Articles about Hot Water Heater Pumps

There are a variety of hot water pumps for residential use on the market, all designed to reduce the amount of hot water wastefully run down the drain while waiting for hot water to arrive at the fixture.  All are not equal, there being substantial differences in how the different pumping systems work.

What is a hot water demand system and what can it do for you?

A hot water demand system is an inexpensive way to conserve water and add the convenience of instant hot water (when you turn on the tap).  Your hot water is delivered rapidly from your water heater to your fixtures without running any water down the drain. It’s a good way to make your hot water plumbing green.

The Chilipepper hot water demand system has the most powerful pump of any residential hot water demand system gets your hot water to you faster than any other demand system, and it has the lowest cost. 
 

Hot Water Recirculation Pump – The Astro Express - A Product Review

The Astro Express hot water circulating system uses a hot water circulating pump at the outlet of the water heater so that it pumps hot water out of the heater and into the hot water pipe.

Under each sink you place a special valve, the Astro Express Valve that connects between the cold and hot water supply pipes.  Connecting this valve to the hot and cold water pipes creates a “loop” so the pump can pump water through the piping to the valve, and back to the water heater inlet.

When the valves are not open the pump does not pump any water. When any of the valves open the hot water flows through the loop to the fixture where the valve is open.
 

Multiply Your Tankless Water Heater Savings with a Pump!

You can more than double your tankless water heater savings by adding a hot water demand pump to your hot water piping system. Tankless water heaters save energy, but typically you will save around $5 to $10 per month if that.  The initial investment is likely to have been thousands of dollars more than a storage tank installation.  But by adding a demand pump you can save another $10.00 a month, more than doubling your savings for the system as a whole.

Not every home needs such a system, but most would benefit. If your tankless heater is a long ways from your fixtures you really need a tankless water heater pump

The government of Australian did a study on tankless water heaters, and found that tankless units take 10 to 20 seconds longer to deliver hot water to the fixtures. 

Tankless Water Heater? Turn it Green with Faster Hot Water! 

Tankless hot water heaters waste more water than storage water heaters. If you are a tankless water heater owner, then you already know it takes longer to get hot water to the fixture when you have a tankless water heater. Tankless hot water heaters take 10 to 20 seconds longer to get hot water to the faucets. While you wait for the hot water to arrive, you are running water down the drain. 

There are pumping systems designed to get the hot water faster while eliminating the wasted water.  These pumps or pumping systems are called “Demand “hot water systems.  There are several manufactures of such systems.
 

Supercharge Your Tankless Water Heater – Get Fast Hot Water and Be Green!

While it’s true that tankless water heaters save energy and they do provide an endless supply of hot water, it’s also true that tankless hot water heaters require more time to get the hot water to the faucets.  Since a tankless heater has to heat the water first before it can send the heated water to you, you have to wait longer than with a storage tank type water heater.  The only way to get the hot water of course is to run the faucet. 

A tankless water heater can be pictured as a long piece of copper pipe coiled up and held over a gas burner.  As water flows through the pipe is heated by the flames.  The longer the water is in the pipe over the flames the hotter it gets.  Therefore the slower the water flows the hotter it gets and the faster it flows the cooler it ends up.

Metlund D'mand System VS Chilipepper Sales CP6000

Comparing two hot water demand systems, the Metlund D'mand System and the Chilipepper CP6000.

Hot water demand systems are hot water pumping systems for residential use when there is not dedicated hot water return line. They are designed to get hot water from your heater to your fixtures fast without running water down the drain.

The Metlund D'MAND system has three different models with different horsepower ratings. The bigger the horsepower rating is, the faster the flow rate. The first model, the S-50 sized one, has the lowest power and the lowest price at about $339.50.  The next model is the Metlund D'mand model S-70T. The largest model, the S-02 has 1/8 horsepower

Chilipepper Sales only manufactures one model, the CP6000 which has a powerful 1/3 horsepower motor.  It produces a maximum pressure of about 60 PSI (138 feet head), and has a maximum flow of about 3 gallons per minute.

The Laing Autocirc1 is a cold water return type hot water circulating system

The Laing autocirc1 is a temperature controlled cold-water-return hot water pumping system. The Autocirc1 pump connects between the hot and cold water lines at a sink fixture, It circulates the hot water, similar to a traditional temperature controlled hot water circulating system, but operates at a lower temperature so the cold water line being used as the return line isn't full of hot water all the time, just tepid or luke-warm water.

When the temperature of the water in the pump reaches 95 degrees it shuts off.  The hot water in the piping begins to cool and when it drops to 85 degrees, the pump turns on until again the water temperature reaches 95 degrees. This cycle repeats endlessly.

The Laing Autocirc 1 is not suitable for use with a tankless water heater.
 

Watts Premier Recirculating Pump vs. Chilipepper CP6000

A comparison of the Watts Premier Recirculating Pump to the Chilipepper hot water demand pump.

According to Watts, the Premier Recirculating system provides you with hot water instantly at every faucet. Here's a quote directly from their website: "Watts Premiers Hot Water Recirculation Pump brings convenience and saving to your home, giving you hot water instantly at every faucet, when you need it."

The Watts Premier system is a temperature controlled luke-warm water circulating system. The system consists of an under the sink valve, and a pump located at the water heater.  The valve closes when the water temperature reaches the upper cut-off and opens again when the temperature drops to the lower cut off temp. With only the one pump located at the water heater you can put a valve under any number of sinks. This system is not suitable for use with tankless water heaters.
 

Tankless Water Heater Pumps & Hot Water Circulating Systems

Most tankless water heaters are not compatible with hot water circulating systems because of the minimum flow rate required to turn on the heater on the pump side, and over-temperature problems on the heater side.  Tankless hot water heaters are however compatible with hot water demand pumps as long as the pump has enough flow to turn on the water heater.  Typical minimum flow rates are 1/2 to 3/4 gallons per minute for most tankless heaters.

If you want to use one of those "luke-warm" circulating systems like the Autocirc1, RedyTemp, or Grundfos systems you are out of luck.  They don't produce enough flow to turn on the water heater, so they would not be of much use.

Flow Rate Calculation for Hot Water Residential Plumbing Layouts with and without Tankless Water Heaters  Flow rates and pressure drops related to hot water plumbing systems in residential water systems. Tankless and tank type storage water heaters are considered.

Supercharge your water heater ...get your hot water fast! Chilipepper Hot water Pump Chilipepper Sales 1380 Greg St., # 221 Sparks Nevada, 89431 PH (775)-359-1223