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
Good comments, thank you.
Skip: Even though I have one, I don't use a generator, hence no 120 VAC...that I want to run a resistance heater with anyway.
SMK: Actually, it is during the night that I want the system running. Day time temps in the upper teens and low 20's really aren't an issue for me. It's those overnight lows that I fret about. My thought was to transfer the entire contents of the water heater into the tank as quickly as the plumbing will allow, once a hour (or so). So while the water pump will run for long enough to pump 5 gallons, it shouldn't take too long to do this. Otherwise the pump will be off. I have worked hard over the past couple years to quite the pump so there isn't much noise and the power consumption (2.3 Amps) is much less than that dang forced air furnace.
MLTS: From the transfer point into the tank will be all downhill, so the line (tank vent tube) will dry out sufficiently so no nasty green stuff can grow (it's very dry here most of the year).
Steve
Skip: Even though I have one, I don't use a generator, hence no 120 VAC...that I want to run a resistance heater with anyway.
SMK: Actually, it is during the night that I want the system running. Day time temps in the upper teens and low 20's really aren't an issue for me. It's those overnight lows that I fret about. My thought was to transfer the entire contents of the water heater into the tank as quickly as the plumbing will allow, once a hour (or so). So while the water pump will run for long enough to pump 5 gallons, it shouldn't take too long to do this. Otherwise the pump will be off. I have worked hard over the past couple years to quite the pump so there isn't much noise and the power consumption (2.3 Amps) is much less than that dang forced air furnace.
MLTS: From the transfer point into the tank will be all downhill, so the line (tank vent tube) will dry out sufficiently so no nasty green stuff can grow (it's very dry here most of the year).
Steve
