
What is a direct fired hot water system?
A direct fired hot water system is fed via a direct fired water heater where the heat source for the water is physically located within the unit. This heater, such as an integral gas or oil burner, heats the water directly.
What is a direct hot water cylinder?
A direct hot water cylinder uses heat sources physically located in the cylinder, such as an electric immersion heater, to heat the water. These heating systems tend to be located in premises where there is no access to gas, particularly upper level flats or apartments.
Does a direct fired water heater need a boiler?
However, when the space heating is not required, the boiler still needs to be operating to provide heat for the hot water system. Direct fired water heaters are solely dedicated to the job of hot water generation, providing a faster heat up and response time compared with an indirect system which is in fact ‘heating water to heat water’.
What is a domestic hot water system?
A Domestic Hot Water (DHW) System delivers hot water to fixtures used by people at the sink, shower, tub and any other appliance where water may contact humans. They typically work by delivering hot water through a centralized storage tank separate from water that may be used for steam or hydronic heating. Residential DHW vs. Commercial DHW

What is the difference between direct and indirect hot water system?
Direct fired water heaters are solely dedicated to the job of hot water generation, providing a faster heat up and response time compared with an indirect system which is in fact 'heating water to heat water'.
How do I know if my water heater is direct or indirect?
1:566:55DIRECT & INDIRECT HOT WATER CYLINDERS - Plumbing tipsYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNow that is the main things that differentiates. It from a direct cylinder. The water comes up fromMoreNow that is the main things that differentiates. It from a direct cylinder. The water comes up from the boiler. Through our control valve according to the thermostat.
What is indirect hot water system?
An indirect water heater uses the main furnace or boiler to heat a fluid that's circulated through a heat exchanger in the storage tank. The energy stored by the water tank allows the furnace to turn off and on less often, which saves energy.
Do you need a boiler with a direct cylinder?
In fact, in simple terms : You need a DIRECT hot water cylinder if you want the cylinder to heat the water itself, and… You need an INDIRECT hot water cylinder if you have a separate boiler (such as a gas boiler or an oil boiler) and will be using that to heat the water.
What are the advantages of direct system of hot water supply compared with indirect system?
Energy is saved as pumps are not required to pump water to cistern/tanks. Installation cost is reduced compared to indirect water supply because no storage tank is required and even reduces maintenance cost of tank (underground as well as overhead). It reduces the chances of bacterial contamination.
Is an indirect water heater worth it?
Indirect water heaters typically have a faster recovery time (the time it takes to re-heat a tank of water) than a conventional storage water heater. That means there's less time you and your family have to wait between showers in the morning, running multiple loads of laundry, or similar.
Do indirect water heaters require electricity?
An indirect-fired water heater does not require electricity or gas and, therefore, does not need a vent. In fact, it's nothing more than a storage tank with a coil inside and inlet and outlet taps (connection points).
Is a combi boiler a direct or indirect system?
Direct design The pump on the boiler only runs when the heating is on. When a hot tap is running the pump stops running and the mains water running through the boiler on its way to the tap is heated up. Thats how a Direct Combi Boiler design works. Its a very simple design which works well.
What is a direct contact water heater?
A direct contact water heater, as its name suggests, permits the products of combustion to come into direct contact with the water that needs to be heated. The process is significantly more efficient than other types of heating systems, allowing plant operators to lower fuel costs, emissions, and even labor costs.
Does AO Smith make an indirect water heater?
In addition to direct fired gas water heaters, A.O. Smith manufactures indirect water heaters (storage tanks), either with or without integral heat exchangers, in the range of 289-2800 litres.
What is direct venting water heater?
A direct vent water heater uses special coaxial venting that has separate chambers for intake air and exhaust in a single assembled vent piece. The venting runs from the water heater through the side of your home. They pull and push air from outside to negate any backdrafting within your home.
Do you need to flush an indirect water heater?
Indirect vs Tankless The most obvious difference between an indirect and tankless heater is the existence of a tank. Indirect water heaters have a limited hot water supply and require flushing, two issues a tankless heater is less prone to.
What is a Direct Hot Water Cylinder?
A direct hot water cylinder is one in which cold water is fed in, then heated directly by an electric element (an immersion heater) . This hot water is then fed directly from the tank to the hot tap. The simplest of these systems is a vented system. As the water is heated, the water pressure and the pressure of the adjacent air will rise, and that pressure must be allowed an escape route for safety reasons. In a vented system, that escape rout is via a pipe which leads back up to the cold water tank in the loft.
What is indirect water heating?
In an indirect water heater the water in the cylinder is heated by a coil which in turn is heated directly from the boiler. While these cylinders can also be fitted with electric elements as back up, the prime source of heat energy is the gas boiler. What this means is that the hot water which circulates in the central heating system never comes into direct contact with the water in the cylinder, hence the term ‘indirect’.
