Diy water heater?

[Luke_L]

Thinking of making a loop from my hot water tank to a hot water solenoid (I will use an old solenoid from a washing machine that can handle the hot water) then that will run to a coil in my sump using PEX pipe say it 25 ft coil then have it go to a low flow pump which I have( its from a continuous flow heater from a hot tub) from there it will get pumped back into the cold water side of the house ( all controlled by the apex) effectively making a circuit to the hot water tank.think it will work?

 

[Codie]

That sounds awesome I’m in the hvac trade so this would be right up my alley I think it would work what would you be powering the solenoid with? Temperature control ? I might actually have something that would power it when there’s a call for more heat I can check tomorrow and see what I got.

 

[Luke_L]

That sounds awesome I’m in the hvac trade so this would be right up my alley I think it would work what would you be powering the solenoid with? Temperature control ? I might actually have something that would power it when there’s a call for more heat I can check tomorrow and see what I got.

The apex could handle the solenoid and circulation pump... I would just hafta play with the code.

I'm just tired of electric heaters.. lol

 

[Codie]

The apex could handle the solenoid and circulation pump... I would just hafta play with the code.

I'm just tired of electric heaters.. lol

Oh nice then ya that should work I would think just need a check valve on the return side let me talk to a Co work to confirm but sounds like you have a good plan there

 

[Luke_L]

Oh nice then ya that should work I would think just need a check valve on the return side let me talk to a Co work to confirm but sounds like you have a good plan there

Maybe you have a better quality solenoid that I can use along with the pump so that I know that the water can't bypass the hot water tank if somebody else is in the house is calling for water, it's a grundfos pump that I'm using I know I can handle the temperature I just don't know if it can handle the street pressure that I have. I realize the pump doesn't have to make any pressure it's just circulating but it has to be able to handle the system pressure of the house which is upwards of 100 PSI in my house

 

[Cliff]

I would definitely be interested in this build thread Luke. Please keep us updated I have been wanting to do this for years

 

[Codie]

Maybe you have a better quality solenoid that I can use along with the pump so that I know that the water can't bypass the hot water tank if somebody else is in the house is calling for water, it's a grundfos pump that I'm using I know I can handle the temperature I just don't know if it can handle the street pressure that I have. I realize the pump doesn't have to make any pressure it's just circulating but it has to be able to handle the system pressure of the house which is upwards of 100 PSI in my house

Grundfos is a good circ pump as for solenoid valve I thought I had one but must have used it. Also thinkthing if you put a check valve on the intel of the tank and then plumb your loop between the check valve and inlet might save you from having to worry about the city pressure the tank will just Create its own loop. And then maybe another check valve on the return side of the the heating loop so when someone uses the hot water if the grundfos doesn’t support enough pressure to battle the city pressure then you won’t Have to worry about back feeding the circ pump. Not sure if it would work just thinking of ideas lol

 

[Luke_L]

Its complete! i posted it in the DIY section!

https://reefescape.ca/threads/heating-my-tank-with-my-natural-gas-hot-water-tank.314/?fbclid=IwAR1qg_C3VGbmGbvYb27KrUMlX5FbrxRN0hSRaVpmjIcPb3iBhWuCE2jUyb4#post-1531