In-line Water Heaters?

McCall Builders

I'm wondering if it is possible to run water heaters in-line to where I have 80 gallons for a whole house using two 40 gallon low boys as opposed to a 40/40split? Thanks all,
Kevin

Ron The Plumber

Why do that, when you can install a 65 or 80 gal heater, cost less to heat one heater then to heat two heaters.

Plumber

I agree with Ron just put in a 80.
But to answer your question you can hook up 2 water heaters either in Series or Pararell (where in the H E double hockey sticks is spell check at? I had a customer wanted 80 gallons but just bought an 40 gal gas 3 months ago before I met him and he did his remodel. I added an 40 gallon electric and hooked them up in series and made the electric a back up for when he ran out of hot in the gas. If by any chance he used bith tanks the gas will recover faster than the electric for if he desided to do dishes or something in a half hour later.

Michael

McCall Builders

The current heater is located in the crawl space on an old concrete slab. The height from slab to joist is about 45" and there is no place to locate inside the house. I haven't seen a low boy with an 80 gallon capacity. Is there a manufacturer that offers such a model?

Ron The Plumber

You could go tankless is that an option?

Grumpyplumber

I fully agree with the tankless idea, this is a perfect scenario for one.
The cost of installing two 40 gal heaters would almost offset the price when you figure the energy costs as well, tankless's are the size of a suitcase.
Personally I prefer series over parallel if you have to install two, if one heater becomes partially constricted you have water travelling the path of least resistance, potentially draining one tank while partially bypassing the other.

KillerToiletSpider

This is one place where we differ, I always pipe twin heaters in parallel, so that both tanks work equally, as opposed to one tank serving as a holding tank while the first one does all the heating, especially with electric heaters.

In this application, I would go tankless if there is gas available in the house.

__________________
A flush is better than a full house.

Grumpyplumber

True, the first tank would bear the brunt, but then in parallel one tank would likey be favored.
After a few years, depending water content, you'd potentially have one tank more gummed from galvanic corrosion and allowing the other to act as primary, if at all...likely after 40 gallons are used cold water would continue flowing while a minimal amount mixes from the second tank.
Another way to look at it is hydronic heat zones that are split, if you don't incorporate circuit setters or similar, one side works while the other barely gets warm, if at all.

KillerToiletSpider

Tank type heaters are meant to be thrown away. I swear they don't last more than ten years any more, while the Rheem in my house is 27 years old and going strong.

__________________
A flush is better than a full house.

Grumpyplumber

100% agreed, MFG's aren't stupid...they just think we are.

Plumber

I didn't think tankless. Great Idea! On regular Whater Heaters what brands do you preffer? I mainly use A.O. Smith due to the main supplier I use only carries that brand. I sometimes use Bradford white.

Michael

Ron The Plumber

Here we use BW all the time.

KillerToiletSpider

Mostly Lochinvar, but most of our jobs lately have gone to tankless, we use Takagi for those.

__________________
A flush is better than a full house.

McCall Builders

Thanks for all the replies, I really appreciate the help! Unfortunatly, gas is not an option. I don't know alot about tankless, would an electric tankless be worth considering?

Grumpyplumber

Look up " Sets "...do your homework & have a good electrician handy.

Ron The Plumber

You picked a good nick.