Hot water towel rack problem

Andrew Hagen_4

Switch the TRV to the other side if the flow direction is wrong. To check which pipe is the supply, turn it up and check to see which pipe gets hot first.

As far as circulator sizing, elevation has no effect because it is a closed system. The circulator only has to overcome the resistance in the pipe and fittings.

Roland_19

Hot water towel rack problem

Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but...

I have a Weissmann boiler (that heats both domestic water and heating water). The boiler runs great. The furnace is heating a 2 story home. Each floor has a separate water pump and manifold that sends water to the various rooms. The second floor is a new addition that was added last summer.

I'm having problems with a hot water towel rack (similar top this one: http://www.allproducts.com/manufacture100/waredom/product3.jpg). The towel rack is controlled by an Oventrop thermostat (looks just like this one: http://www.oventrop-na.com/products/images/010_gr.jpg). The second floor hot wanter loops all have a valve (similar to this one: http://www.global-b2b-network.com/direct/dbimage/50140286/Ball_Valve.jpg) on the outgoing water line and the incoming water line. The new second floor has a much more powerful pump then the main pre-existing main floor and basement.

The towel rack used to be on the main floor and worked fine. It's now on the second floor and doesn't work so well. Every time the towel rack gets up to temperature, it starts to make a lound knocking noise (sounds like a helicopter hovering overhead) and the entire second floor manifold in the furnace room shakes wildy.

My plumber first thought it was a problem with the Oventrop thermostat and replaced it (with a used one, I believe). That didn't solve the problem. Then he suggested that I turn the valve on the outgoing water line half way between on and off ... that didn't work. Now my plumber has suggested that I turn both the outgoing water line valve and the incoming water line valves half way between on and off (I haven't tried it yet). And if that doesn't work, he thinks that installing a 'ball valve' or 'pressure relief valve' might solve the problem. I suggested moving the towel rack back to the main floor manifold (even though it's now in the second floor), but the plumber didn't like that idea.

I'm looking for a second opinion.

Thanks,
Roland

Unknown

sounds like a flow

Sounds like a flow problem thru the towel warmer. Why using more powerful pump? Also the flow may be going wrong way into radaitor valve, making the noise. By the way its a BOILER, not a furnace

[Deleted User]

Backwards TRV....

Is exactly what you're describing.

ME

Andrew Hagen_4

Flow Direction

I second the idea of the flow going backward through the valve.

edit: oops, make that third ;-)

Brstr

Towel Warmer

You might also check the pressure on the system. If the second floor addition was done last summer, the pressure of primary and secondary loop might need to be raised 2-3lbs if the boiler is in the basement.

Roland_19

Hey

Thanks for the replies.

The boiler is in the basement. The plumber said that the 2nd floor pump is more powerful to help with the extra height of the second floor (to fight gravity, I guess). Don't know if it matters, but it appears the the new second floor pump is a single speed whereas the old main floor pump appears to be a 3-speed pump.

Regarding the incorrect flow direction: are you suggesting that the thermostat might be on the wrong side of the towel rack (I think it's on the outgoing side at the moment)? Or are you suggesting that the thermostat might be on backwards (leave it where it is, but flip it around)?

Thanks,
RC

Roland_19

Main floor flow issue too!

Bruce says "might also check the pressure on the system.", which leads to another question.

Several zones on the main floor, that worked fine before the renos don't heat so well anymore. Even when the thermostat is calling for heat (or the zone valve is manually opened), the baseboards often don't heat up (or barely heat up) and the little flow indicators on the manifold confirm the lack of flow. Heating on the main floor zones seems to be intermittent. One day, the living room baseboards will heat up just fine, the next day I can't get it to heat up even if I manually open the valve. The only reliable zone on the main floor is the kitchen, and it happens to be right on top of the boiler room.

December was a particularly cold month, so the plumber thinks that using programmable thermostats lead to my main floor lines freezing up. The second floor zones are all on programmable thermostats and they're all working fine. We've had above-freezing temps during much of January now and I've manually set the main floor thermostats to 21c ... and the water still isn't flowing properly.

The plumber did add 10-20 foot extensions to most of the existing main floor lines because we switched from European style radiators to Slant-Fin Baseboards. I was originally wondering if the way they ran the extensions caused some kinks in the line that are preventing proper flow.

Now I'm wondering if these main floor heating problems could be caused by a lack of pressure. What do you guys think?

RC

Roland_19

Hey

Just to clarify, should the thermostat be on the incoming water line or outgoing water line?

RC

[Deleted User]

It depends....

There is usually an arrow indicating required direction of flow on the body f the valve. As has been point out to you, turn it off, let it cool, then turn it up and see (feel) what direction it flows. Then check the arrow and see if it is right.

ME