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[chillyhiker]

considering replacing my natural gas water tank for electric one. its a 40 gallon size and was wondering if there would be any benifit in going to a smaller tank. would it keep the water hotter?...I notice sometimes if there is a large time gap in between hot water uses...just wife and I...the water isnt quite as hot....just wondering.

[slimjim]

 you set the temp on the tank when using hydro and on the mixing valve if using wood, the size of the tank has nothing to do with it.

[chillyhiker]

I have a plate exchanger no mixing valve. when im using hot water and the boiler is up to temp no prolem but if there is hot water being used and the boier is say in the 160 range the water going into the tank is cooler than normal ...does that make sense?

[CountryBoyJohn]

I've noticed a bit of a difference in my hot water when my stove is 185 in the colder days rather than the 170 I run in the milder days.  HOWEVER, it's still sufficiently hot for any hot water usage.  I'm running a 20 plate before my hot water tank with no mixing valve.  I assume your 160 is your low set point?  The coolest I run my stove is 170 with a 10 degree swing.  So, 160 is as cool as it gets.   

[andyjs]

If you pump more GPM through plate exchanger you should never run out of hot water.what size pump are you running?

[chillyhiker]

I've noticed a bit of a difference in my hot water when my stove is 185 in the colder days rather than the 170 I run in the milder days.  HOWEVER, it's still sufficiently hot for any hot water usage.  I'm running a 20 plate before my hot water tank with no mixing valve.  I assume your 160 is your low set point?  The coolest I run my stove is 170 with a 10 degree swing.  So, 160 is as cool as it gets.   
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Im runing 172-180 but sometimes it drops below that while the stove  is catching up. I was thinking it woud be more like an on demand hot water tank if the volume was smaller in the hot water tank.  I guess if we used more hot water it wouldnt be an  issue and actually it isnt but was looking for more consistancy if tht make any sense.

[racnruss]

My F in Law has an 80 gallon hwh and was having same symptoms when he was heating water going into hwh with the boiler.  Just too much volume and not enough hot water coming into the tank to keep it all consistent.

so, we T'd off the drain of water heater and put a small circulating pump inline.  Basically made a loop so the hwh was all heated up all the time.  Then we put a mixing valve on pipe coming out of hwh on the way to faucets.  Now same all the time and doesn't matter what the temp of boiler is 140 or 180 because mixing valve is set at 130.