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[right2bear]

I have done a lot of searching on this forum for my answer, but the search bar on here is not very friendly.

I am installing a outdoor wood boiler. My current system is a propane fired boiler, running baseboards throughout the house.

I will be installing a sidearm to my existing electric 40 gallon hot water heater.

My question is this: I have read, and been told by two different dealers two contradicting methods to install the sidearm. Both say to install the DW on the bottom side to the drain via a tee, but one says to hook the top side DW to the outgoing hot water line from the top of the tank via a tee, and one says to hook it up to the cold side going into the top of the tank via a tee. Which method is correct?

I can't install it via a tee to the relief valve location because it is not located on top of the hot water tank, but out the side near the top???

Is the top diagram correct or is the bottom one correct?

[juddspaintballs]

Either will work.  Tapping into the hot line going to the house for the "outlet" of the sidearm will allow you to draw hot water directly from the sidearm when you're using hot water.  Tapping into the cold line going into the water heater will have you always mixing cold water with the heated water.  It's personal preference.  I did a tap into the hot side, but I also circulated my hot water tank so I was constantly making hot water and therefore basically had an on-demand setup with a 40 gallon storage behind it in case my side arm couldn't keep up with the usage. 

[slimjim]

 I have done them in all the configurations you can think of, the best way by far is to use the cold drain with a Tee on the bottom and at the pressure relief valve even if it is on the side, if the side arm is to long to use that port then simply raise the tank on blocks and move the side arm down.
  Using the cold water line inlet sometimes has a dip tube that will not allow thermo siphoning and the dip tube will need to be cut. Using the hot water outlet will allow the cold to come up from the bottom of the tank and mix with the hot and will reduce water temps when the wood boiler temp is low.

[right2bear]

Thanks guys... I think I'm going to try the relief valve location as suggested. I'll post my results later today after install.

[mlappin]

When I did mine almost fifteen years ago I came out the bottom drain with a tee then removed the anode rod and ran it there. But, only remove the anode rod if you have soft water. WE had just installed the water heater new a few years before, Then shortly after that won a "free" water sampling from Culligan, they came out tested the water, said they couldn't do any better than the old softener was doing, but we had a slight odor to the water, guy from Culligan said to remove the anode rod as soft water and the materials in the rod weren't always compatible, did as he said, removed the rod and no more odor. If I was to redo it I'd probably go with a tee into the pressure relief.

[mlappin]

Something caught my eye about your diagram, and it may just be the terminology but you already have an LP boiler which would be a closed pressurized system correct? But in your diagrams your getting your hot water from the boiler then returning it to the furnace? The Ridgewood will be an open system, you need at a minimum of a 50 flat plat heat exchanger between the open and closed systems so your closed system stays closed.

[martyinmi]

I'd definitely use the pressure relief or the anode port.
I used the water inlet (cold water supply) on mine for about 6 or 7 years and it worked OK, but not great. I left the breaker for the water heater on because we would nearly run out of hot water after 1 shower or a couple loads of laundry.
Last spring break I made the switch to the PTR(Pressure/Temperature/Relief) port. It was a HUGE difference!
We've only ran out of hot water a few times this winter, but it's always been on Mondays when my wife is off. She takes a shower first thing then catches up on several loads of laundry. If she doesn't use her noggin', she will run out.
It used to take most of the day to heat up enough water to take a shower. Now it is just a matter of a few hours and it's warm enough.
Wood consumption also went up a little bit....enough to where it could actually be measured.
I think the reason that the anode or PTR locations work best is because there is either a very short pipe or none at all in those locations.
The cold water supply has a tube attached to it that directs incoming water toward the bottom of the heater.
I think the long tube in the supply port prevents proper thermo-siphoning.
The bottom of my heater never seemed to get warm(60-80 degrees).
Now it will get over 100 degrees.
Don't forget to re-install your PTR valve!

Edit: I just re-read Slim's post. He said in one sentence(the part about the dip tube) what it took me an entire paragraph to say! 

[right2bear]

Something caught my eye about your diagram, and it may just be the terminology but you already have an LP boiler which would be a closed pressurized system correct? But in your diagrams your getting your hot water from the boiler then returning it to the furnace? The Ridgewood will be an open system, you need at a minimum of a 50 flat plat heat exchanger between the open and closed systems so your closed system stays closed.

Yeah, the diagram was only referencing that the water was continuing onto the furnace. (which is indeed a closed system, and utilizing a 300,000 btu plate exchanger)

During the install today it became very obvious that I need a new water heater. I came to this decision while cleaning up 40 gallons of water that had blown out of it. How you ask? Well, I started off by hooking up a garden hose to the drain on the bottom of the tank and routing it outside the basement into the lawn. I then opened the valve expecting to see the water rushing out.... trickle, trickle, drip, nothing... mmmmkkkkk, must be the valve is not actually opening? Nope its not the valve... So I do the unthinkable, knowing fully well it was a bad idea, I remove the drain valve and stick my finger into the hole, which punctures the clogged up sediment and rust, releasing 40 gallons of regret all over the basement. 

The tank was in such bad shape in the bottom of the tank that I have decided to just replace it.

Headed to the box store in the morning to pick up the new water heater and continue the installation process... pics to come.
Thanks again for all the help guys.

[mlappin]

Yep, I hate plumbing with a passion.

Was hooking up my Logstor, just barely bumped a valve leading to the sill cock, it started to drip. Finished the Logstor, then started messing with the valve, every time I tried to take one thing apart something else let loose, took two hours of farting around. Had to fix it though, not only did that one supply the sill cock but the water for the cows as well.

Going to replace everything in the basement with pex this winter. I have a collection of CPVC, copper, flared copper, galvanized and even some leaded pipe all from previous rush fixes when Dad owned the house and we still had the dairy.

[slimjim]

HOLY CRAP! lead pipe, better not tell the enviro cops!

[mlappin]

HOLY CRAP! lead pipe, better not tell the enviro cops!

The lead pipe is the only thing that hasn't leaked in the past.

[right2bear]

Got her installed... water is getting up to temp as I type this. It has been a crazy, frustrating last couple days, and I'm thankful to only need now to insulate the pipes, and turn up the thermostat. Thank you all again for the help.

[farmboythegreat]

I in the process  of the same  thing  .  Must go  to town and get fittings for  safety valve to plumb top of side arm into