Upgrading to Trinity Ti150 Boiler Question

Greg_40

I've installed a few in similar situations to yours. We designed the piping at the near boiler network to allow us to close off the boiler and flush out the old system with a couple of well-placed valves, drain valve, etc. Somewhat like a loop for a water softener bypass network. I don't have capability here to post diagrams, but with a little thought and a hand full of fittings & valves, it can be done. I used Webstone Isolator valves with drain ports to accomplish part of the flushing network. I also install a strainer with isolating valves on these systems to catch any debris that may break loose or not get flushed away. The valves allow access to the filter for preventative maintenance cleaning.

Mark Simpson

Upgrading to Trinity Ti150 Boiler Question

I have an older home (early 1900's) with older hot water radiators which I would like to continue to use for a couple of reasons; lower water temps needed & ease of new installation. I understand that using PEX to replace older iron pipes is OK and would like to go that route. I intend to add a new Trinity Ti150 gas boiler and bring a single heating loop online first which will only consists of a simple baseboard setup in a newly renovated kitchen (old radiator was removed) and then gradually add new zones (the existing radiators on the first floor) as time permits. Time is an issue. My gas line was installed two days ago and I need to have a functioning heating system within 60 days or I have to pay for the line install adding $2000 to my project. I am a DIY'er but have a brother that is a heating contractor to sign off the install.

My current system is a hodge-podge of radiators downstairs and baseboard upstairs. I would like to know what would be a recommended course of action to plumb a single loop but leave room to grow when time allows. Eventually I will dismantle the older oil boiler completely.

Does anyone have experience using new condensing boilers with older radiators and baseboard? I had intended to drop all the older iron piping and replace it with 3/4"-1" PEX, use a manifold type setup with zone valves or pumps.

Any advice would be great! Feel free to be as critical as you want, I am trying not to jump into an area that I have limited knowledge. I certainly can run most of the loops and do most of the setup but will defer to my brother for final connect and sigh off for warranty reasons.

Thanks!

Guy_6

TI 150

I don't forsee you having any problem providing you follow the near boiler piping diagrams supplied with the boiler. I would definitely put a good strainer on the system to protect the boiler from any debris disturbed from the radiators.

Mark Simpson

I would like to somehow purge the old radiators and get rid of any crap that is floating around in the system. The water in the one radiator I did remove for the kitchen remodel smelled very badly. Is there an effective method to flush out old fluids without having to move the radiators (they are heavy)? As I said in my post I intend to plumb with new 1" PEX.

Mark Simpson

I would like to somehow purge the old radiators and get rid of any crap that is floating around in the system. The water in the one radiator I did remove for the kitchen remodel smelled very badly. Is there an effective method to flush out old fluids without having to move the radiators (they are heavy)? As I said in my post I intend to plumb with new 1" PEX.

Unknown

why 1\"?

unless the individual rads are quite massive I would pipe your system using 1/2" pex in a home run/manifold system like you would do an infloor radiant system. most older systems were overpumped with much larger sized pipe than neccesary.

jalcoplumb_2

Done many such conversions.

The following pictures are from one such job. 1/2" pex is perfect for this. I adapted to the existing second floor risers at the basement level.

I did a heat-loss and reduced the boliler size from the old monster that had been installed previously.

The install was done in the winter. During construction, the thermostat was jumped out and the boiler operated on outdoor reset only. I used constant circulation and found that during the 3month renovation the temperature maintained a very consistent 66 degrees.

The boiler ran almost constantly modulating based on the heating load as designed. It would shut down in the afternoon for a short time, and then come back on low fire and as the day progressed and it got colder, the boiler would slowly modulate higher.

The contractor was amazed at how well it maintained temperature. Talk about nailing a reset curve.

On a side note, about a year later the homeowner called me back. They had a local handyman renovate their bathroom. The contractor I did the initial renovation with was twice the handyman’s price I was told. When the handyman’s plumber friend went to drain the boiler, so he could remove the bathroom radiator, he claimed he had never seen anything like it before, and that the homeowner needed to call the contractor who did the install to drain the system.

Pinball

And with telastats/actuators, the zoning possibilities are endless.
I did a similar thing a couple of years ago. an old 1800's solid brick house, was converted into a B&B. The owners zoned every room seperatly. Guests controled their own temp. The worst part of the whole job was getting T'stat wires snaked through walls.

Al

jalcoplumb_2

1\" is overkill

Unless you intend to pipe many radiators together then 1" is overkill. 1/2" will carry about 15000btu.

Keep the cast iron radiators and the baseboard on separate zones.

Make sure you use a PEX with an oxygen barrier.

If you use a manifold and run a homerun to each radiator then you will be able to purge each one.

I would also add a strainer. The Ti150 has some small passages in the heat exchanger.

Make sure to set up the boiler with a combustion analyzer.

Good luck I wish you well in your endeavor.

Joe