greywater heat recovery system

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Subject Author Date greywater heat recovery system boustephane 03-07-2008  Re: greywater heat recovery system daestrom 03-08-2008  Re: greywater heat recovery system boustephane 03-08-2008  Re: greywater heat recovery system daestrom 03-09-2008  Re: greywater heat recovery system boustephane 03-09-2008  Re: greywater heat recovery system Balanced View 03-09-2008  Re: greywater heat recovery system daestrom 03-10-2008  Re: greywater heat recovery system Bob F 03-16-2008  Re: greywater heat recovery system daestrom 03-10-2008  Re: greywater heat recovery system AJH 03-09-2008  Re: greywater heat recovery system daestrom 03-09-2008  Re: greywater heat recovery system John 04-16-2008
Posted by on March 7, 2008, 11:18 pm Please log in for more thread options Did someone have tried a greywater heat recovery system like this ? http://www.ccht-cctr.gc.ca/gfx_e.html I would like to have opinion of people who have tried this system to preheat water. Is this system efficient? Thank you S.B. Posted by daestrom on March 8, 2008, 2:05 pm Please log in for more thread options > Did someone have tried a greywater heat recovery system like this ? > http://www.ccht-cctr.gc.ca/gfx_e.html > > I would like to have opinion of people who have tried this system to > preheat water. Is this system efficient? > Yes, I have installed in my basement a GFX heat exchanger model S4-60. It is in my main waste line and I have most of the cold water for the house going through the potable side (just one 1/2 bathroom that taps off the main upstream of the GFX). Overall, I'm pretty pleased with the unit. If it wasn't for my low water pressure in the area, I would have preferred to use model G4-60 instead. I believe it would be even more efficient than my S4-60 model. But I couldn't really tolerate the extra pressure drop on the potable water side. Initially, my installation was recovering 63% of the grey-water heat possible. It has degraded some over time but I find a bottle of foaming drain cleaner down the kitchen drain is able to 'clean' the grey-water side and restore performance. The last time I measured it, I was getting 51.7% of the heat recovery. It only helps on 'continuous flow' situations like taking a shower. It doesn't recover very much heat at all from 'batch processes' like filling / draining the dishwasher or a whirlpool tub. But I knew that going into it so I'm not disappointed. I got mine from a distributor at a substantial savings off the 'List Price' and I figure it has paid for itself in savings. My family also likes it since they can pretty much take one shower right after another without running out of hot water. Questions? daestrom Posted by on March 8, 2008, 4:07 pm Please log in for more thread options > > Yes, I have installed in my basement a GFX heat exchanger model S4-60. =A0= It > is in my main waste line and I have most of the cold water for the house > going through the potable side (just one 1/2 bathroom that taps off the ma= in > upstream of the GFX). > > Overall, I'm pretty pleased with the unit. =A0If it wasn't for my low wate= r > pressure in the area, I would have preferred to use model G4-60 instead. = =A0I > believe it would be even more efficient than my S4-60 model. =A0But I coul= dn't > really tolerate the extra pressure drop on the potable water side. > > Initially, my installation was recovering 63% of the grey-water heat > possible. =A0It has degraded some over time but I find a bottle of foaming= > drain cleaner down the kitchen drain is able to 'clean' the grey-water sid= e > and restore performance. =A0The last time I measured it, I was getting 51.= 7% > of the heat recovery. > > It only helps on 'continuous flow' situations like taking a shower. =A0It > doesn't recover very much heat at all from 'batch processes' like filling = / > draining the dishwasher or a whirlpool tub. =A0But I knew that going into = it > so I'm not disappointed. > > I got mine from a distributor at a substantial savings off the 'List Price= ' > and I figure it has paid for itself in savings. =A0My family also likes it= > since they can pretty much take one shower right after another without > running out of hot water. > > Questions? > > daestrom Thank you for your informations. I still have a few questions: What is the difference between S4-60 and G4-60 model? How often do you have to clean the inside pipe (every month, year ,...)? Is there some condensation around the pipes? Thank you again ! S.B. Posted by daestrom on March 9, 2008, 2:36 pm Please log in for more thread options > > Yes, I have installed in my basement a GFX heat exchanger model S4-60. It > is in my main waste line and I have most of the cold water for the house > going through the potable side (just one 1/2 bathroom that taps off the > main > upstream of the GFX). > > Overall, I'm pretty pleased with the unit. If it wasn't for my low water > pressure in the area, I would have preferred to use model G4-60 instead. I > believe it would be even more efficient than my S4-60 model. But I > couldn't > really tolerate the extra pressure drop on the potable water side. > > Initially, my installation was recovering 63% of the grey-water heat > possible. It has degraded some over time but I find a bottle of foaming > drain cleaner down the kitchen drain is able to 'clean' the grey-water > side > and restore performance. The last time I measured it, I was getting 51.7% > of the heat recovery. > > It only helps on 'continuous flow' situations like taking a shower. It > doesn't recover very much heat at all from 'batch processes' like filling > / > draining the dishwasher or a whirlpool tub. But I knew that going into it > so I'm not disappointed. > > I got mine from a distributor at a substantial savings off the 'List > Price' > and I figure it has paid for itself in savings. My family also likes it > since they can pretty much take one shower right after another without > running out of hot water. > > Questions? > > daestrom Thank you for your informations. I still have a few questions: What is the difference between S4-60 and G4-60 model? How often do you have to clean the inside pipe (every month, year ,...)