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Towel Warmer Control

I have a customer that wants radiant heat in his bathroom as well as a hydronic towel warmer.  It would be easy to put them on the same thermostat, but I'm afraid that the floor heating would satisfy the call for heat and the towels wouldn't always be warm.  I could install a separate thermostat for the towel warmer with a higher setpoint, but that seems excessive - I'm looking for something elegant.  Any ideas?



I've already suggested an electric towel warmer, but he seems to want hydronic.
8.33 lbs./gal. x 60 min./hr. x 20°ΔT = 10,000 BTU's/hour

Two btu per sq ft for degree difference for a slab

Comments

  • NYplumber
    NYplumber Member Posts: 503
    edited February 2012
    Constant

    Is this for warm towels, or needed to generate space heat?

    If a trv isn't an option, and its just for warm towels, size it for a low flow rate, a light switch, and a zone valve. Possibly pipe it off a small buffer tank or old electric hw tank (as a cheap storage option piped off the boiler) that uses an aquastat to minimize boiler short runs.



    Let us know what route you end up with.
    :NYplumber:
  • Towel warmer problem

    Would it help to put the towel warmer in series with the radiant floor, so it receives the warmth first? That might slow down the heat recovery of the floor, and make it run longer for both towels and feet!--NBC
  • Harvey Ramer
    Harvey Ramer Member Posts: 2,239
    How about a 3-way diverting valve and

    a DT circulator. Have the DT circ run constantly pulling off of a small buffer tank and circulating through the towel warmer. When the room calls for heat the 3-way valve will divert the water through the floor and the delta-t circ will ramp up to meet the load. If I'm not mistaken you can get a 3-way TRV diverting valve if you so desire.
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