Hot water usage

[Charlie]

I couldn't help but notice a comment in another post about how the store profiled in the new Journal must be short of hot water since they only have one Natco unit.

I have Wascomat Emerald series in my new (8 month) store. I do about $3.5 - $4k per week in coin business, with 16 W75ES, 12 W125ES, 3 W 185ES, and 1 W245ES. I price at the top of the local market for a cold wash (1.75, 3.00, 4.50, 6.50) plus .25 more for any cycle with hot water (hot, warm, PP).

Some customers complained early on, but I explain that hot water is one of the most expensive items to produce in a laundromat and this way only the people who want to use hot water have to pay for it. They invariably say "That makes sense" and never mention it again.

I have 2 HE270 Hamilton heaters, 270K BTU each with a 230 gallon storage tank, circulated of course. I alternate every 3 months, with the primary heater set at 125 and the secondary at 120.

I was curious about the actual usage of each heater, so I added Hour meters to the system to record their actual usage (wired into the thermostat). I have been very surprised by the low use. I am averaging about 2 hours per day on the primary, and the secondary almost never cuts on, less than 1 hour per week. I figure my hot water cost is about $37 - $40 per week for hot water at .90 per therm (OK, this doesn't count the pilots). My overall gas bill is about $900 per month. I have 15 TD3030 Wasco stacks and 2 50 lb dryers.

My other laundromat is propane and non-comparable in too many ways. How do these numbers stack up to your usage?

Thanks
Charlie

[Howard]

Your numbers sound right. I have wasomats - 12@18#, 7@35#, 4@50# and 2@75# and have two Natco Super-E units that are 199,000 BTU/HR each and each contain 80 gallons of storage. They are set 5 degrees apart like yours and circulate to balance the tanks. It is only during peak times that I see both run. The thing is that with these big washers that we both have you need a lot of surge capability because you can draw a lot of hot water at a time. When a 75# wash draws it wants roughly 30 gallons of hot water for a fill.

[JSVLaundry]

As per my other post "Gas or Oil?", I may be looking into replacing my old oilr boiler to gas now that my gas company is running promotions for rebates.

I am currently running 15 18# & 3 25# front load Wascomats. They are actually 18-19 years old. I am lucky with them since they only cost me approx. $100 - $150 per month for maintenance (I do most of the fixing myself along with one attendant).

If I go ahead with the change, what configuration should I look for. What size boiler & tank? I don't want the gas company trying to slip a fast one on me by setting up a less than adequete boiler so that I use more gas.

In the future, within the next 8 - 12 months, I would like to setup commercial washing. I have room for 2 washers & 2 dryers in the rear of my store. I would remove 2 18# machines from the front, put them in the back and replace them with 1 50# machine since there is a demand in my store for washing blankets, rugs, etc. I would like to figure this in when I have the boiler sized but I read that I need 140 degree water for commercial vs. 120 degree water for my store. Or, would I have to set up a booster?

Vinny

[Charlie]

JSVLaundry -

I've mentioned this earlier, but I have been impressed by the willingness of Hamilton Engineering to provide support for the two used units I had purchased. When a company does this for a customer who has never purchased from them, that says something for their integrity.

I don't know your planned budget. Hamilton can compute your expected need with some software they have, and will probably do so for free, along with a recommendation for some of their equipment. If you want new equipment, everyone seems to like the Natco unit. Check out Coinwash.com's bulletin board for the location of the company that makes the high efficiency units for both Natco and Hamilton. You may be able to buy one better direct.

Personally, I'm a cheap SOB. I'd check out the ads in the back of the Journal for a good used or repossessed Hamilton HE series unit of about 200K with a decent storage tank of about 200 gallons. You should be fine.

[Mark_Howlett]

JVS -
Depending on your clientele, and how many of your washers are running on the "hot" setting you will need 200,000 to 250,000 BTU output. The efficiency rating of the heater will determine the input. A 119 gallon storage tank is sufficient, and because it's under 120 gal, isn't required to be ASME rated, so it is much less expensive.

As far as two temperatures go, there are a few possibilities. Set your water heater nat 140, and use a mixing valve to reduce it to 120 for the coin store. Careful, though, mixing valves are expensive and require continuous maintenance. You could simply raise your temperature output to 140 when you're doing commercial business. Or, with the right chemicals, you may be able to keep your temp at 120 - consult with EcoLab, or someone in the business. Good Luck.