Posted by boustephane on March 7, 2008, 11:18 pm
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
> 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 boustephane on March 8, 2008, 4:07 pm
> 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.
Posted by daestrom on March 9, 2008, 2:36 pm
> 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 boustephane on March 9, 2008, 3:24 pm
> 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.
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 ( >
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=4
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...).
XML site map
> 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?