These expensive towel warmers, such as are made by firms like Myson and Runtal, can be piped up to a domestic hot water heater. Myson shows how at their website.
Does anyone have experience with this? I know it would work, because the temps produced by a DWH are more than adequate. I’m wondering about the controls, timers, etc.
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I broke down and put one of these overpriced units in my house when I built it. It was kind of expensive and I DO live in Florida but the wife loves a hot towel after her bath or shower...and you know when "mammas happy, everyones happy". Even bought the in-wall timer so she can program it to heat up before she goes into the bathroom.
However, I bought the 110v electric one and ran its own home run circuit on a GFCI breaker so I can't help much with the plumbing ones...I do think too much heat from the hot water might be lost in running it through the heater though as it is just a big radiator.
Yeah so I wasn't much help... just wanted to share the story about my towel warmer I guess?
Actually that is helpful info, Mike. Thanks.
What kind of timer setup do you recommend for the electric one, now that you have had it in use?
Programmable? Set for same time or times every day?
Warmup time? Cooldown time?
The coolest looking ones, IMHO, are the Runtal Omnipanels, available in colors. The size 24w x 35h looks about right, and its rating is 700 watts.
I'm wondering what it would do to your electric bill.
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"A stripe is just as real as a dadgummed flower."
Gene Davis 1920-1985
The electric omnipanels are da bomb. I'm sure properly plumbed hydronic ones are, too. But the electric omnipanel is a radiator in and of itself. It provides enough BTUs to heat most of a bath space itself and it heat towels too.
Gene, thats exactly what I have is the Runtal in that size in white. I use their fully digital timer. Adjustable to daydate and specific onoff times. A few different program times I think...not sure as we have set it once and forget it. Usually only use it in the fall and winter here as in the summer the bathroom gets too warm with it on. Timer fits in a dual gang box with its own trim panel.
Fully warms up in about 15 minutes. Hot enough that you really can't keep you hand on it for more than a few seconds. Once off fully cool in about 20-30 minutes.
When used frequently during the winter doesn't seem to affect the bill so much...maybe a few bucks a month? I think becuase in reality the warmer is only one maybe an hour a day?
Have had it installed 7 years with no problems at all.
Well aside from the wife and I fight about whose towel goes on first! LOL
Why did you need a dedicated circuit. The one I have is only about 15 watts and works just fine on the GFCI vanity receptacle circuit.I am really not sure what the advantage of pumping hot water through it would be. It just looks like a point of potential problems to me.This thing would run all the time but I have it on a little plug in the wall timer to come on in the evening for a several hours until after bedtime. It warms the towels and dries them pretty fast (the biggest advantage I see).
Edited 10/27/2009 2:13 am ET by gfretwell
g,
When we built the house and ran all the wiring, the electrician ran a separate circuit for two reasons:
1. It is hard wired so there was no way to run it thru a GFCI plug so I wanted it on a GFCI breaker just for safety as its near the tub and shower.
2. The electrican thought if it was on the same circuit as the rest of the bathroom and it was on while the wife fired up the hair dryer and curling iron it might trip the breaker. He said it probably wouldn't but couldn't be sure. I figured I didn't want to find out a problem after the walls were buttoned up and couldn't do much about it so for the cost of the extra circuit, I went for the extra one.
And yes, I do like the towel drying aspect you mentioned that I forgot about!
M
I understand now that I see they make 750w dryers. You sure would want that in a timer. ;-)
We didn't know we were going to have anything there when I built the bathroom. I just put a receptacle there because I though we might want to plug something in some day.
Why not plumb the domestic hot water supply for the shower through the towel heater? That way the towels can warm up while you are taking your shower.
Gene, I've never done it myself, but I have seen one plumbed to the DHW heater on its own little loop with a small taco pump and a timer for the pump.
It was originally hooked to the RFH system, then the owners discovered that with the RFH not running year-round their towel warmer didn't warm year-round.
Don't know if it helps,but been thinking of installing one for the missus. We have a gravity loop recirculation system for our 1 1/2 story craftsman and I was wondering if I could tap into that loop, since it's running anyways, and if that would be enough heat?
Let's not confuse the issue with facts!