Question for Beattle or Mathaus

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pa coal cracker
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Post by pa coal cracker » Wed. Jun. 04, 2008 6:20 am

I've been studying the topic on the DHW for the Harman Magnun, could you give me more info on the Amtrol boiler mate. I have heard they are expensive.
Thank you, Craig

 
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beatle78
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Post by beatle78 » Wed. Jun. 04, 2008 8:05 am

Hi and welcome,

There are many different brands of "indirect hot water heaters", The brand I have is Amtrol.

Here is a link that has a nice cutout of how this system works.
**Broken Link(s) Removed**It is basically another zone on your hot water/steam heating system. The hot water from the boiler (or HW coil in your stove) circulates through the indirect heater where there is a heat exchanger that transfers heat from the heatings system's hot water to your domestic hot water.

I was told they cost ~$1,000, but mine came with the house.

Does this answer your questions?

~Jeremy

 
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Yanche
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Post by Yanche » Wed. Jun. 04, 2008 1:15 pm

My indirect water heater is Weil McLain brand.
**Broken Link(s) Removed**It's different than most with a inter stainless steel tank, surrounded by a steel tank. Boiler water flows between the two tanks so the entire sides of the tank are the heat exchanger. Works very well, endless hot water. New cost 10+ years ago was about $800. Well worth it to me, because I have very acidic well water. Normal water heaters would last 2-3 years. After the third replacement one manufacture gave me my purchase price back!

 
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beatle78
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Post by beatle78 » Wed. Jun. 04, 2008 3:37 pm

hmmm. Yanche you got me thinking.

I have what I believe to be a 20 year old model of the Amtrol Boilermate.

http://www.amtrol.com/boilermate.htm

I wonder if this one has the tank inside a tank design?


 
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cArNaGe
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Post by cArNaGe » Wed. Jun. 04, 2008 6:42 pm


 
Matthaus
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Post by Matthaus » Wed. Jun. 04, 2008 7:43 pm

Craig, I have two of the older Amtrol models (no built in circulator pump), cost was free (one of them needed a bit of welding to make functional). Lots of folks don't know what they are and are willing to have you come and get the thing out of the basement if no longer in use.

One thing to add to the discussion of how they work. Since the unit is connected to the boiler as a zone and also has a backup electric HW element, these can supply extra btus to the boiler if it is slightly undersized (20 to 30K) for those few extra cold nights.

 
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Scottscoaled
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Post by Scottscoaled » Wed. Jun. 04, 2008 10:17 pm

Mattaus!!!! New pictures. Nice! :) Scott

 
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beatle78
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Post by beatle78 » Thu. Jun. 05, 2008 10:12 am

Matthaus wrote:Craig, I have two of the older Amtrol models (no built in circulator pump), cost was free (one of them needed a bit of welding to make functional). Lots of folks don't know what they are and are willing to have you come and get the thing out of the basement if no longer in use.

One thing to add to the discussion of how they work. Since the unit is connected to the boiler as a zone and also has a backup electric HW element, these can supply extra btus to the boiler if it is slightly undersized (20 to 30K) for those few extra cold nights.
matthaus,

yours has a built in electric element as well? Interesting. Mine is just an insulated tank with heat exchanger inside. (along with some controls for the aquastat circuit)


 
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Post by Matthaus » Thu. Jun. 05, 2008 11:14 am

stokerscot wrote:Mattaus!!!! New pictures. Nice! :) Scott
Yeah I had to eliminate the picture of your boiler. :lol:
beatle78 wrote:yours has a built in electric element as well?


Actually after you said that I looked, only one of mine has the heater.

 
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beatle78
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Post by beatle78 » Thu. Jun. 05, 2008 3:13 pm

Matthaus wrote:Actually after you said that I looked, only one of mine has the heater.
That's pretty neat. Having the option to use your heating zone or to use electric.

Why would someone want to use the electric over a heating zone to heat the tank?

 
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Yanche
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Post by Yanche » Thu. Jun. 05, 2008 6:28 pm

Possibilities:
1. Shut down the boiler in summer and use electric.
2. Backup if oil fails.
3. If the oil is marginal capacity for heating on the coldest of days, that BTU requirement for domestic hot water could be eliminated and still have hot water by switching to electric.
4. Faster recovery using both.

 
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beatle78
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Post by beatle78 » Fri. Jun. 06, 2008 8:21 am

Yanche wrote:Possibilities:
1. Shut down the boiler in summer and use electric.
2. Backup if oil fails.
3. If the oil is marginal capacity for heating on the coldest of days, that BTU requirement for domestic hot water could be eliminated and still have hot water by switching to electric.
4. Faster recovery using both.
good answer Yanche! That makes sense. Thanks!

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