water heater sizing?
Filed in DIY Hot Water System on Apr.27, 2009
ROBERT J asked:
I have looked through some of the other posts, but I haven’t found an exact answer to my question. We are building new, and the master shower will have a shower head and 4 body sprayers, so about 12 gal/min, and its about 80 feet from the water heater in the garage. Will an 80 gallon electric water heater (we have solar power) be adequate to run that shower, or will it require an on demand heater at the bathroom? What if we went to just 2 body sprayers? (about 7.5 gpm) Also, I have been told I’d want a recirculating line so we get the hot water quicker. Seems like that would just be a big heat-loosing radiator to me. Any thoughts?
I have looked through some of the other posts, but I haven’t found an exact answer to my question. We are building new, and the master shower will have a shower head and 4 body sprayers, so about 12 gal/min, and its about 80 feet from the water heater in the garage. Will an 80 gallon electric water heater (we have solar power) be adequate to run that shower, or will it require an on demand heater at the bathroom? What if we went to just 2 body sprayers? (about 7.5 gpm) Also, I have been told I’d want a recirculating line so we get the hot water quicker. Seems like that would just be a big heat-loosing radiator to me. Any thoughts?
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April 28th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
I would ask the home depot guys or better yet ask a plumber (funny cause I am one)Your plumbing contractor should be able to answer your question. I would think though that 80 gallon should be more than enough! Especially if you go to two body sprayers. Congratulations on the new home! And powering solar!
April 29th, 2009 at 11:49 am
An 80 Gal should be plenty. Unless you live somewhere where the ground water temperature is really cold. But the number of people in the home is the biggest factor. Not the number of bathrooms, If you have two bathrooms and ten taking a shower then you need to be the first in the shower. I wouldn’t be to concerned with the amount of shower heads and gpm. I cant tell you how many times i have installed showers and Jacuzzis with big demands on water. You never use them. most just want to get in and get out. But even if you do want a long shower 80 gal should be plenty. Make sure its a duel element heater. I think all 80 gal W/H are, but I’m not positive. Just make sure, it will give u a faster recovery.
Now a circulating pump is a different story. a circulating pump will give you hot water much more quickly if you have a long distance for the hot water to travel. But in some cases its just more money for the plumber and contractor. I would go with out. If you plum the water to code you shouldn’t have to wait that long for hot water. But if you do then there are products that will cure this after the home is done that will not require new lines, and these products work great.
So, 80 should be fine and pass an the circulating pump.