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Do "smart" tap systems exist? Here's what I'm imagining: * instead of a tap being a valve that opens or closes, relieving or building pressure, a tap is a switc
by edmundhuber 9y ago
Do "smart" tap systems exist? Here's what I'm imagining:
* instead of a tap being a valve that opens or closes, relieving or building pressure, a tap is a switch that signals..
* to the "smart manifold" that it should start pumping water (hot or cold) to that output.
* if the tap is shut off, the water is sucked back out of that piping and recycled.
So then you would have instant hot or cold water, instead of any mixing at all.
Here are some reasons why this is a dumb idea:
* can't handle branching,
* pipe networks have "welling points" where water will simply remain by gravity, and no pumping will get it out.
Has anyone tried something similar?
- koolba 9y agoCheck out recirculating systems. It’s a similar idea. The modern ones have timers to run approximately when you’ll be using the hot water (ex: before morning shower).
- oh_sigh 9y agoPlease don't get a recirculating system, even a smart recirculating system, if you care about the energy efficiency of your home.
- koolba 9y agoIt’s a trade off of power for water. If your house is entirely local solar what’s the issue?
- GridOps 9y ago> "If your house is entirely local solar what’s the issue?" That is a big "if"...
- amluto 9y agoPlease do, but use an actual smart one. It should turn on when you start using hot water and turn off once it warms up the loop. These exist but are bizarrely hard to find.
- userbinator 9y agoThe point of recirculating hot water is to preheat the pipes so the water is always immediately hot out of the tap, so turning it on just when you start using hot water sort of defeats the point.
- amluto 9y agoNot really. You’ll still get the hot water there considerably faster.
- oh_sigh 9y agoPeople don't want air shooting out of their faucet for 5-10 seconds before water starts to come out, even if the water is the perfect temperature then. For this system to work every faucet would need an air valve out of the way that could vent the pipes before water started coming through.
- jakewins 9y agoPumps are not good at stopping and starting. They like to start, run for at least a few minutes, and then stop. Each stop/start cycle adds wear to the pump, as the components inside it are at peak strain and friction when they speed up and slow down. Forcing a pump cycle each time someone opens a faucet would cause a lot of maintenance. This is why wells have pressure tanks, to allow the well pump to run longer cycles, building up pressure to be released over time in the tank. There's a second issue in that pipes don't like to be empty: exposing hot and humid surfaces to free air is a bad combination.
- DannyBee 9y agoThe stop/start issue is true, but this is also an easily solvable problem. Variable speed dc pumps are a complete commodity at this point. You see them on geothermal systems, etc. It's just the recirculation folks are lazy AF.
- AstralStorm 9y agoThat depends on the kind of pump. Centrifugal pumps are perfectly fine with start/stop cycles and back pressure, though not with air.
- dmckeon 9y agoHere is an "under sink" re-circulation device, instead of the "whole house" approach. Basically, put a thermocouple, solenoid-driven valve, small pump, and a coupling between the hot and cold water supplies in an under-sink cabinet at (usually) the most remote lavatory sink in the house. When hot water is wanted, the pump pushes cooled water from the hot side into the cold side, and eventually out into the hot water heater's cold water intake. The same flow at the pump pulls hot water from the heater to the sink, and the pump shuts off and closes the connecting valve when hot water arrives at the connection. No water lost, no re-circ except when wanted. Use the sink to set-up to bring hot water near to the shower. Locate or repeat as needed if you have multiple "cold" bathroom or kitchen locations. The reverse flow thru the cold water piping is, uhm, counter-intuitive, but appears to work. https://www.amazon.com/Laing-LHB08100092-AutoCirc-Recirculation-Timer/dp/B0046MDAK0 https://www.amazon.com/Laing-LHB08100092-AutoCirc-Recirculat...