Water Heater / Valve Question ???

[bfuller83]

Howdy everyone!  New here and newish to burning wood for heat.  I bought a house about 5 years ago that came with a CB 5036.  I have been burning every winter since.  I have the side arm style water to water exchanger and a water to air mounted in my forced air furnace.  A couple years ago I built a 30x40 pole building I am using as a garage that required me to move the CB.  While it was down I ran water lines thru the garage to feed a heater in there in the future.  Enough back story on to my questions.  :D

My electric water heater died.  It is nearly 15 years old and I think there is a controller problem with it.  Due to its age i have decided it is probably best to replace it instead of trying to fix it, even though it isn't leaking, yet.  I am wondering what is the best water heater replacement to adapt to use with the side arm style exchanger?  I have been doing research for a couple days now and it appears that what I have is possibly not hooked up in the most efficient way.  I say this because the top side of the exchanger dumps into the top of the water heater not the side.  From what I have found that could cause its natural convection to be interrupted and not work very well.  So to the point...what water heaters work the best for this application?

The second part of this is I would like to burn all year round but there currently isn't a way to valve off the furnace exchanger(so I can use the a/c).  I have been looking for 3 way valves and wonder if I am just over thinking this issue.  Can I just install a shut off on the input and output of the furnace exchanger and put in a "T" on each side of it before the valve in the pex?  Thanks in advanced for any advice!

[gasman1075]

The are lots of indirect waters heaters available from plumbing supply stores my favorite was Superstore with 3/4 in and out on the sides and a lifetime warranty. If you send a picture of the hot water coil on the furnace I can diagram how to valve it with a bypass or you can add zone valves and do it remotely. Personally I would just install the necessary ball vales to isolate the coil  and then just remember to turn them back on in the fall. I added a separate water heater ( LP wall hung ) for the shoulder months  and spring and summer vs. running my wood boiler just to heat up a 40 gallon indirect water heater. It was less expensive as well. If you going with a wall hung water heater make sure you have your water tested before you buy it. They are all very sensitive to hardness and poor quality and also require a minimum pressure to operate properly.

https://www.rinnai.us/gas-water-heating/catalog

http://www.htproducts.com/superstor-ultra-waterheater.html

Jack