Typically a traditional hot water return line in a residential system consists of a 1/2″ pipe connecting from the supply pipe at the last fixture to the inlet of the water heater. This forms a big loop of piping so the hot water can be continuously circulated from the water heater through the loop and back to the water heater.
What is a secondary plumbing return?
Secondary plumbing returns are a hot water recirculation system that typically consist of a copper pipe and tee system. Secondary returns connect to your household water supply lines to recirculate hot water back to the water heater or point of use. This recirculation by the return ensures hot water is always available at the point of usage.
Do I need a dedicated hot water return line?
Having a dedicated hot water return line will keep your heated water going throughout your house, and you can use the hot water when needed.
How do secondary returns work in a hot water loop?
The flow through the loop is slow, even with a pump, but any amount of movement ensures there is always hot water at each fixture. Secondary returns can help prevent overheating of your water heating system by ensuring that sufficient water is circulated through your plumbing system at all times.
What do I need to know about water return pumps?
The return pump is what runs the entire setup. The return pump push water up the return line which in turn pushes water down the overflow. You’ll need get a pump powerful enough to turn over the volume of the main tank 10x per hour. You’ll also need to account for head pressure. Head pressure is additional pressure caused by the plumbing.
What does a return pipe do?
Also found in: Encyclopedia. a pipe by which water of condensation from a heater or radiator is conveyed back toward the boiler.
Why are we using return line for water heater in plumbing?
A hot water recirculation line is a recirculating loop, a return line that is installed from the farthest faucet or fixture back to the water heater. What this means for you is that the recirculating loop allows a hot water reserve to continuously flow so there is always hot water available for any faucet in your home.
Does a recirculating pump need a return line?
Domestic Hot Water Recirculation Part 5: Recirculation WITHOUT a Return Line. Not every domestic hot water recirculation system requires a return line. For residential and light commercial applications, there is another way to save water and maintain hot water at the last fixture.
What is hot water return piping?
A return circulation pipe is sometimes provided in a hot-water system where it is desirable to have hot water available continuously at the fixtures. Typically for systems where the distance from the hot water heater to the consumption fixtures exceeds 25 - 30 m.
How does a hot water return line work?
In a traditional hot water recirculating system, there is a dedicated return line for the hot water pipes, which runs from the furthest bathroom or fixture back to the water heater. Near the water heater area, a recirculating pump pulls the water from the furthest fixture back into the water heater, creating a loop.
What is primary flow and return?
The coil, or "heat exchanger" forms part of the central heating circuit, and its water heating abilities are purely a by-product of its main function, which is to heat the radiators. This heating is called the "primary" circuit, the pipes running to and from the boiler are called the primary flow and return.
How can I make my hot water faster?
5 Ways To Get Hot Water Faster To Your Sink, Tub or ShowerInsulate your hot water pipes.Install a recirculation pump.Install a point-of-use tank water heater.Install a point-of-use tankless water heater.Upgrade from a tank to a tankless water heater system.
Will hot water circulate without a pump?
Joseph Stoddard responds: In the situation you describe, you can get acceptable results without a pump. The hot water "passive recirculation" loop is a technique I learned from an old plumber years ago. I've successfully used this technique a number of times when the bathroom is located above the hot-water heater.
Where should a recirculating pump be installed?
There are two main components to an effective hot water recirculating system: the recirculating pump installed on the hot water discharge line of your home's water heater, and the sensor valve installed on the supply lines of a faucet at the farthest distance from the water heater.
How does a hot return work?
Secondary hot water returns are generally used in domestic hot water applications where the point of usage (i.e. taps) are a distance away from the hot water cylinder. They are used to remove the need to draw off a large quantity of cool water, ( left in the pipe run), before hot water actually reaches the tap.
What size pipe is used for the domestic hot water return line?
¾-inch pipeThe minimum pipe size I use for the hot water return system piping is ¾-inch pipe. I often see half-inch pipe installed.
What temperature should hot water return be?
In a non-healthcare building, hot water should be dispensed from an outlet at 50°C within one minute. If you have a large hot water heater (Calorifier), this should always operate above 60°C, if your hot water system is circulating, the return line should also be above 50°C.
What happens if water heater lines reversed?
+1 Good Answer, it will make your heater a lot less efficient and cause you to run out of hot water a lot quicker, this is due to the mixing affect when water is entering the top of the water heater instead of the bottom and also the hottest water will obviously be at the top of the heater.
How do I know if I have a hot water return line?
The return line connects to either the water heater inlet or the drain valve at the bottom of the heater. Normally there will be a check valve between the end of the return line and the connection with the water heater to prevent water from being drawn backwards through the return line.
