How to Install a Hot Water Booster to a Boiler

A normal heater provides hot water at temperature 120 degrees to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. A hot water temperature booster is installed after the conventional water heater to raise the temperature of preheated water to or above 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Hot water for dish washing must be at temperature around 180 degrees Fahrenheit to provide sanitation in the kitchen. A booster also helps remove food residue effectively. Installing a booster is not a complicated task, but needs some technical know-how and a little hard work.

Things You'll Need

• Water heater booster
• Adjustable wrenches
• Teflon tape
• 3/4-inch nipples
• 3/4-inch unions
• 3/4-inch ball valve
• 3/4-inch tee
• Temperature and pressure gauge
• Pressure reducing valve
• Temperature and pressure relief valve
• Drain valve
• Shock absorber
• Flexible pipe fitting

Instructions

1. Install a nipple on the hot water outlet of the primary water heater and tighten with an adjustable wrench. Fix a ball-valve on the nipple. Wrap Teflon tape at least twice around all the connecting ends of the pipe fittings.

2. Install a nipple on the hot water outlet of the primary water heater and tighten with an adjustable wrench. Fix a ball-valve on the nipple. Wrap Teflon tape at least twice around all the connecting ends of the pipe fittings.

3. Install a union on the other opening of the nipple connected to the pressure reduction valve. Fix another nipple on the union. Unscrew the union into two halves: one half fixed to the pressure reduction valve and the other free with the nipple attached to it.

4. Fit a tee on the booster inlet opening by a nipple. Out of the three openings in the tee, the opening perpendicular to the other two openings should be fixed to the nipple joined to the booster.

5. Fix the free half of the union to the left opening of the tee. Bring both the halves of the union close enough to be joined together by moving the booster. Connect the halves with the wrench.

6. Fit a drain valve on the third opening of the tee with the wrench.

7. Connect a union to the booster outlet opening through a nipple. Use another nipple to connect a temperature and pressure gauge with the union.

8. Fit a nipple to the other opening of the gauge. Connect a shock absorber to the other end of the nipple.

9. Make the final duct for the outlet by connecting a nipple to the shock absorber. Join the nipple with the dish water inlet opening through a flexible pipe of appropriate length.

10. Install a temperature and pressure safety relief valve through a nipple on the safety valve opening in the booster. Tighten the valve and nipple with wrench.

11. Consult an electrician for installing the electrical connections of the booster.

Tips & Warnings

• Wrap the Teflon tape on all the joining ends on all connecting ends of fittings to prevent leaks.

• Set the inlet water temperature to 140 degrees Fahrenheit for feeding the booster.

• Set the booster thermostat to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Adjust the pressure by the pressure reduction valve to 20 psi or to the level recommended by the manufacturer.

References

• Allied Engineering Company: Installation Manual for Electric Hot Water Heater Boosters
• Hubbell Heaters: Operating and Maintenance Manual for Electric Booster Heater
• Hatco Corporation: Electric Booster Water Heaters Installation & Operating Manual
• U.S. Department of Energy: Reduce Hot Water Use for Energy Savings