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Radiant floor heating help

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  • Mark Eatherton
    Mark Eatherton Member Posts: 5,853
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    Yeah but...

    He said he wanted to increase efficiency, and that would do maybe, 10%...

    ME

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  • Mark Eatherton
    Mark Eatherton Member Posts: 5,853
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    DP....

    STRONG coffee will do that to you...

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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    True,

    any of the above methods will work for him and converting to modcon will provide the best efficiency by a good margin but he has to come to terms with the fact that no matter which way he goes he's got to be willing to rip it all apart and start over, there's just no easy way out of this one. I have to differ with ME on the coffee though. As you get older the coffee has increasing effect. I think I'm up around 18% myself. ;)
  • stuart_9
    stuart_9 Member Posts: 13
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    Guys, I have no problem ripping apart the near boiler piping, I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing.

    Changing the piping to the variuos zones would be a major project, this is something I'd rather leave as is (if possible)

    Thanks, Stu
  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    I'd say,,,

    first you have to decide. Do you want to stay with the existing boiler or remove it and replace it with a mod/con? This will increase your efficiency substantially and, depending on how ME wants to reconfigure, probably simplify the piping/pumping needs as well. I'm assuming ME wants to remove the mixer, use one pump for everything, control the water (and therefore space)temp based on outdoor reset and circulate the whole system continuously below a preset outdoor temp? But he may have other ideas in mind. Keeping the existing boiler requires a whole different approach to piping, pumping and control.
  • stuart_9
    stuart_9 Member Posts: 13
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    I want to keep the exisiting boiler. What I'd like to do is change the near boiler pipework and control circulators to protect the boiler and make the system more efficient.

    Thanks< stu
  • CMadatMe
    CMadatMe Member Posts: 3,086
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    Back to Basics

    You state that the system doesn't seem to heat well. Can you define that? What are the floor surface temps? What is the water supply temp? Is a particular room that is a problem or all the rooms? Seems that you are getting heat but not enough. Is the mixing vlv a thermostatic vlv? What size is it?

    Let's take 1 room that is giving you a problem? What is the floor surface temp? What is the water temp going out to the floor, what is the total square footage of the floor and what is the finished floor surface? What also is the application for this floor (ie, slab? plates? no plates?).

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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    Best thing,

    right now is for you to read Dan's book and pay special attention to the section on primary/secondary systems. Like ME said, without a primary pump there is no way to protect the boiler. The 4 way valve mentioned has merit as well as the ESBE but both need a primary pump to work. The 4 way is addressed in the book but I can't recall where the reference to the ESBE is. it may be in there but I'm missing it or it's in another book.
  • Mark Eatherton
    Mark Eatherton Member Posts: 5,853
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    I vote for the 4 way valve, Tekmar control...

    and a small circulator for the boiler will get you protection for the floor, protection for the boiler and what ever minimal fuel savings that can be realized with the equipment you have at hand.

    It has been a long while since I have had to spec a tekmar control, but I think this one will suffice. http://www.tekmarcontrols.com/prod/360.shtml

    Pipe it and wire it like this. http://www.tekmarcontrols.com/literature/acrobat/a360.pdf

    ME

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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    Definitely the better way to go...

    m
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