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Hot water Plate heat exchangers

Started by Viperman, January 17, 2019, 11:24:58 PM

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Viperman

Was wondering when hooking up a plate heat exchanger
How many hook it up on the hot water side?
Do you use a mixing valve?
If hooked up on the cold water side are any of you using a 10 or 20 plate
and what temperature is your water on the hot side?

E Yoder

I always hook it up so it preheats the water entering the water heater. Less fluctuating temps and less need for mixing valve (I almost never use them). With doing the outlet side if the stove goes cold the electric can't back it up without stopping the pump on the outdoor furnace, otherwise the heat goes back to the stove.
Temp drop through the tank varies depending on volume of usage, usually less than 5 degrees, I've measured 135 at my sink. That varies a bit depending on stove temp and flow rate to the house.
A 10 plate might clog with grit more easily. ? I use 3x8" 30 plate ones.
All that said I know people do the outlet side and it works fine most of the time.
HeatMaster dealer in VA.
G7000

ButchC

Pluses and minuses to either location but IMO the inlet side has far less potential issues. Personally I would never consider heating domestic water in a manner that can be dangerous to the unknowing who stick their body parts in harms way. Blending valves do not work perfectly but are cheap and and easy to install insurance.  Consider that the very top end of safe domestic hot water is around 130 and you have the potential to be very near loop temps.

We started out with a side arm and it couldn't keep up so I added a plate exchanger to the inlet side. We now have the best of both systems. A lot of capacity from the plate and the water heater is kept to temp by the side arm when there is no usage. Our water heater is turned off and just a holding tank.
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hedgerow

Welcome Viperman
I run a 20 plate I do run a pump on the domestic side also I pull out of what would be the drain on the tank threw the exchanger and back in the hot side. I have a thermal well I have set up on the hot water heater and run a Ranco that turns that pump and the two pumps out in the Garn barn on and off to maintain temp. We like our water hot no small kids around so in the winter when the Garn running temp is higher I kept the domestic set at 130 in the summer the Garn temp is run down lower the domestic is set at 110. If I get lazy in the summer and don't fire the Garn quick enough the gas burner will kick on. 

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