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Author Topic: Side Arm VS. Flat plate  (Read 6086 times)

jon d

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Side Arm VS. Flat plate
« on: February 13, 2009, 11:28:11 PM »

Wondering who uses what??  What's the best producer of domestic hot water??? Side Arm or Flatplate??
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jon d
Hawesville, Kentucky
Central boiler 5036 installed in 09

ckbetz

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Re: Side Arm VS. Flat plate
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2009, 04:11:52 AM »

I know several people who have both and they each seem to work well for hot water.  The trend seems to be going to flat plate because they are supposed to be a little more efficient.  I know some folks on this forum have made their own arm type heat exchanger and I believe they work very well also. 
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Pomeroy, Ohio

MarkP

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Re: Side Arm VS. Flat plate
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2009, 08:15:28 AM »

Do they both work to heat the water in the tank, or do they work well as a "demand heater", heating the water quickly as it goes through HX??  I just hooked  my garage to my OWB about a month ago, and need domestic hot water also. 

Do I need to install a water heater tank, or can I just run the water through a sidearm or flat plate?  The amount of hot water I will use in the garage will be limited.  I've heard both ways.

Mark
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ckbetz

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Re: Side Arm VS. Flat plate
« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2009, 08:24:26 AM »

I can tell you how it was explained to me.  The water going through the HX hooked to you domestic water heater is heated by thermal circulation.  As the water is heated it becomes less dense and is pushed back up into the water heater as it's replaced by the colder water at the bottom of the tank.  That's why some manufacturers recommend that you put your HX as low as possible.  But that doesn't really answer your tankless question.
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Pomeroy, Ohio

CL-Ohio

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Re: Side Arm VS. Flat plate
« Reply #4 on: February 14, 2009, 07:22:54 PM »

 I'm running flat plates on my setup, currently a 40 plate for the house bypassing the tank altogether but using a tempering valve to keep no hotter than 140 only probelm when OWB temp dropped on me. bought a little cheap 10 plate for my shop, it couldn't exchange heat quick enough sent back waiting on 30 plate. they can put anywhere and take up little space, just get the right size
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willieG

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Re: Side Arm VS. Flat plate
« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2009, 07:50:30 PM »

plate exchangers can be hooked as "on demand" or "siphon" (also known as passive)

i think if you want to go with "on demand" Ohio has given good advice as using a min. 30 plate model and also use min 3/4' pipe on the OWB side
and run your two liquids in opposite directions through the exchanger
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home made OWB (2012)
Ontario Canada

MarkP

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Re: Side Arm VS. Flat plate
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2009, 07:41:15 AM »

Thanks guys,,,,,,,,, I appreciate the advice.  I won't use much hot water in the garage, and really didn't want to take up more space in the garage with a water tank.   I have 3/4" running inside the garage to the HX.  Can I run this also to the flat plate?     Maybe,, in to the HX, then to the flat plate, and back to the OWB,  or split it where it enters the garage and have a supply going to the HX, and one to the flat plate? 

thanks,,,,,,
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Homemade OWB  (Smokey)
Stihl 290, 2 Stihl 170s
Tractor supply 22 ton splitter
One good woman that can cut and split wood
Le Roy, WV