Electric Eco Smart On Demand DHW panel first Fix when element cleaning does not completely solve the issue of water not hot enough.

[Don2222]

Hello
I have had the Eco Smart On Demand panel to heat the whole house DHW for over 6 years now and I am very happy with it.
Initial research thread below

ECO Smart ECO-18 Instant & Efficient Electric Hot Water System Installation pics-Good & Efficient???

Hello My Neighbor installed a 25-PDV in the basement and saved alot of oil. To eliminate the oil completely, an ECO Smart ECO-18 Hot Water heating system was just installed! The 40 gallon holding tank takes the 50-60 Deg F town water from the street and warms it to about 70-80 Degrees F, Then...

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Now, The first time after about 5 years the water did not get hot enough, a simple element cleansing fixed it right up.
See this thread below

Electric Eco Smart 27 KW On Demand DHW Isolation Valve install for easy heating element cleanings. Any tips or tricks?

Hello During cleaning do you leave panel on or off? This Eco Smart 27 KW electric DHW panel requires 3 - 40 breakers in the electric panel. It has 3 heating elements that we’re getting dirty with some scale build up. Therefore the hot water did not seem to be as piping hot as it should...

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This time, the cleaning did not fix the hot water issue so after some research I picked up a new flow sensor. I was advised to get the OEM sensor because it is more durable than the aftermarket. The flow sensor has an electronic module connected to an impeller to tell the control panel to increase the voltage in the heating elements for higher flow rates to keep the water up to the set temperature.
There are 2 ways to replace this sensor:
1. - Replace the whole valve
2. - Replace just the module and impeller.
Therefore I found from research option 2 was easier and worked just as well so that is what we did. So I switched the DHW back to the Buderus Boiler & SuperStor to give me plenty of time to order the part and replace it myself cheap.
Pic 1 & 2 - New OEM flow sensor
Pic 3 - Tools & wire ties to do the job
Pic 4 - Eco Smart panel with 4 Philip screws that must be removed with Phillip screw driver
Pic 5 - Eco Smart temperature control with 4 screws that must be removed with Phillip screw driver
Pic 6 - Eco Smart temperature control with cover off
Pic 7 - 2 wire tires that must be cut and flow module connector that must be unplugged with orange pic probe to release the latch prongs
Pic 8 - Old original flow sensor
Pic 9 - Sensor replaced! - See Red Arrow
Results
Just took a shower and water was piping hot the whole time.

View attachment 325423

 

[zrock]

Have been toying with getting one of these but now that i see that it needs 3 lines of incoming power and i do not have to room in my panel for that.. What size of panel do you have as most in my area are 200 amps and with 3 60 amp breakers you do not leave much for anything else..

 

[Don2222]

Have been toying with getting one of these but now that i see that it needs 3 lines of incoming power and i do not have to room in my panel for that.. What size of panel do you have as most in my area are 200 amps and with 3 60 amp breakers you do not leave much for anything else..

Hello
They do make a panel that is only 2 lines but I would not recommend that. I got the 27KW 3 - 40 amp breaker panel which is barely enough but if I had to do it over I would have went with the 36KW 4 breaker panel because the water out of the ground in NE is so cold in the winter. I upgraded the main panel from 100 amp to 200 amp and then added a 125 amp sub panel in the boiler room to supply this OnDemand DHW panel plus my 50 amp welder and my 50 Amp air compressor in the workshop.
Still the best part is I can switch off the oil completely to get but until July to buy a tank of oil cheap. Also when the oil boiler nozzle is all gummed up from the heat and will not fire, I can switch it off until I have time to install a new $6 nozzle on the burner. Of course it is nice to use the oil when the flow sensor above needs changing or the heating elements need a lime scale flush so I can get to do that when I have some free time.