Local Supply House Poo-Pooing Phoenix/HTP

[pollymath]

I went to my local supply house, a major company here in Arizona, asking about the HTP Versa-Hydro.

I've currently got an 11-year old DHW that needs replaced ASAP, and a 20 year old commercial HWH. Both are pretty inefficient.

My local government is giving rebates and incentives to update to high efficient appliances, and bigger incentives to go all-electric, although our winter time temps are in the teens or lower most nights. We're at high elevation (7000ft) and get a good amount of snow every year (or at least we should).

Anyways, the local supply house, who can source an HTP product for me, basically said "you don't one, they are hard to get parts for, and we can never talk to anyone at the company."

I will likely try to DIY with help from a designer (McGrath), but if I get out of my depth, I'd like someone local to be able to assist. All of the local plumber and HVAC companies LOVE Navien, but I'd prefer not to do an indirect tank, or rely solely on a tankless combi-boiler.

Anyone have any issue with supports or parts sourcing from HTP?

 

[Fitter30]

Don't know anything about this heater except that it is a condensing boiler and has a 5/1 turn down. Condensing boilers to get their high efficiency need to have return water temperature below 130* above that temp 85% efficient.
also there is only one rep in the state in Phoenix J&B Sales.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Dana]

I live only an hour drive from HTP headquarters, so my level of local support is probably a lot better than in a random SW city where the local distributor doesn't seem to be able to get tech-support on the phone. The Versa Hydro is a mature product- it has been out there for at least a decade, but I don't have any direct experience with it. With minimal to no local product support it's probably worth going with something else.

Can you articulate why you are reluctant to go with an indirect and a Navien boiler, given the local enthusiasm/support for Navien?

 

[pollymath]

It's my understanding that the big knock against the Navien is it's minimal turn-down, and of course, everyone seems to prefer an indirect tank setup with a boiler. However, now Navien offers a 11-1 turndown, so they've got that figured out, and they have plenty of documentation on setting them up with an indirect tank (although the guys I've talked with don't see the point.)

 

[Dana]

It's my understanding that the big knock against the Navien is it's minimal turn-down, and of course, everyone seems to prefer an indirect tank setup with a boiler. However, now Navien offers a 11-1 turndown, so they've got that figured out, and they have plenty of documentation on setting them up with an indirect tank (although the guys I've talked with don't see the point.)

An NHB-80 (an appropriate solution for 19 out of 20 homes in the US) has a 10:1 turndown ratio (as has been the case for getting on to a decade), with a minimum fire output of about 7600 BTU/hr, well UNDER the minimum firing ratio of ANY whole-house combi boiler.

Only the bigger NHBs have 11:1 (or higher) turn down. The current version of the NHB-150 modulates between 10K- 150K, a 15:1 ratio, higher than in earlier years.

 

[pollymath]

I did hear back from J&B Sales in Phoenix. They weren't happy that their local retailers were talking shit on one of their favorite manufacturers.

I do like the idea that the HTP Versa-Hydro has the indirect tank for both heating units directly attached to it.