Kuuma Vapor Fire 100 in-progress install pics

[JRHAWK9]

valves are a must. You most likely will not be able to shut down the lp heater., The Kuuma is a helper coil not a heating coil. keep in mind if your tank was 120* and you took a 10 min shower at 3 gal a minute, you just mixed 30 gal of 50* water into the 50gal you have left. It takes a long time to heat an 80 gal tank via thermo syphon. Get a hp water heater tied in to that system and you can get the savings your looking for.

yeah, I am guessing I won't be able to take my heater out either, but it won't hurt to try

 

[STIHLY DAN]

yeah, I am guessing I won't be able to take my heater out either, but it won't hurt to try

Sure it can. When your wife kills you for running out of hot water when showering.

 

[maple1]

I might put a ball valve right at the bottom tank fitting, between the tank & T. That would allow you to do stuff to the heating loop without draining your tank. Not sure about the Kuuma setup, but most HX setups might require some fluhing at some point in time due to some buildup in coils etc., so keep that in mind. If you want to set up for flushing, the bottom drain valve would do for one flushing point, but you would want to plumb in another drain valve up top somewhere for the other end of the flushing setup. And maybe another ball valve up there at the T.

 

[brenndatomu]

And not just valves, but unions too. Doesn't do much good to put in a valve so that you can work on things if ya can't get it apart without undoing everything! Man this gets expensive! I bought everything I need (I think...haven't done it yet) to put a coil and tempering tank next to my Yukon furnace, couldn't believe how it added up! I can't imagine the cost to install one of those boilers with storage like I see some of these guys on here have

 

[hobbyheater]

) to put a coil , couldn't believe how it added up! I can't imagine the cost to install one of those boilers with storage like I see some of these guys on here have

You can see why that when we have some unsuspecting soul heading down the boiler road the wrong way, we try to prevent him from taking that plunge!

 

[JRHAWK9]

As far as insulating the pipe connecting the heating coil to the tempering tank, I think I'm going with -THIS- stuff. It has 2" wall thickness and an approximate R value of 10. Then I'll be insulating the rest of the hot water pipe with -THIS- stuff which has 1" wall thickness and an approximate R value of 5.

 

[JRHAWK9]

I was just thinking. Why couldn't I use PEX and Sharkbite connections to connect the tempering tank? I would think this would be much easier and cheaper, seeing I could probably do it myself.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

I was just thinking. Why couldn't I use PEX and Sharkbite connections to connect the tempering tank? I would think this would be much easier and cheaper, seeing I could probably do it myself.

Pex would be perfect. I don't care for shark bite tho.

 

[JRHAWK9]

I actually just looked at PEX and the 3/4" PEX is a decent amount narrower (ID) than 3/4" copper. I then looked at the sharkbite fittings and those were REALLY narrow. I've decided to stay with copper.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

3/4 id pex should be the same size as 3/4 id copper ergo inside diameter.

 

[JRHAWK9]

The 3/4" PEX I looked at was noticeable thinner than than the 3/4" copper.

I ended up doing it all myself with copper. First time ever sweating pipes; 6 valves, 30 fittings and 40+ copper pipe and I don't have a leak. It's currently up and running through the coil and tempering tank. I just have to insulate the pipes and tank, but I want to leave it as is for a bit to confirm no leaks.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

The 3/4" PEX I looked at was noticeable thinner than than the 3/4" copper.

I ended up doing it all myself with copper. First time ever sweating pipes; 6 valves, 30 fittings and 40+ copper pipe and I don't have a leak. It's currently up and running through the coil and tempering tank. I just have to insulate the pipes and tank, but I want to leave it as is for a bit to confirm no leaks.

Is the tank in the neighbors house? Mine has like 6 fittings And 8 ft of pipe. Got a pic of the new install?

 

[JRHAWK9]

lol.....no, it's right next to the Kuuma. The "heating loop" only has around 5' of pipe. My LP water heater is not next to it though.
Like I mentioned above, I have insulating to do yet on the tempering tank and water lines. I have some R10 stuff coming for the "heating loop" and R5 stuff coming for the rest of the lines. I'm going to be using the same R13 stuff on the tempering tank as I used on the water heater.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

Looks good. I will be redoing mine as well. I got my hands on a brand new superstor. So I will be pulling out the 80 gal old tank and replacing it with a 40. Hope I don't end up kicking myself.

 

[velvetfoot]

I recently took off the insulation on my electric tank because I added a Nyletherm. Definitely looks better without it!

 

[velvetfoot]

Man this gets expensive!

I've started buying the doo dads for my pellet boiler-unreal $-adds up.