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Wireless Cascading Meets the Most Demanding Water Heating Needs

January 2, 2024
Wireless Cascading Meets the Most Demanding Water Heating Needs

Need to satisfy large space heating or domestic hot water demand? The Rheem® ThermaForce super high efficiency whole home heating solution includes unique, first to market wireless cascading capabilities. Thanks to this innovative technology, you can easily meet high demand space and water heating needs in larger homes. Read on to find out how wireless cascading works and unlock ultimate flexibility and reliability.

Key Features and Benefits

Wireless cascading

Wireless cascading offers multiple benefits:

Flexible Configuration – You can wireless cascade up to eight boilers, combi boilers or tankless water heaters to work together.

Communicate with Radio Frequency (RF) – Wi-Fi isn’t required. The system uses radio frequency to communicate wirelessly and eliminates the need for communication cables. In fact, wireless communication occurs over the 900Mhz frequency band used for landline cordless phones and walkie talkies. It also uses radio frequency to balance workload of each unit for longer life and improved efficiency.

Improves System Efficiency and Life – Advanced modulation and redundancy operates multiple units at low fire instead of one unit at high fire.

Saves Installation Time – Eliminates proprietary communication cables.

Easy to Scale – Size and add units later when demand increases.

U.S. Market Exclusive Condensing Combi-to-Combi Cascading – ThermaForce is the only combi boiler condensing product that can be cascaded for both space heating and domestic hot water.

Setting Up Wireless Cascading

How do you set up wireless cascading? You can adjust parameters on each unit’s touchscreen display panel. The designated primary unit activates and deactivates other units to maintain the space heating or domestic hot water outlet temperature setpoint. Cascade unit firing order is based on hours of operation and helps equalize all units’ runtime. The primary unit controls all units in the cascaded system.

The Rheem ThermaForce Combi Boiler Cascade Sequence

A combi boiler cascade system has the unique ability to be cascaded in three ways: space heating, domestic hot water, or both space heating and domestic hot water. The combi boiler can also be cascaded with boilers for applications with higher space heating demands or with tankless water heaters for applications with higher domestic hot water demands. Domestic hot water demands have priority over space heating demands, but any units not required to meet the domestic hot water demand can continue to operate for space heating.

Space Heating – When a call for space heating is received, the primary boiler will activate. The primary unit modulates fuel input to maintain space heating temperature set point with optimal efficiency. If the primary unit approaches its maximum firing rate, the second unit will activate. The primary unit will continue to add secondary units as necessary to meet the demand. Combi boilers will continue to respond to domestic hot water demands and return to cascade operation once the domestic hot water demand ends.

Domestic Hot Water – Opening a hot water faucet activates the primary unit. The second unit will warm up by firing the burner for 5 to 10 seconds in case it may be required to meet domestic hot water demand. If the primary unit approaches its maximum firing rate to meet the demand, the second unit will activate and the third unit will warm up. Combi boilers not operating for domestic hot water will continue to respond to space heating demands and return to cascade operation once the space heating demand ends.

Both Space Heating and Domestic Hot Water – When a hot water faucet is opened and a space heating call is received, the primary unit is activated. If the primary unit approaches its maximum firing rate, the second unit will activate. The primary unit will continue to add secondary units as necessary to meet the demand. Domestic hot water calls have priority over space heating calls, but any units not required for domestic hot water can continue space heating operation.

Keep the Hot Water Flowing

Say hello to simplicity and flexibility in faster and easier installations, boost hot water performance and keep the hot water flowing with wireless cascading.

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