? Is there some condensation around the pipes? Thank you again ! S.B. The S4-60 model has two shorter coils on the drain pipe. The drain pipe runs through one and then the other so the greywater side is in 'series'. The potable water splits and enters both coils and the outlet of both coils rejoin to form a common potable outlet. So the potable side is in 'parallel'. The G4-60 has just one long coil that covers the drain pipe length. The G4-60 has more pressure drop for a given flow rate through the potable water side because of the one long coil, as opposed to the lesser pressure drop on the potable water side for the two shorter, parallel coils of the S4-60. That was my concern since we have pretty low water pressure here already, I didn't think I could stand to have the larger pressure drop of the G4-60 model. But with the S4-60 version and the coils in 'parallel', it is not as efficient as the G4-60. Because the drain water is partly cooled by the first coil before it enters the second coil, the second coil doesn't recover as much heat as you would expect. If you have plenty of water pressure, (say > 30 psi), I'd definitely go for the G4-60 version. I only clean it about once a year when I think about it. I suppose some more often wouldn't hurt, but I pretty much just don't pay attention to the thing. As I said before, 'cleaning' for me is to dump a bottle of liquid drain cleaner down the kitchen sink (the nearest drain) and then about a quart of water to flush the cleaner to the GFX from the sink trap. The only condensation problem I could think of would be the cold water in the potable pipe if you have a humid basement situation. But I suppose you could wrap it in simple foam insulation much like pipe insulation in general. daestrom P.S. What type of news-reader are you using? My OE didn't prefix your message lines with the usual '>' mark. Posted by on March 9, 2008, 3:24 pm Please log in for more thread options > > The S4-60 model has two shorter coils on the drain pipe. =A0The drain pipe= > runs through one and then the other so the greywater side is in 'series'. > The potable water splits and enters both coils and the outlet of both coil= s > rejoin to form a common potable outlet. =A0So the potable side is in > 'parallel'. =A0The G4-60 has just one long coil that covers the drain pipe= > length. > > The G4-60 has more pressure drop for a given flow rate through the potable= > water side because of the one long coil, as opposed to the lesser pressure= > drop on the potable water side for the two shorter, parallel coils of the > S4-60. =A0That was my concern since we have pretty low water pressure here= > already, I didn't think I could stand to have the larger pressure drop of > the G4-60 model. > > But with the S4-60 version and the coils in 'parallel', it is not as > efficient as the G4-60. =A0Because the drain water is partly cooled by the= > first coil before it enters the second coil, the second coil doesn't recov= er > as much heat as you would expect. =A0If you have plenty of water pressure,= > (say > 30 psi), I'd definitely go for the G4-60 version. > > I only clean it about once a year when I think about it. =A0I suppose some= > more often wouldn't hurt, but I pretty much just don't pay attention to th= e > thing. =A0As I said before, 'cleaning' for me is to dump a bottle of liqui= d > drain cleaner down the kitchen sink (the nearest drain) and then about a > quart of water to flush the cleaner to the GFX from the sink trap. > > The only condensation problem I could think of would be the cold water in > the potable pipe if you have a humid basement situation. =A0But I suppose = you > could wrap it in simple foam insulation much like pipe insulation in > general. > > daestrom > P.S. =A0What type of news-reader are you using? =A0My OE didn't prefix you= r > message lines with the usual '>' mark. Thank you for your precious informations an the time spent to answer me. I am interested in this product but I think it is very expensive (=AD > 500$ ) for a simple pipe surrounded with another square pipe. I have to open a wall to check if my plumbing can allow this tool. By the way it is possible for Canadian having a grant of 130$ for this tool: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residentiel/personnel/renovation-maisons/renovez-admi= ssible-subvention.cfm?attr=3D4 Thank you again P.S. I use OE for reading news group but using "google groups" web site for sending message since my provider Sympatico (Bell Canada) remove the possibility to send message to the news group with OE (without changing the rate, obviously...). 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