Why is water storage bad?
The main disadvantage is that the water tank may need to be heated from cold which can be time consuming and use quite a lot of electricity. In addition, water storage itself can give rise to bacterial growth if the thermostat is not set to a high enough temperature, which is obviously undesirable in water used for washing. It can also be a potential problem if the same water is used for washing and the domestic heating system, as radiators are prone corrosion, which will end up in the water tank.
What is the advantage of a direct system?
The main advantage of a direct system is its relative simplicity, particularly if it is of the vented variety. It is also more straightforward to install than some other types of heater. If it is an immersion heater, then it can be a source of hot water even if the boiler is not working and can draw power from clean energy sources such as solar panels.
Which is more versatile, a gas main or an indirect hot water cylinder?
Assuming access to a gas main, the indirect hot water cylinder is the more versatile choice.
What is an unvented system?
In an unvented system, there is no open pipe to take the excess pressure. Instead, the system is kept constantly full with an expansion vessel dealing with the rise in pressure.
Can an electric water heater be used to heat water?
The bonus with indirect cylinders is that should the boiler need to be switched off for maintenance or servicing, the electric heating element can still be used to heat the water in the tank. In the case of both types of water heater, good insulation around the water tank and associated pipework will maximise the efficiency of the process.
What is indirect hot water?
What is an Indirect Hot Water Cylinder? An indirect hot water cylinder typically uses an external energy source, such as a traditional central heating boiler or a solar thermal system, which is fed into the cylinder via a coil or heat exchanger which then ‘indirectly’ heats the hot water.
What is a direct hot water cylinder?
A direct hot water cylinder uses heat sources physically located in the cylinder, such as an electric immersion heater, to heat the water. These heating systems tend to be located in premises where there is no access to gas, particularly upper level flats or apartments. On occasion a direct hot water cylinder will feature two immersion heaters ...
Why use an electric immersion heater?
Many indirect hot water cylinders also come with an electric immersion heater to act as a back-up should the primary energy source fail or be unavailable .
What is the number for McDonald's powerflow?
Simply contact us today online or talk to one of our technical sales team on 01592 611123. POWERflow: Direct and Indirect Hot Water Cylinders from McDonald Water Storage – Ireland and UK wide distribution.
Does a hot water cylinder have two immersion heaters?
On occasion a direct hot water cylinder will feature two immersion heaters which will enable you to take advantage of off-peak energy tariffs and therefore minimise the overall running costs.
Does McDonald's have a thermal store?
Direct cylinders have continued to advance over the years and McDonald Water Storage now offer a choice of thermal stores, with MULTI flow providing mains pressure hot water, or the ELECTRA flow and ELECTRA store, which can provide both hot water and heating using electric immersions all from one simple to use unit.
What is indirect fired?
Indirect fired units such as calorifiers have no integral burner but contain one or more heat exchanger coils that are filled with hot liquids (water or solar fluid) that have already been heated ‘indirectly’ by one or more external heat sources, such as a boiler or solar collectors.
Why are water heaters installed close to point of use?
Water heaters are often installed close to point of use, reducing the energy required to supply water over a long pipe run and minimising distribution heat losses.
What is direct fired water heater?
Direct fired water heaters are solely dedicated to the job of hot water generation , providing a faster heat up and response time compared with an indirect system which is in fact ‘heating water to heat water’. This increases the chance of heat losses in the boiler, and associated pipework between the boiler and calorifier.
What temperature does an indirect fired boiler operate at?
However, an indirect fired system will generally operate at 80/60, temperatures at which a boiler cannot condense consequently not actually operating at part load (which requires a return temperature of 30°C).
How does a Dorchester water heater work?
Direct fired units such as Dorchester water heaters for hot water generation have an integral gas or oil burner that directly heats the water in its storage cylinder by supplying hot gases through one or more of its heat exchanger fire tubes within the cylinder which then transfers heat to the surrounding water.
What is the efficiency of a boiler?
When producing hot water with return boiler temperatures likely to be 60°C or higher, the boiler is more likely to be operating at a gross efficiency in the region of 88% .
Can an indirect fired boiler be used for both the heating circuit and the DHW system?
Historically, indirect fired systems would have a dedicated hot water boiler for heating a calorifier but with modern highly efficient boilers, the same boiler can now be used for both the heating circuit and the DHW system.
What is direct water supply?
Direct water supply. A direct water supply system is one where the raising main feeds directly the cold water taps and a multi point water heater. The mains water comes in via a rising main and directly feeds all the cold taps and a multi point water heater - so all the taps and other water feeds are at mains water pressure.
What valves can isolate cold water?
