Temperature Limiting - Rinnai 26 HWS

[juan]

My plumber has told me that it is not permitted to rely on the temperature controllers of an instantaneous HWS and that you have to fit a Temperature Limiting device.

I am not sure what he means. I wanted only one 3/4 outlet pipe from the HWS to enter the house and then tee off to the kitchen and laundry. He said this is too dangerous as very hot water could scald someone in the bathroom. He is talking about 2 pipes coming in to the house and the bathroom one being temperature limited.

Is this correct and what are these devices?

Cheers
Juan

[journeyman Mick]

Your plumber is right. They're caled tempering valves and afre requifred on all new installations.

Mick

[juan]

Thanks Mick
Looks like another expense
cheers
Juan

[wonderplumb]

Mate he may be right according to SA code of practice, bear in mind the AS3500 states that a factory pre-set instantaneous heater set at 50degrees is acceptable though you still do need 60degrees at your laundry and kithcen sink to kill bacteria. In saying that I would run hot water to LT and KS branching off to a bathroom and then mounting the tempering valve under the vanity, which would then supply mixed water to your sanitary fixtures. Also gets rid of the ugly mess hangin on the wall under your heater.

[Jedo_03]

we've got the opposite problem
new Rinnai instant ($800) fitted last year (yeah by a plumber - $180 to take the old one off the wall and hang the new one in it's place. No new copper, but I guess he has the upkeep of his pipe wrench to cover...)
Anways... turns out the new Rinnai doesn't have a Summer-Winter controller... burn yer @rse off over last summer - barely warm enough to have a shower now...
ripped off - right, left and centre
Jedo

[juan]

I am interested in your dissatisfation with the Rinnai. What model is it?
Does it have temperature controllers?
I am considering the Rinnai 26 with 2 controllers. One for the Bathroom and one for the kitchen.
Are they a lemon???

The other question is about the limiter being under the vanity unit. What about the bath and shower outlets. Do you mean take the hot water to the vanity and then backtrack to the bath from the limiter?

Cheers
Juan

[Jedo_03]

Hi Juan...
Dunno what model off the top of me head - will go out tomorrow and report back...
As for controllers - yeah it has 2...
the gas stop-cock
and
the water stop-cock
Boiled up 3 soup urns of water tonight so's I could have a soak in the bath...
Jedo

I am interested in your dissatisfation with the Rinnai. What model is it?
Does it have temperature controllers?
I am considering the Rinnai 26 with 2 controllers. One for the Bathroom and one for the kitchen.
Are they a lemon???

The other question is about the limiter being under the vanity unit. What about the bath and shower outlets. Do you mean take the hot water to the vanity and then backtrack to the bath from the limiter?

Cheers
Juan

[juan]

Reminds me of when I was a kid. We had a wood fired copper and bathed every sunday night. Lit a fire and boiled her up and then us 3 boys took it in turns of having a bath. I was the second oldest so got the second go at the water. No clean water just add another bucket of hot water after number one son had finished. Jeez now I think back my little brother drew a short straw bathing last after my older brother and I. I often wondered if older brother did a in the water.

Cheers
Juan

[JohnJohns]

Hey Juan,

I just went through the exact same thing last week. I brought my Bosch 26L/min gas HWS new from eBay and was told because it hadn't been factory set at 50°C I needed to have a tempering valve installed.

The plumber placed it directly near the HWS so all my taps have 50°C water now. I agree that you may need hotter water to the kitchen sink and laundry but in my case the dishwasher heats its own water and we wash our clothes in cold water. The plumber did say that it wouldn't be hard to bypass the kitchen/laundry lines in the future if need be.

I was a bit upset that I had a whizbang HWS that regulated the temperature but I had to stick a tempering valve on it which defeated the purpose. However no-one here can shower with it on 50°C as it is way too hot so I was worrying over nothing.

I got mine installed for $370 and that included the tempering valve and it took the plumber 2.5 hours.

[wonderplumb]

I am interested in your dissatisfation with the Rinnai. What model is it?
Does it have temperature controllers?
I am considering the Rinnai 26 with 2 controllers. One for the Bathroom and one for the kitchen.
Are they a lemon???

The other question is about the limiter being under the vanity unit. What about the bath and shower outlets. Do you mean take the hot water to the vanity and then backtrack to the bath from the limiter?

Cheers
Juan

Thats right mate, run your hot and cold to the vanity, then from the tempering valve run the mixed water around to the shower, bath and dont forget your water points for the vanity itself!

[juan]

Thanks for that I like it.
Obviously there must be no requirement to have tempering on the Laundry and Kitchen?
Am I correct in assuming the tempeing valve will not activate at all if the controller is set to say 42 degrees C ?
Which brand of valve do you recommend?

Cheers
Juan

[wonderplumb]

No because you still require 60degrees for killing bacteria,hich is a bit of a grey area because with a Rinnai heater that comes with controllers, they are already factory preset at 50deg, which deletes the need for a tempering valve and serves the whole house. Am I correct in assuming the heater has 'Preset50' written on it somewhere? As I said it comes down to local law, in NSW you dont need a tempguard with a preset heater, besides for a tempering valve to work correctly, the hot water side has to be above 50deg.

[juan]

I have not actually purchased the unit yet but had planned on the Rinnai 26. I will talk to the local experts in Adelaide about the requirement to fit tempering valve if the unit has a 50C preset limit.

Cheers
Juan

[wonderplumb]

No worries I hope Ive helped some.

[TrevorOwen]

Hi Juan

We have a Rinnai 26 which was installed by a plumber about a year ago. It replaced a gas storage HWS that was located in the laundry. The new unit is now located just outside the bathroom and we have a single controller located very near the bathroom and the kitchen. The Rinnai is factory preset to 50 degrees C and we love it. There is no tempering valve installed. In the morning we just set the temperature to 42 degrees and flick the lever in the shower and away you go, no adjusting taps ever. After, reset back to 50 degrees for the day.

The only disadvantage is that hotter water would be an advantage at the kitchen sink but we now just boil the kettle and use some of the hot water for washing up when needed and some for a tea or coffee.

Regards from Adelaide
Trevor