-23-14, 07:04 PM	#40
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,929 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	Thanks for your help. Here is what I came up with to relive the backpressure. It is about 2' 3/4 Pvc then a clear piece of hose then the 1/2 Pex. I just tested it and it all seems to be good now. I put a 4” piece of clear hose between the PVC and the Pex so I can see if it gets backedup. Attached Thumbnails

02-06-14, 05:44 PM	#33
Mikesolar Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Toronto Posts: 958 Thanks: 40 Thanked 158 Times in 150 Posts	Do you find any issues at all with it? The most common ones are the time it takes to get to the taps and some of them will be hot, then cool, then stay hot. It is called sandwiching.

02-06-14, 05:58 PM	#35
Mikesolar Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Toronto Posts: 958 Thanks: 40 Thanked 158 Times in 150 Posts	That is a good idea....the light switch. I may try that when i do another tankless that is a distance away from the master bath.

03-23-14, 01:54 PM	#38
pinballlooking Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: SC Posts: 2,929 Thanks: 172 Thanked 564 Times in 463 Posts	My Condensate is plumed to a ½ pex about 20’ at a downward slope. There are two weep holes at the hot water heater and when we shower or use a fair amount of hot water it is dripping out the weep holes. Any suggestions how to fix this? Do I need to add a Tee with an air vent to this drain? Is this to long for gravity feed?

03-23-14, 06:05 PM	#39
Mikesolar Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Toronto Posts: 958 Thanks: 40 Thanked 158 Times in 150 Posts	The easiest thing to do is to have a drain from the heater loosely plug in larger tube so that there is an air gap before the 1/2" PEX tube. There is probably too much back pressure.

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