Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

All-Purpose OWF Discussions => Plumbing => Topic started by: tinfoilhat2020 on July 10, 2017, 08:14:13 PM

Title: Plate exchanger or side arm for DHW??
Post by: tinfoilhat2020 on July 10, 2017, 08:14:13 PM
Moving into a new house soon and having to put in a new setup just wondering your guyses opinions I'm going with a plate exchanger or a side arm? Pros and cons of each? Thanks everyone
Title: Re: Plate exchanger or side arm for DHW??
Post by: mlappin on July 11, 2017, 06:41:39 AM
Sidearms usually have less maintenance and pull less on the boiler because the recovery time is longer.

A plate HX will give you unlimited hot water but require flushing once a year, with the unlimited hot water comes a much larger load on the boiler.
Title: Re: Plate exchanger or side arm for DHW??
Post by: E Yoder on July 11, 2017, 10:57:23 AM
Water that plugs a flat plate can eventually plug a sidearm. At least I've seen plugged up older ones. ? Def takes longer like you said.

We had a job the other day where I doubt there was more than 3 gpm available on the main line coming in. Used two flat plates in series, total of 15" in length. Got approx. 130℉ water out of it on the domestic side with three faucets running. I was surprised, but counter flowing over distance really helps.
Title: Re: Plate exchanger or side arm for DHW??
Post by: RSI on July 11, 2017, 02:31:38 PM
It all depends on your water quality if you  need to flush a flat plate. Around here with a softened water, most never require flushing.

If you have an older water heater, I would not put a sidearm on it. The sediment in the bottom of the tank can plug it fairly quick.

If you use very little hot water, I would probably go with a sidearm. If you have normal or high volume usage, a plate is going to be better in most cases.
Title: Re: Plate exchanger or side arm for DHW??
Post by: mlappin on July 11, 2017, 03:11:51 PM
It all depends on your water quality if you  need to flush a flat plate. Around here with a softened water, most never require flushing.



We have a water softener, just installed a new one awhile back, without it according to the Hach test kit I bought we have 37 grains of hardness, with we have less than one grain. Still get rust stains on stuff though if you have a drip. I use a gallon of cleaning vinegar to flush mine, easy enough to do if it was properly installed with the proper valves and only costs a few dollars for the vinegar. I get a little extra cash I’m going to install the rust filter from the same company that makes the softener, very happy with it so far.
Title: Re: Plate exchanger or side arm for DHW??
Post by: shepherd boy on July 11, 2017, 05:57:19 PM
Depends on your water. My flat plate's about 10yrs, and never cleaned it. Never run out of hot water when stove runs. Had a side arm before with air locks, sediment ,leaks. Never again.
Title: Re: Plate exchanger or side arm for DHW??
Post by: tinfoilhat2020 on July 11, 2017, 08:49:13 PM
Thanks guys I'm hearing that a flat plate is the way to go