OWS installed, now problems with the water

[jburke]

I just installed my Taylor water stove and I have started using the domestic hot water. I hooked up the cold water line which ran to the hot water heater and redirected the cold water out to the stove and then it comes back with hot water to the hot water heater.
My problem is that now when we take showers or use hot and cold water together, the temperture changes sporadically from real hot to real cold and back again. It's a big concern because I have children. It almost seems like I am losing cold water pressure. Has anyone experience this problem with their water stove? Thanks.

 

[mga]

is that the proper way to plumb that?

 

[rx7145]

Are you using a heat exchanger? If so what type?

 

[Geez]

Are you using a heat exchanger? If so what type?

My neighbor has an older Taylor and I think he said his heat exchanger for domestic hot water is integral in the unit itself? At any rate, his is plumbed similar, with an additional line out to the unit for hot water.

 

[mistergreentree]

I have my shaver hooked up directly to the hot water heater too. I put a T on the pop-off valve on the top of the water heater for the supply to the furnace and another T on the drain at the bottom of the hot water heater for the hot water to return to the furnace. So I am drawing the cold water from the top of the tank and returning the warmed water to the bottom.

It's only been a couple of days that I have been burning, but so far the water temp has been great and consistent. I have little guys too and understand the concern about hot water....good luck!

 

[Jkebxjunke]

if you are concerned about temp and safety... get a mixing valve and put it at the hot outlet at the top of the DWH that way the hot water will be no hotter than the mixing valve is set for. scalding problem solved... now as the other... are the pipes to the unit insulated? is the water heater still on? if the tank is off.. and the line to and back is not insulated.. the water could be cooling off when it is not moving in the line back to the house... and maybe cooling off the tank enough until the hot water gets back to the house... am I making any sense here? I wonder if a small circulator would help this problem.

 

[rx7145]

Are the pipes to the unit insulated? is the water heater still on? if the tank is off.. and the line to and back is not insulated.. the water could be cooling off when it is not moving in the line back to the house... and maybe cooling off the tank enough until the hot water gets back to the house... am I making any sense here? I wonder if a small circulator would help this problem.

Sounds like this could be the problem. I don't know why they put the hot water exchanger inside the boiler. Then you have thoes long lines going out and back.

Maybe put a small pump to keep the water moving? Should work.

Or just install a flat plate heat exchanger.

 

[coostv]

Sounds like this could be the problem. I don't know why they put the hot water exchanger inside the boiler. Then you have thoes long lines going out and back.

Maby put a small pump to keep the water moving? Should work.

Or just install a flat plate heat exchanger.

Ditto on rx7145's suggestion, plate exchanger or circulator pump. I like the plate idea myself. Can you post a picture of you plumbing setup?


Chris

 

[Windwalker7]

I think you need a pump.

 

[KsWoodsMan]

Sounds like steam pushing hot water both directions. The hot water in the firebox is going upsteam to the cold water side and giving them a double dose of hot water in the shower.

I'd really look into how it is plumbed and rethink how this is done.

Use a heat exchanger to the DHW tank and you won't get double dosed. The tank will act as a buffer. Make sure to use a tempering valve on the outlet to keep the outlet temps within reason.

 

[jburke]

I actually turned on just the hot water and it seemed to flow smooth without any interruptions. However when I turned on just the cold water it seemed to run normal for a few seconds and then slow down, then pick back up again and then slow down again. It just kept on doing this.

I have a main water line and a separate water line that runs off from the main line straight to the water heater. From that separate water line is where I have the break where the cold water line that is supposed to go directly to the water heater is actually traveling about 120 ft outside to the outside stove and 120 ft back from the stove to the water heater.

 

[stephen44]

I have a Taylor 750 .

I think mine is plumbed the same way as yours - but lets make sure.

The cold that would have gone to the inlet of the DH water tank now goes 180 feet to the heat exchanger in the Taylor - gets hot and then comes back to the hot water tank inlet.

I ran the hot water ( 40 cold gallons) till it was very hot and since then my water has been pretty consistent. My showers do have anti-scald mixers on them though.

I did have a slight pressure drop - but nothing drastic. The think I liked about this system is that I use no "extra" electricity - as the well pump would be on anyway. I live in VA so do not have to be overly concerned about the cold line freezing.