Which side of water heater is hot?
As the water heats, it rises to the top of the tank. The heat-out pipe is located near the top of the tank. Water exiting the water heater at the top is always the hottest in the tank at any given moment because it's the nature of hot water to rise above denser, cold water.
What happens if you wire a hot water heater backwards?
Can you wire a hot water heater backwards? Yes, you can get it with minimal effects. If the 220v heater has red and black wiring, it can be wired backwards. As much as this is possible, you must ensure you correctly wire the hot water heater to avoid water polarity issues.
How does a secondary return system work?
How it Works. In a secondary return system, the pipes are arranged in a loop that relies on the natural tendency for hot water to rise upward and cold to fall down. In a typical heating system, hot water pipes are connected to your hot water heater and rise up, running to each fixture in your home, ending at the farthest fixture from ...
What is secondary plumbing?
Secondary plumbing returns are a hot water recirculation system that typically consist of a copper pipe and tee system. Secondary returns connect to your household water supply lines to recirculate hot water back to the water heater or point of use. This recirculation by the return ensures hot water is always available at the point of usage. In some systems a pump is also used and is programmed so that it operates during periods of maximum hot water usage, which in most homes is usually during the early morning and evening hours.
Why do we need secondary returns?
Secondary returns can help prevent overheating of your water heating system by ensuring that sufficient water is circulated through your plumbing system at all times . In larger applications, such as commercial plumbing, it can also aid in preventing choking points, which occur when the heating system has plenty of power and hot water, ...
Where is the secondary piping for a water heater?
This secondary piping is directed back down to the water heater where the drain valve is located . In a home where the hot water lines drop below the water heater, a recirculating pump is connected into the loop here as well to circulate the water through the secondary pipes.
Can a secondary return system work with a heat pump?
Secondary return systems may not work effectively with heat pumps, which are often used with boiler systems. This is because heat pumps are low temperature devices, so the water stored there is typically cooler than it would be in a system without a heat pump.
Is hot water drawn from a secondary return system?
In a secondary return system, hot water isn't drawn from the water heating unit, but from a secondary loop of pipes in which heated water can flow at a high volume. Advertisement.
How does a hot water loop work?
The hot water loop eliminates this water wastage. Instead of the cold water going down the drain, it is instead recycled back to the cold inlet of the hot water tank. The water is then reheated and reused. There’s a number of different ways a hot water loop can be implemented. You can use a pump with a press button near each tap to start ...
What is a closed loop in water?
In a hot water plumbing loop, also know as a closed loop or a sometimes a gravity loop, the line from the hot water system continues from one tap, to the next. There is no branches as the line continues until it loops back to the hot water system.
Why do we need a hot water loop?
I’m sure at some point you’ve turned on your shower, felt that freezing water coming out and had to wait for it to get hot. Or you’ve run the kitchen tap until the water became hot. The hot water loop eliminates this water wastage. Instead of the cold water going down the drain, it is instead recycled back to the cold inlet of the hot water tank. The water is then reheated and reused.
Installing A Dedicated Hot Water Return Line
Installing a dedicated hot water return line is not a job for ordinary people, this task is only recommended for certified plumbers, so if you’re going to install the system yourself, you’ll face a lot of trouble.
What Is A Dedicated Hot Return Line?
When it comes to knowing about a dedicated return line, the clear-cut answer is this is such a system that uses a return pipe from your last sink back to the tank.
Where Should I Connect The Hot Water Recirculation Line To The Water Heater?
When installing a dedicated return line on any hot water system, most people ask the same question, where they should connect the recirculation line to their water heater because there are two points available.
Summing Up
We are unable to show you the process of installing a dedicated return line on this particular subject by providing a text guide only because this type of guide is not possible to cover by text.
What is the return line for sump pump?
Return lines down to your sump are typically PVC but can also be clear plastic tubing. If you go with the flexible clear tubing, be sure to get the braided type to help eliminate kinking. Sumps use baffles to divide it into separate chambers with bubble traps in-between. A bubble trap is nothing more than 3 baffles.
How does a return pump work?
The return pump is what runs the entire setup. The return pump push water up the return line which in turn pushes water down the overflow. You’ll need get a pump powerful enough to turn over the volume of the main tank 10x per hour. You’ll also need to account for head pressure. Head pressure is additional pressure caused by the plumbing. This can be bends but can also be distance. For instance, some people place their sump in a basement room beneath their main aquarium. The return pump will need to deal with the added pressure of pumping water up several feet in that scenario.
What is PVC tubing used for?