Gate valve which can isolate the cold water feed to the multi point water heater. Gate valve which can isolate the hot water from the multi point water heater to the taps etc. NOTE: Valves 5 and 6 allow for the water heater to be isolated for maintenance, repair or replacement.
What is an inline valve?
Inline valves to isolate water feeds to washing machine or dishwasher etc.
Where is the stopcock located?
This stopcock isnormally located where the rising mains enters the house, often under the kitchen sink.
What is a draincock?
Draincock - this allows all the pipework within the house to be drained down at the lowest point.
How Do You Control Large Scale Domestic Hot Water Systems?
Whether your boilers are modulating or staging, or your system requires DHW priority, or is a completely standalone domestic hot water system, Heat-Timer® provides a Platinum Series control that is the most sophisticated, energy management control in the world. Coupled with our 3-way, Electronic Tempering Valve (or Electronic Tempering Station) we provide a complete solution to domestic hot water system control for apartment complexes, hotels, office buildings, schools, campus settings and more.
Why do commercial DHW systems need to be plumbed?
DHW systems must be controlled and plumbed so as to prevent the growth of deadly legionella bacteria, while reducing any potential scalding hazard at the sink or shower.
What temperature is hot water stored in?
In commercial domestic hot water systems, solutions are most often tank based. A central reservoir of hot water is heated to ~140F – 160F (60C-70C) and then cooled by a mixing valve to between 110 and 120F before it hits sinks and showers so that no scalding occurs. The water is centrally stored in tanks at a higher temperature to prevent the growth of Legionella bacteria and to insure that demand for hot water can be met during peak periods.
What is an electronic tempering station?
Electronic Tempering Station – Rounding out the solution for domestic hot water is our electronic tempering station which incorporates our motorized electronic tempering valve (ETV) into a pre-plumbed solution. This motorized 3-way mixing valve has its own control computer which can be located up to 500 ft. from the valve.
What is a DHW system?
In both Commercial and Residential systems, the definition of DHW is the same. Domestic Hot Water refers to any hot water delivered for use by people, well…., domestically. For residential DHW systems, this includes the cylindrical, floor standing 40 or 50 gallon hot water heater found in many homes across the country, used to deliver hot water to appliances throughout the house or apartment. These are simple systems with cold water in, and hot water out, sized to meet the needs of a family.
How does a hot water system work?
They typically work by delivering hot water through a centralized storage tank separate from water that may be used for steam or hydronic heating.
What is platinum multi mode?
Platinum Multi-MOD – For standalone domestic hot water systems that require multiple boiler modulating stage control. The Multi-Mod controls set point precisely, while auto-rotating stages for load balancing and even wear. It also includes outdoor reset capability, wireless sensors, and comprehensive mobile device and internet remote management capabilities.
SunSaver
SunSaver is SunEarth’s only OG-300 certified system that is specifically designed for climates that never experience freeze conditions.
Copperheart Integral Collector
The CopperHeart integral collector storage system, or ICS, combines thermal collection and storage in a single unit.
What Is An Indirect Water Heater?
This water heating system uses a tank to store water and an external heat source to warm it up. Indirect models do not have any heating elements inside the water tank. Instead, they will use the home’s space heating system (a furnace or boiler) to heat the water. Utilizing the space heating system for your water is called an integrated or combination heating system – as the two different units work together.
What is the difference between a tankless and indirect water heater?
The clear difference between these two systems is that indirect heaters use a water storage tank, while tankless heaters have no tank at all. This means that indirect units are limited in the amount of hot water that they can produce, while tankless heaters can produce an unlimited supply.
What is indirect heating?
When combined with the fact that there are no heating elements being used in the tank, indirect heating systems can be the most energy-efficient solutions available. Indirect water heaters can be powered by electricity, solar energy, gas, propane, oil, or a combination.
Why is indirect water heating better than conventional water heating?
When using an indirect water heating system, you can save a great deal of energy. Thanks to the system vastly reducing the amount of standby heat that is lost , an indirect heater proves to be far more efficient. This is also seen in the reduced running of the boiler or furnace.
How much hot water can a tankless heater provide?
An important thing to note is that tankless heaters can only supply a certain amount of gallons per minute. Indirect heaters can provide as much hot water per minute as you like – as long as it fits within the tank’s holding capacity.
How does a water storage tank work?
Uses a water storage tank without heating elements. The water is heated through a heat transfer coil system. This is connected between the storage tank and a boiler or furnace. The tank stores energy, reducing the number of times that the boiler/furnace turns on. Indirect models can be incredibly energy efficient.
What is the name of the system that heats water?
Instead, they will use the home’s space heating system (a furnace or boiler) to heat the water. Utilizing the space heating system for your water is called an integrated or combination heating system – as the two different units work together.