Taylor had a batch of bad thermostats that were cutting the blower off too early - so check your water is at the temp you think it is !

The other thing I would check is that no other tap is being run when the shower is running - if you experiment this will show you if it is a feed pressure problem !


Don't suppose this helps - but it does confirm you are doing things correctly

 

[Crofter]

If you have a pump pressure system it is easy to get flow reversals if there is any air lock in the top of the hot water tank especially if the air cushion gets waterlogged in the pumps pressure tank. In other words the hot water tank is acting as the cushion tank. I have had to loosen the corrosion anode to let the trapped air out. I think you may have something weird like this.

 

[jburke]

Stephen44,
Do you happen to have a circulating pump on your hot water line to stove or from the stove to the hot water tank? I read in the manual that anything over 200 ft. you should have a pump on the hot water line somewhere. Don't know if that means in one direction or the total in both directions.

 

[stephen44]

Stephen44,
Do you happen to have a circulating pump on your hot water line to stove or from the stove to the hot water tank? I read in the manual that anything over 200 ft. you should have a pump on the hot water line somewhere. Don't know if that means in one direction or the total in both directions.

I spoke to the owner of Taylor about this. I was marginal - so i decided to try with out first and it is fine - as I said a slight loss of water pressure but nothing that causes a problem.

I still think the fluctuating temp problem is a pressure issue though - that is why i suggested with no other taps on and the turn on different taps and seeing what happens. - I don't have children in the house - if I did I would have put one of these on !

Firring a mixing valve where the hot water comes out is a good idea and may also help

 

[KsWoodsMan]

I actually turned on just the hot water and it seemed to flow smooth without any interruptions. However when I turned on just the cold water it seemed to run normal for a few seconds and then slow down, then pick back up again and then slow down again. It just kept on doing this.

I have a main water line and a separate water line that runs off from the main line straight to the water heater. From that separate water line is where I have the break where the cold water line that is supposed to go directly to the water heater is actually traveling about 120 ft outside to the outside stove and 120 ft back from the stove to the water heater.

I did a bit of reading on their site at http://www.taylorwaterstove.com/

From their FAQ page at http://www.taylorwaterstove.com/FAQ.htm

How does the Taylor Waterstove heat water for household use?

A cold water supply line goes to the outside furnace. This water line keeps the water tank on the furnace full. The tank has a manual fill up and only needs water as it evaporates and the water line also connects to a heat exchanger which lies inside the water reservoir of the outside furnace. The pressure on the supply water line forces water through the heat exchanger when you turn on a hot water faucet inside your home. As this water passes through the heat exchanger, it picks up the heat from the hot water which surrounds it, and then it goes to the cold water input on your hot water heater. This means the hot water heater will take on hot water. This water is not contaminated with the water that passes through your furnace and coil to heat your house.

The heat exchanger I mentioned you needing is in their storage tank. Surging cold water sounds like it is boiling off the water in the lines and then cooling, dropping the cold water pressure as it replaces the water in the pipes from displaced steam.

Check that it is plumbed correctly outside. You might be pressurising the storage tank and drawing heat for your house from the exchanger inside it.

 

[johnb]

conserns

I had similar concerns when I was OWB shopping. I wanted to push water 140 to 150' from the house. Most people said water will trickle at the faucet. Not true, I purchased a H4 Hardy five years ago. There domestic hot water heater is plumbed separate from heat lines and is a continuous 3/4 copper coil laying inside the hot water tank on the boiler. The additional out and back adds no change in my water pressure at the faucet. You do have to get use to not setting the shower temp the same if you are the second person taking a shower. As water refills my electric Hotwater heater (set on Economy) the temp rises to the 180 degrees the boiler is cooking at. So, yes the next person can get a little hotter shower. A heat exchanger for water already under pressure from a your pressurized water system seems odd, but every OWB out there has its differences. If you want to see Hardys design. WWW. hardyheater.com the Hoosier

 

[mtfallsmikey]

I'd rather use a HX myself....long way to push water out/back thru the heater built into the boiler...what to do when the calcium/lime etc. start building up in the heater? Have to pump acid thru it to clear it up. I think if I had a heater built into the boiler like that, , I would make a circulating loop, use a Taco bronze-bodied circ.