Water heater with passive automatic hot water circulation through a home or building

A pumpless water recirculation assembly for convective recirculation of water through a water circuit to a water heater;

• said water heater having a cold water inlet and a hot water outlet;
• said water circuit having a hot water supply line, a cold water supply line, and a hot water recirculation line connected to the hot water supply line, comprising:
• a body having an interior chamber;
• an outlet portion coupled to the interior chamber and threadably connectable to the cold water inlet of the tank;
• a first inlet portion coupled to the chamber and sealably connectable to the cold water line;
• a plurality of hot water return inlets coupled to the chamber and sealably connectable to the recirculation line(s) such that at least a segment of the recirculation line is disposed vertically above the water heater, each hot water return inlet having a flow control valve therein configured to allow hot water to flow in one direction from the recirculation line into the chamber and to block water flow in a reverse direction from the chamber through the hot water return inlet;
• and
• a cover member connectable to the tank to define an interior area and configured to contain at least a portion of the body within the interior area, the cover having a first opening in alignment with the first inlet and a second opening in alignment with the hot water return inlet;
• wherein the water recirculation assembly is installable in the water circuit to provide a substantially continuous flow of return hot water driven by convection forces in the water circuit without the benefit of a recirculation pump.

A continuous hot water supply system connectable to a water supply line and to a flow circuit having a hot water supply line, and a hot water return line connected to the hot water supply line, comprising:

• a water heating assembly coupled to the water supply line, wherein at least a portion of the water supply line extends from the water heating assembly;
• a reservoir remote from the water heating assembly and positioned to receive heated water from the water heating assembly, the reservoir having a first inlet and a first outlet, the first outlet being connectable to the hot water supply line;
• and
• a circulation device in fluid communication with the reservoir, the circulation device having a second inlet connectable to the water supply line to receive water therefrom, the circulation device having a second outlet in fluid connection with at least one of the water heating assembly and the reservoir, the circulation device having at least one return inlet connectable to the hot water return line and configured to allow a substantially continuous flow of return hot water therethrough driven by convection forces without the benefit of a recirculation pump, and a valve connected to the return inlet and being moveable between open and closed positions, the valve in the open position allowing recirculated hot water to flow into the chamber from the return line, and the valve in the closed position blocking water from flowing from the chamber through the return line.