DHW Source

[Centurion]

I purchased a PB-105 and I'm looking for the most efficient way to derrive DHW. Is it best to purchase the optional coil or should I choose a hot water storage tank? It is now just my wife and I and we shower daily, the usual laundry and dishes. Neither one of us is home during the day except Sat and Sunday so the hot water sets where ever until needed. Also, is practical to operate the boiler in the summer just for DHW? With the oiler, back when oil was $4.00 plus, wiith a coil the cost is roughly $750.00 per year. It would seem that the hot water tank storage tank might be the better solution but I'm not sure. Your experience would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

 

[Duetech]

Welcome to the forum! I use my EKO40 boiler and a side arm heater to heat my dhw. With suitable system storage, I've heard, you can run about 1 fire per week to cover you dhw needs in the summer. If you can run a coil and system storage economically that might be the best way to go. Currently I heat my dhw with my boiler all year with out system storage. My propane dhw is my back-up and will probably stay that way until it no longer functions as designed. I hope to put in about 1200 gal system storage next spring. My boiler will heat my dhw on a daily basis during the summer with a smaller evening fire. It's not necessary to run a full load fire for dhw but it is important to keep the boiler temp above ambient temps to prevent condensation and corrosion (creosote and water make acid by product) in the fire box.

 

[in hot water]

A dual coil soalr tank with the upper coil connected to the boiler and the lower to solar. In most areas of the country you should be able to get a 40-50% solar fraction. 80- 100% in the summer months.

Or a solar tank with an electric element on the top portion for the solar back up.

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[MrEd]

Any good sources for reasonably priced dual coil tanks?

 

[in hot water]

I'm partial to glass lined steel tanks with large diameter smooth coils. HTP Superstor has an import, steel dual coil. Buderus perhaps. Caleffi offers a domestic built dual coil at a fair price. Lots of choices in stainless steel versions, Heat-Flo builds a nice dual coil stainless tank. If money is no object Viessmann builds perhaps the Mercedes of indirect tanks. Scratch and dents hit e-bay from time to time.

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[Vtgent49]

(broken link removed to http://www.vaughncorp.com/html/body_solar.html)

Springfield, Mass, so local to some of us. I have the solar tank, one coil, side arm for the boiler water.

Al

 

[Centurion]

I would like to thank everyone who took the time to share their preference in a DHW source. Looks like the hot water storage is the way to go.....they sure are expensive though! Guess that is what I will do. It's nice to have all this experience out there to bounce questions against.

Thanks again.