Tank Heater vs.Recirculating Hot Water
Has anyone tried recirculating hot water into their freshwater tank as an alternative to using a tank heater? How did it work? Issues? Comments from those who haven't done this are also welcome. ...
Forum Discussion
On the Sportsmobile forums, there is a posting from someone who did exactly this, controlled by a toggle switch. The recirculating system does a good job at ensuring that the FW tank and other plumbing stays above freezing.
My only issue with a recirculating system is that when it is off, the water in the disused pipes may grow algae in the summer, similar to how water stored in the pipes behind sprinklers turns black over the years. The answer to that would be a check valve near the FW tank (so nothing can backflow into the pipe), and a valve near where hot water gets diverted so one could blow out that pipe with compressed air.
My only issue with a recirculating system is that when it is off, the water in the disused pipes may grow algae in the summer, similar to how water stored in the pipes behind sprinklers turns black over the years. The answer to that would be a check valve near the FW tank (so nothing can backflow into the pipe), and a valve near where hot water gets diverted so one could blow out that pipe with compressed air.
