Posted by omero Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:35am PDT
I had once heard that buildings in Vienna (Austria) were circulating the heating water several meters deep down the ground in winter. It's said that the temperature is much warmer than the ground. But here is where we have another problem: In the last couple of years the world including the rich countries and the developing countries (like mine, Turkey) has built and still keeps on building millions of houses just to make the "financial invenstment" system go further. Now the question is: How many of those newly built houses employ those energy & environment saving technologies? Very little to none, constrained maybe within only the most luxirious one. So we have a problem other than technological one. And it's the structure of the world economics itself.
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Posted by vpete12345 Thu Mar 26, 2009 3:20pm PDT
The heat exchanger will become progressively warmer as it's used. This may cause some people to wait for the water temperature to stabilize. The effect will be that the water gets hotter and hotter so you may have to readjust the mixing as you shower. May want to include a bypass from the HWH to 'prime' the heat exchgr. Good idea. Love saving energy. Also, even in cold climates solar heating of water can take some load off the HWH.
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Posted by lucy 2005 Fri Mar 27, 2009 4:06pm PDT
nice but i am not going to take a cold shower that is out of the quishen i will not take a cold shower
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Posted by alisonj Sat Mar 28, 2009 5:11pm PDT
What if I want a cold glass of water?
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Posted by Hans Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:19pm PDT
Have I entered a parallel universe where nobody reads and comments in context? @omero: EcoDrain is one of many small steps we need to take toward sustainability. Yes, every step pales in comparison to the misguided social structures that encourage sprawl, but they're still worth taking. @vpete12345: Thermostatic faucets that regulate temperature are commonplace and solve the "waiting for stable" problem (helping reduce HWH load even alone). @lucy 2005: No one is asking you to take a cold shower. Did you even read the article? @str8entertainment: uhm, WTF? Settle down, fix your grammar, and try to engage in a discussion. It will be more effective than a monologue rant. @vanschick1: then you'll use your sink, that isn't hooked up to the shower's water feed.
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Posted by b_richman Fri Apr 3, 2009 8:04pm PDT
What an amazingly simple, yet ingenious idea! I may have to get one of those. I'm planning on building a solar-heated greenhouse soon, and had also considered running the hot water from our shower drain through a radiator in the greenhouse to help heat it in the winter; maybe I'll do both. :-)
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Posted by pie_thy_name_is_me Sun Apr 5, 2009 9:29pm PDT
Why title it as, "Stop pouring hot water down the drain!" when this is something that is a partial remedy?
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Posted by cosanostra1800 Mon Apr 6, 2009 9:40pm PDT
too many obstacles and imperfect technology. I have read of how they heat water in Europe and how water can be hot or cold when being dispensed from a water cooler. The water is forced through a copper tube that is either heated or cooled and then comes out that way. WAY LESS ENERGY required then with water heaters in use..
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Posted by tiera Mon Apr 6, 2009 9:48pm PDT
hmmm
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Posted by Jacob Tue Apr 7, 2009 5:04am PDT
waste of money. get a tankless water heater with your money...and save a LOT more money than this gadget.
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Posted by Ideaman Fri Sep 25, 2009 3:37pm PDT
You can run the cold water line up the inside of the drain pipe thus creating your own. Its been done for years. Its better if you create a deep trap so the water supply line stays in contact with the water in the drain for a longer period of time.
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Posted by gypsy2nd Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:46pm PDT
they are just water heaters,not hot water heaters.if the water is hot it doesnt need heating
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