Indirect as holding tank

[fsteyer]

Hi, I have an indirect "left over" from a job. In my house I have a gas fired water heater. My question is can I use the indirect just as an holding tank piped in with the gas water heater. Or is the only way (I'm pretty sure it would be the best way) to put on an additional zone on my boiler for the indirect.
Just trying to be lazy and since I already have the gas water heater I'm wondering.... A "loop" would be easier than an entire new zone
Thanks in advance for not trashing a carpenter... LOL

 

[Dana]

If you're talking about plumbing the heat exhanger in series with high-temp radiation and the potable side in series with your other water heater, using the indirect as a pre-heater that can work. Depending on the duty cycle and temperature of the heating system it could end up doing the lion's share of the water heating during the heating season.

But if your other water heater is an atmospheric standalone it's efficiency drop precipitiously since it's firing duty cycle is low, and it's standby losses pretty high. If you're looking for more capacity the indirect as pre-heater will work (for 8 months out of the year, in VT), but if you're looking for EFFICIENCY doing it this way is a net negative, whereas de-commisioning the standalone tank and setting up the indirect as a zone would be a net benefit, and still serve up more hot water than the standalone tank.

 

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[fsteyer]

Man, thanks so much for your time giving this in depth answer