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[GCTerpfan]

I recently installed an OWB to heat my house and DHW. I fired it for the first time this weekend and with the exception of one minor leak in on of the copper adapters to my heat exchanger everything is working great.

However, as I was cleaning up I picked up the manual for my heat exchangers and noticed that it said that they must be mounted vertically. I somehow didn't see this when I was installing them and mounted both a 5"x12" 30 plate for DHW and a 5"x12" 50 plate that heats my house horizontally. The horizontal mounting made the piping a lot easier and 'cleaner'.

 Did I make a mistake? Will the heat exchangers still function correctly mounted horizontally?

[JDfarmer]

Mine is mounted horizontal, but that is how my furnace is. I red my manual and it says nothing about vertical or horizontal mounting.
Since the pump is pushing the water, does it even matter?
I know in my case, horizontal was the only option, and my dealer installed it, and we had no issues. I have a side arm for DHW, so that is vertical by definition.
good luck.

I recently installed an OWB to heat my house and DHW. I fired it for the first time this weekend and with the exception of one minor leak in on of the copper adapters to my heat exchanger everything is working great.

However, as I was cleaning up I picked up the manual for my heat exchangers and noticed that it said that they must be mounted vertically. I somehow didn't see this when I was installing them and mounted both a 5"x12" 30 plate for DHW and a 5"x12" 50 plate that heats my house horizontally. The horizontal mounting made the piping a lot easier and 'cleaner'.

 Did I make a mistake? Will the heat exchangers still function correctly mounted horizontally?

[GCTerpfan]

Thanks for the information. I have yet to find any reasoning for the vertical orientation. I have found mounting instructions for various brands on line that say things like "should be mounted vertically", " Mount vertically if possible" and found one website that alluded to them working more efficiently if mounted vertically but I have never found any reasoning for the requirement?

[JDfarmer]

You have to make sure that it is mounted under the AC coil or the water will freeze in the exchanger. That is important. If your plenum goes straight up, and the ac coil sits horizontal, I would think it would be hard to mount the exchanger vertically. In my case, I don't have any room a where in my furnace room for mount it any other way than horizontally. My manual doesn't specify either way, and it works just fine. Call your dealer, but I doubt that it makes any difference. The exchanger just needs to heat up so when the air passes through it, it will warm up. I think that can happen vertically or horizontally.

Thanks for the information. I have yet to find any reasoning for the vertical orientation. I have found mounting instructions for various brands on line that say things like "should be mounted vertically", " Mount vertically if possible" and found one website that alluded to them working more efficiently if mounted vertically but I have never found any reasoning for the requirement?

[rosewood]

It's not gonna matter  but in theory hot water enters the top and cold water enters the bottom  with that being said that's why they  tell you to bring water from owb I on top of plate and exit on bottom then water from inside system enters on bottom and exits on top . 

[RSI]

That only matters when it is being used on a cooling system and there is freon in it.

The only direction not to mount it is with the ports pointing down. I prefer to mount them laying flat with the ports pointing straight up. It is the only way that they will not have a possibility of air getting trapped in one side. (assuming it is plumbed to to cross flow)

[slimjim]

I see no reason why they can't be mounted either way, Just be sure they can get all the air out or be drained completely.

[GCTerpfan]

Thanks for the information guys. I assumed it was okay but I will sleep a little better now that some other people have confirmed it also.  I was not looking forward to cutting and re-soldering all of that copper to re-mount them.

[LittleJohn]

...The only direction not to mount it is with the ports pointing down. I prefer to mount them laying flat with the ports pointing straight up. ...

I agree with RSI, with a water to water heat, as long as you do not get a trapped air pocket, you should be able to mount that HX in about any Orientation