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Topic ClosedIt's coming soon - hot water recirculating system.
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fwunder View Drop Down
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Posts: 1676 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: It's coming soon - hot water recirculating system.
    Posted: 29 Oct 2014 at 9:39am
Thanks wildfire! I looked for that spec but missed it. I turned on the propane HW just about 20 minutes ago. I'm curious what I measure with my smoker probe when it shuts off. After about 15 minutes w/ambient about 50 degrees it measures 105. @140 it would seem an efficient exchanger might offer a good deal of useable heat, no?

Thanks again for giving me an idea for another winter project! Smile

fred

Edited to add: At 30 minutes, propane shut off and I measured 138 @ kitchen faucet, so I would say the 140 spec is pretty accurate. Thanks!
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Posts: 85 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Oct 2014 at 9:25am
Suburban service manual says 140 degrees nonadjustable. That is hot enough to cause blisters in half of a second.
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fwunder View Drop Down
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Posts: 1676 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Oct 2014 at 9:04am
Doug, I'm thinking we'll need an inline check valve on the cold water returns of the city water line and the tank line to keep the boiler/exchanger a closed loop system. I think you are right that there should be no issue or significant interference with on board FW system.

I guess we could use the existing thermostat to turn on exchanger fan and circulating pump.

dsmiths, that sounds like a great and simple idea also! A loop through FW tank (or anywhere else) would be just a matter of plumbing.

Practically speaking, I'm really surprised this isn't done. Yes, I know Aqua Hot systems are used in some large and expensive coaches, but the idea seems even more practical in a small space like the pod where we often heat 6 gallons of very hot water, use just a little and then let all that energy just fade away...

I'm going to take some HW temperature measurements today. I know it's hot.

fred
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fwunder View Drop Down
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Posts: 1676 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Oct 2014 at 8:43pm
Dump 50 pounds of ice in the FW tank, throw the HW bypass valves and we got us a Air Conditioner!!

Oh, don't forget that we could plumb more than one exchanger for zone heating and cooling!

Somebody stop me! LOL

fred
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Posts: 866 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Oct 2014 at 8:35pm
and then we could add a thermostat to the Fresh Water tank so if boon docking in temps below 30 or so some hot water could be circulated in a loop through the fresh water tank to keep it from freezing . Humm the possibilities are endless.
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Oct 2014 at 8:12pm
Quiet is the key - definitely would be quieter than the furnace.  It should be more efficient than using a generator to run an electric heater, too.  I'm not sure the FW tank would be a problem, just withdraw water from the WH tank on the hot side and feed the return line back into the WH on the cold side.  The existing hot and cold water system would operate normally, unless I'm missing something you've thought of?
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Posts: 1676 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Oct 2014 at 6:29pm
Yeah Doug! Junk Yard Wars! Big smile I sorta got obsessed with this idea today.

Wondering the relative efficiencies of using the HW heater as a boiler, plumbed with a 6,000 BTU cabin heater like This Aqua Hot exchanger and a high efficiency circulating pump like This Jabsco.

Would take a little plumbing engineering to prevent back flow into FW tank and allow HW to still circulate with on board FW pump, but I bet it could be done! Both the heat exchanger and the pump are very low power draw and the HW heater just seems to be much more efficient than the furnace. I bet it would be quiet too.

Fun Stuff!

fred
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Oct 2014 at 6:18pm
Fred, interesting device.  Doesn't sound like it has a pump or thermostat.  You probably could go cheaper with a $50 transmission cooler and $5 computer fan.  Add a 12 volt thermostat, relay, pump and you would be golden.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Posts: 85 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Oct 2014 at 4:03pm
Instant water heaters usually produce a cold water sandwich every time you turn the faucet on and off. I had one for a week in my house and ripped it out. It drove us nuts washing dishes. That used a lot of water. Some, and I stress some, newer tankless heaters have a small tank in them to stop the sandwich effect.
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Posts: 1215 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Oct 2014 at 3:49pm
   Lance campers for their model 1575 have a instant propane hot water heater and you are able to dial the temperature you desire at the time you need hot water. I don't how well it has worked out but sounds like a good idea. Forget the manufacture of hot water heater.    ( I have looked back at reviews and the tankless hot water heater has not been well liked by owners. I went to the Lance manufacture website and there was no mention of them, my guess they have been discontinued with the Lance 1575.)
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