I Love these hydraulic separators

mtfallsmikey

I have been reasearching the Caleffi Hydrolink for an upcoming job. What is your opinion on these?

Jamie_6

This is a neat little job we are wrapping up. The GC busted up all the slab level flooring and we installed radiant heating. Instead of piping everthing P/S we put in this Caleffi. It works extremely well and surprised us all.

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Brad White_9

Mikey, you are joking, right?

Jamie-
Nice endorsement! I like the concept too. Could you expand on what about the performance or the units in general surprised you?

They are an ideal solution to re-heating return water in a ModCon setup.

Is red the official Pompetti backboard color?

Brad

tim smith

Caleffi separator

Jamie, what size of tap on top of it is there for air vent, those mini vents just don't hold up for us so we like to use the Hoffman 79s if we can't use a spirovent or power vent. If it's an 1/8" then we can't really put on a 79. Thanks, Tim

ScottMP

I have been reading up on these

The concept makes perfect sense. In our applicatiosn they have worked flawlessly .

Here's the question ...... WHY SO FRIGGIN EXSPENSIVE ???

A 2" Calleffi is REALLY expesive ( trying not to talk price here ). Its a Chamber with tappings ?? Half the price and I would have No Problem but ... Come On !!

Scott

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Jamie_6

Well, I understand "in theory" how they work, but was hesitant if it really would.

It was just really surprising @ start up that you could actually hold your hand in all the different locations and feel the "mix" taking place.

They are a bit pricey put someone has to pay for R & D.

We painted the board red on this one because someone else had put in a Solaris and we wanted to match it!


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GW

the suspense is killing me, what do they cost.

gary@wilsonph.com

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Dirty Hands Dale_2

calleffi

I went to Calleffi's website a few weeks ago and they have an animated clip of how the seporators work.

They also have the Sepcoll(sp)? It works on the same principle , but is installed as a manifold for the circulator pumps.

Tombig_2

Calleffi

They have a microbubble screen at the top tappings for air dispersion assist. No need for a spirovent. I made a hydraulic seperator out of copper a few years back as a retrofit to some flow problems on a job and it cured the problem. HotRod posted some pics of a homemade one with screen a while back.

Check out the hydrolink video to see how/why they work

http://www.caleffi.us/caleffi/en_US/Site/Products/Product_videos/index.sdo

J.C.A._3

From what I've read....

Hydraulic, "seperation", Air elimination and filtering of the solids from the main feed,is the big advantage.

My reading insinuates a "large space, with which to accomplish" all these tasks..with fewer parts.

Is it worth the price (?) I'd be banking on a... larger the pipe, the bigger the payback scenerio. Especially if you're running to larger black pipe."Getting rid of the rust goes a long way to resolving flow problems!", and will spot weak pionts in short order.Maybe I'm wrong, but even the first 2 points are worth the price of admission. JCA

Cosmo_3

$ relief PLEASE

I would like to use the Caleffi hydraulic separators on a lot of my jobs, it is just that they are like Scott says "SO FRIGGIN EXSPENSIVE ???"

I am sure they are worth the bucks, and have used them on a few jobs already. But the price is a little steep to use on the average boiler job unfortunately. I guess I am just afraid to say "it is this way or the highway"

Cosmo

scott w.

explaination

Would any one like to give a short explanation on this product? Some of us lurkers haven't a clue as to what we seeing in this picture. Where is the boiler located?
What does this product do that you don't pipe p/s?

Much thanks,

Always learnin

Unknown

got my first

Got my "first" education on this product from the "2nd" magazine with this month P&M magazine... And I learned ahellvalot from it!!

Tombig_2

Hydraulic Seperator--P/S

While I certainly am not as learned as some of the regulars at this site I will do my best to explain it's function. S.H.,it acts as not much more than a primary-secondary tie point between the primary and secondary pumping circuits. The boiler water pumps in and out one side and the heating circuits pump through the other side. In effect it IS the P/S connection. With its larger volume it provides a better flow mix between the circuits depending on the zone(s)demand than closely spaced tees. The Viessmann low loss header is basically the same thing as I see it. I'm sure it's a pricey upgrade to the Vitodens boiler but they recommend it in multiple zoned secondary circuits in order to maintain the integrity of flow through the boiler.

To us on this side of the pond it does seem like a lot of fluff for the expense. It's a rare thing in this day and age when any product comes out and we say, "Gee, I could build it for less than I can buy it.", but this is sort of true in this case. Piped as drawn its an optimum location for air elimination at it's top, especially with a microbubble absorber screen in the hot water stream from top boiler tap. It'll see any air from the boiler side or the secondary circuit side.

As I've yet to sell a Viessmann, I'm curious as to the cost of their low loss header. If a low loss header is required or recommended, would a contractor opt for an "installer designed" replacement to save a few bucks after installing the Bentley of boilers. I think not. With the price of copper now the large tees and bell reducers needed to build one, with the labor involved, not to mention the screen, might just barely offset the Caleffi's seemingly prohibitive cost.

Done rambling...TG

ALH_4

Low Loss Headers

In my opinion, the benefit of Caleffi's Hydraulic Separator and Viessmann's Low Loss Header is that they allow the fliud to slow down at the point of connection of the boiler and system loops. This provides a perfect spot for air elimination and settling of some sediment as well as the ideal location for connection of the expansion tank.

scott w.

explanation

I assume the device is the the item that looks like a fire extinguisher mounted on the board?

Thanks for the explanation. Always learn something new on this site.

bob_50

Tombig

That video is far more informative than I expected. Thank you for posting it. bob

Steamhead (in transit)

\"Solaris\"?

you mean Solaia, the Biasi-based boiler that the Boyertown Furnace people market? We like them too.

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ScottMP

Thats the one

I read, and your right, very informative.

Still $$$$

Scott

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hr

Why not the sweat version, Jamie?

that would save bucks, assembly btime, and potential leak points.

hot rod

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Jim Pompetti

I didn't know they had one!

Jimbo_5

Instead of P/S piping?

As I understand it, it seems that this device can be used instead of P/S piping. Am I reading this correctly? Or does it merely function between the P/S piping?

brucewo1b

Yes Jimbo

Youb are correct it is the P/S piping basiccally