Typically PVC is used to plumb everything. Vinyl tubing is also used but is less ideal. Vinyl tubing can kink and cause an overflow. If you do decide to use vinyl tubing be sure to get the braided variety. It’s much less prone to kinking.
What is an overflow in a reef tank?
Simply put, an overflow is an inlet for your reef tank plumbing. Water enters the overflow and down to the sump.
Why add a check valve to a pump?
Also, you will want to add a check valve to prevent water from flowing back down your return lines when the pumps are turned off or there is a power failure.
Do you need a return pump for a protein skimmer?
Another consideration is that you will want to consider how to incorporate reactors, protein skimmers, and other equipment that may need to have water flow. You don’t have to use your return pump for this and you may not want to for various reasons. A smaller and dedicated pump or pumps for this task can work just fine.
Do you need a return pump for Herbie and Bean?
An adjustable or controllable return pump is not required but a nice addition if you can afford it. In the Herbie and Bean Animal overflow designs a valve is included to adjust the amount of overflow to tune it to be silent. The valve adds additional head pressure to the system the pump has to overcome. With a controllable pump you can save some electricity and pump life by simply tuning the pump down in flow.
What ensures that sewer gases flow out through the plumbing vent and not through the drains?
Do you see the water at the bottom of the toilet bowl ? That is what ensures that sewer gases flow out through the plumbing vent and not through the drains.
What is a plumbing vent?
A plumbing vent is part of the drain-waste-vent (DWV) system. It is a requirement by code and therefore not left to the discretion of the homeowner/builder.
What is the vent under the sink called?
A plumbing vent under a sink is known as an air admittance valve (AAV). An air admittance valve is a short pipe with a valve at the top that allows air into the fixture drainpipe to help in draining as well as avoid siphoning of water from the trap.
What does it mean when a toilet vent is clogged?
If your plumbing vent is clogged, you will notice that your fixtures will drain slowly, a gurgling sound will be heard from the bathtub or sink drain when you flush the toilet or the toilet itself will bubble when flushed or when the tub/shower drains. A sewer smell in the house/bathroom is another good sign.
Why do sewer gases come out of my bathroom?
As a result, sewer gases are being forced out through the drains.
Why is a P trap always full of water?
Secondly, a P-trap thanks to its shape is always full of water. This water acts as a barrier, preventing sewer gases from coming up through the drains. As a result, sewer gases always exit the system from the plumbing vent, unless it is clogged.
What to do if your sink is not vented?
If you sink is not vented meaning it is draining slowly as well as allowing sewer gases through it, an air admittance valve is good way to fix the problem. It is cheap and easy to install.
When reverse return piping is not needed, what is the situation?
Another situation in which reverse return piping is not needed is when multiple boilers are closely grouped together and piped to a common device such as a hydraulic separator , as illustrated in Figure 6. Graphics credit: John Siegenthaler
How does reverse return affect circulator?
Although reverse return systems are closer to self-balancing than direct return systems, they still cause a fixed-speed circulator to experience changes in differential pressure due to changes in flow as the valves controlling flow through the branches open, close, or modulate. If uncorrected, these changes in differential pressure can cause flow velocities in active branches to increase as valves on other branches close or modulate to lower flow. This can lead to flow noise, weepage through valves that are supposed to be closed, and erosion of copper tubing.
How does hydronic flow divide?
In many hydronic systems, there’s a need to divide the overall system flow into equal streams that pass through several identical components. The physics necessary for this are simple: If the flow resistance of each piping path from a common source point to a common return point is the same, the flow will divide equally. Reverse return piping was developed to help achieve this goal.
Why use the same pipe size for all mains?
In systems with relatively short supply and return mains, the designer may elect to use the same pipe size for all mains. This decreases system head loss, which may , in turn, reduce circulator size. However, it also increases piping cost.
Is reverse return required for radiant panel heating?
Another situation where reverse return is acceptable but not required is a typical manifold station for radiant panel heating circuits, as shown in Figure 7. Graphics credit: John Siegenthaler
Does reverse return piping make sense?
Reverse return piping doesn’t make sense when the distribution system “dead ends,” as shown in Figure 4. Graphics credit: John Siegenthaler
Does reverse return have the same flow rate?
However, just because two or more branches are piped in reverse return does not imply that each branch will operate at the same flow rate. Anything that creates a difference in the flow resistance of the supply or return piping between points where the branches connect will affect branch flow proportions, as would a different type or size of heat emitters in any of the crossovers. A difference in the crossover piping itself (length, type, or size) would also change the flow resistance of that branch relative to the others and thus affect flow proportions. Balancing valves should still be installed in each branch of a reverse return system to “fine tune” the flow rates to their calculated design load values.
