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
I had thought about recirculating to the fresh water tank in a different context, operating as a passive heating reservoir. If it was possible to heat the water in the tank to an elevated level, the tank would give up that heat into the cabin interior during cold weather camping. Since I have a steel tank, my situation probably better fits this application than others. I've been investigating what is the most efficient way to heat the water and how much thermal transfer I would get. This is in the realm of hydronic heating, I would guess.
To just raise the temperature of the system so that it would not freeze and using the tank in the process, one wouldn't need to elevate the temperature much to accomplish this. Assuming that the bulk of the system is within the cabin and is also influenced by the cabin heating, just circulation would be enough. If applying the tank-included method to traveling with no cabin heating (may be where this is the most benefit), a guy would have to know the volume of the system, the ambient temperatures involved, and duration of the cycle.
Steve, if you can state the last three parameters mentioned, I think we can work out the physics necessary,i.e. amount and temperature of hot water circulated into the tank. Just ballpark, I think introduction of 5 gals. of usual water heater temperature every hour is overkill for most situations.
To just raise the temperature of the system so that it would not freeze and using the tank in the process, one wouldn't need to elevate the temperature much to accomplish this. Assuming that the bulk of the system is within the cabin and is also influenced by the cabin heating, just circulation would be enough. If applying the tank-included method to traveling with no cabin heating (may be where this is the most benefit), a guy would have to know the volume of the system, the ambient temperatures involved, and duration of the cycle.
Steve, if you can state the last three parameters mentioned, I think we can work out the physics necessary,i.e. amount and temperature of hot water circulated into the tank. Just ballpark, I think introduction of 5 gals. of usual water heater temperature every hour is overkill for most situations.
