WILO- pronounced Vee-lo- savings update

Steamhead

Last year we replaced a Taco 3HP base-mounted circ pump in a church with a 2HP Wilo Stratos 3x3-40. The church in question has two zones and the old pump ran all the time with a pressure bypass valve to keep it from dead-heading. There were three dead pumps in the boiler room so this system needed something better.



Since we installed the Stratos, the church reports they saved 11% of their electricity and 19% of their gas, even though this winter was colder. The latter is probably because the flow rates are a bit less, especially when only one zone is calling. There is still some control upgrading to be done when they're ready, like outdoor reset.



Not sure if these savings are typical, but this is what we achieved. Smart circs rule!



Thanks to Mike Reavis of Harry Eklof Associates for his help on this. I'll post pics when I find them.

Unknown

Kudos Frank!,,,

Even on my small system Wilo made a HUGE difference in my consumption.

I used to be a Taco guy,,, are they still playing with a name?, has anyone heard?

Screw the car,,, get-it out there!!

Steamhead

Here's the original thread.......

what there is of it:



http://www.heatinghelp.com/forum-thread/127119/Wilo-Stratos-Intelligent-Pump-Highly-Recommended



Gordo is looking for the pics.

Gordo

These are the Before Pictures...

The old pump was cavitating so badly, that it sounded like gravel rolling around in the volute.



The four old pumps were hauled to the recyclers and tipped the scales at nearly 700 pounds.



The "after" pictures have been lost during a computer change-over.  We'll be back there to take some new ones.

gerry gill

wow..

I'll have to try one of those commercial sized units when the opportunity presents itself. Bet the church people are happy, as i imagine with this economy the hat is less filled once its passed around.

Steamhead

Got some so-so "after" pics

all I had was my cell phone. But here they are. 

Techman

Just asking

Does Taco not have a 2hp circ that would do the job? Is the new Wilo 2hp utilizing the bypass? Thanks!

Steamhead

What we wanted

was a smart circ that could adjust its flow according to how many zones were calling. I don't think anyone else had such a unit at that time.



We removed the bypass, it was no longer needed.



We still have a control update to do here- there's no outdoor reset and the pump is still powered up all the time. The WILO can ramp down to almost nothing, but it still should shut off if the zones are not calling. They'll save more once the de-knuckleheading is done.

Techman

Steamhead

Thanks for the reply.As always ,you are a very good read ! Respectfuly, Techman{Terry}!

scott markle_2

efficiency gains

Love the new pumps and what they can do, but a 19% decrease in fuel use seems hard to believe. Do you have any thoughts on how that is achieved... where was all that wasted energy going in the bad old days of fixed speed over-pumping.

icesailor

Wilo Smart Pump:

My wholesaler had a eat lunch and look back in November with Veissmann, Wilo and Califfi. I liked the Veismans and was really impressed with that Smart Pump. So much so, I bought one on the spot for my own house with five zones with Zone Valves. It does work. I had the speed set a little slow and on a cold day, I noticed it wasn't recovering like the old 007, I dialed it up a notch and it came right back. So it is doing something. As far as how much money I will save, who knows. It probably won't pay for itself. But it does do something and I'm happy with it. And when only one zone valve is open, it's not being over pumped.

FWIW,

Unknown

Energy Savings

Steamhead - 11% electrical savings for the whole church!  That's really great.  It would be interesting to get the accumulated power consumption off the Stratos data logger to know the actual pump's electrical savings.



The system savings even with a colder winter is interesting too.  Makes me think about the recent post about boiler eff ratings.  If a condensing, high eff boiler ain't condensing the eff can not be over 86% - this is where variable flow pumps/circs make a HUGE difference in system eff and comfort - note the political correctness ;-).