I heard that you can install a line from the tank where the drain spigot is. That you remove the spigot, and run a line to the farthest hot water riser. It is supposed to allow the hot water to circulate naturally.
Anyone heard of this.
Not using an electric pump would be worth the savings to me.
Sure, I have mine that way. Have had for years. Water will go the way of least resistance though so you put a loop in the return line, I have found 17' works well. I have also installed in many houses. The 17' return makes the water travel an entra 34' on that leg and when the water is being drawn at the far end it will pull mostly from the supply side because of the extra resistance the loop imposes.
Cold water falls so it will rise on the supply side and fall into the bottom of the heater. No pump, gravity does it.
Bill-
Yes, hte concept can work but I've never used it or seen an installation
The concept is a thermo-siphon
checkout
Thanks to Glenn n BobK. That's what I was looking for.
I might clarify one other thing. For ease of illustration of the system the illisustration shows the return line returning across the floor. Not necessary, just attach it to the ceiling back to the heater. I do try to get a couple inches of fall in the return line though and of course there is the fall from the ceiling down to the heater at that end.
Bill-
I would agree with Glenn about the check valve in a thermo-siphon; un-necessary & more trouble than it's worth.
Glen, I've never installed a thermo-siphon or even a pumped hot water circulator. I had a ranch style that took FOREVER to get hot but I sold it before that project got ever to the top of the list.
Anyway, in a pumped situation I've seen check valves and always seen the return plumbed into the drain valve.
I was toying with the idea in my installation of plumbing it into the cold water inlet w/ a check valve so that the returned water would go down the dip tube.
It's pretty much a moot point now becuase my current house has stacked baths & a water heater in the central untility basement.....max run ~18ft to shower & about 25' to kitchen
any comments about drain valve vs cold water inlet for the return water in apumped system
cheers Bob
My HW tank (Propane) is on the second floor. All lines to the two baths upstairs are under the second floor. The kitchen, wash room, and other bath on the first floor will just have to wait for hot water. I thought about attaching the return from the farthest bath room on the second floor. (Maybe 15 - 20 feet).
The problem is a thermal syphon works best if the return pipe isn't insulated. (= heat losses).
You dont need to run an electric pump all the time. Use a thermostat on the return pipe and a time clock.
An alternative is to fit a self regulating heat tape and insulate the pipes well.
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