# Commercial Rinnai w/ storage tank...



## Jklsr55 (Sep 8, 2010)

I have heard of people using an electric water heater in place of a regular storage tank. Does anyone have any insight on this. Are the threads on the element a nominal IPS thread? Or do they just leave the elements in place and pipe it from the top? I do not want to use the power on the water heater. I just need a static storage tank. 

Thoughts?


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

Jklsr55 said:


> I have heard of people using an electric water heater in place of a regular storage tank. Does anyone have any insight on this. Are the threads on the element a nominal IPS thread? Or do they just leave the elements in place and pipe it from the top? I do not want to use the power on the water heater. I just need a static storage tank.
> 
> Thoughts?


Depending on placement, you may want to have power run to it.


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## Catlin987987 (Nov 12, 2010)

Gettinit said:


> Depending on placement, you may want to have power run to it.


People do it all the time, Leave the elements in but not wired up. Have the Tanks Tstat control the pump


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## Jklsr55 (Sep 8, 2010)

Moot point fellas... City inspector won't allow elec wh in a commercial application. I was wondering about that... Thanks as always folks!


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## Catlin987987 (Nov 12, 2010)

Jklsr55 said:


> Moot point fellas... City inspector won't allow elec wh in a commercial application. I was wondering about that... Thanks as always folks!


Don't they have commercial Eletric tanks?


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

They make commercial storage tanks,

But they cost 3 times as much as using the residential water heater


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## Jklsr55 (Sep 8, 2010)

The reason they do not allow a elec wh in a commercial application is "the water heater is not a listed storage device". I asked him if I installed just the elec water heater would it be legal and he said yes??? Weird how it is listed when installed alone but to use it as a storage tank it isn't? 

Any thoughts?


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

Catlin987987 said:


> People do it all the time, Leave the elements in but not wired up. Have the Tanks Tstat control the pump


Yes I am sure its done. My concern was sandwiching. Many will use it as a buffer/storage in conjunction with a recirc. Tankless with a storage tank would require one hell of a pump. If the demand is minimal you are better off wiring the electric heater.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

The reason is because commercial tanks have to be built to A.S.M.E. Standards that means triple welding on all the joints, and other things like that to be rated
commercial :thumbsup:


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## CaptainBob (Jan 3, 2011)

If it gets to the point that you need a storage tank along with the tankless, aren't you defeating the point of having a tankless? (I do understand the cold water sandwich.) However, I've heard of some applications with tankless requiring a large storage tank...then why not just go with a tank type heater?


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

CaptainBob said:


> If it gets to the point that you need a storage tank along with the tankless, aren't you defeating the point of having a tankless? (I do understand the cold water sandwich.) However, I've heard of some applications with tankless requiring a large storage tank...then why not just go with a tank type heater?


It doesn't matter you need something to heat the water ..


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## CaptainBob (Jan 3, 2011)

OldSchool said:


> It doesn't matter you need something to heat the water ..


Yep I understand...I'm thinking with the cost to install a tankless as well as a storage tank you might be better of just putting in a single tank water heater....depending how much gpm of hot water you need, of course...


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## Ghostmaker (Jan 12, 2013)

He needs a storage tank if he is installing a recirculating line.


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## Rcplumber (Feb 27, 2011)

If your are us rinnia a tankless don't need a storage tank to hold water in rinnis u just and a rec board to it the run the pump controls off of it


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