EcoSteam update.

ChrisJ

Mark N said:

Chris when you get a chance give an update as to how your Eco-Steam controller is working. What were you trying accomplish with it and is it meeting those goals.

@Mark N,

The EcoSteam controller I have is a beta unit and gets updates from time to time from @MarkS So far the unit has been amazing.

My main request was to make the temperature swing more narrow and to stop the system from overshooting during a recovery. The EcoSteam does this and it does it well. From time to time I turn the unit off and run just my Honeywell 8000 series and even after a week the difference is obvious. The Honeywell has problems especially if it's warm during the day and cold at night. The 8000 series attempts to learn the system and that's impossible if it doesn't know what's going on outside.

Basically what happens is the VP8000 which I have set to 2CPH calls for heat, the EcoSteam calculates how long the boiler should run based on the outdoor temperature and fires the burner up. Once the steam hits the main vents on my long main the EcoSteam goes from preheat to heating mode and starts counting down. Once the calculated time is over it shuts the burner off and almost always 5 to 10 minutes later the VP8000 shuts off. Because the burner shuts off early and the radiators allow the room to barely meet the temperature required to satisfy the VP8000 it will call for heat again much sooner than it normally would.

This automatically makes the temperature swing far more narrow than typical. In fact I believe with the VP8000 alone I was seeing a 2 degree swing or so, with the VP8000 and the EcoSteam I see around a 0.5F swing. The EcoSteam in a way forces the VP8000 to follow a 2 cycle per hour schedule.

I can do a 5 degree or even a 10 degree recovery and not overshoot at all 9 times out of 10. 1 time in 10 there will be a slight overshoot but nothing compared to the VP8000 alone.

Mark N

Interesting. What are you using to determine that the steam is at the vents on the long main? How long on average are the preheat cycles? The heat cycles? How long are you off in-between calls for heat? Every time I've tried 2 CPH the boiler doesn't run long enough for good steam distribution. I was getting like 12 minutes run times.

ChrisJ

@Mark N,

Typically I see between 2 and 3 minute preheat cycles which means the steam is at the end of my longest main within that time.

Typical heating time on say a 20F night is around 10 minutes if memory serves. Off time in between would then be roughly 20 minutes.

Mark N

If your able to generate steam and get it to the end of the mains in 2 to 3 minutes after the boiler fires up, thats amazing. What is the brand and model number of the thermal switch? I would like to incorporate one in my system to record when the steam makes it to my main vents. Last saturday morning I caught the boiler fire up so I timed it. It took 7.5 minutes after start up to get steam to the end of my mains.

ChrisJ

I'm also venting my mains and radiators as fast as I can without causing balancing issues. I typically see 0.5" WC during most cycles.

ChrisJ

My current venting.

Mark N

What would cause back to back heating cycles? Was the set point not reached. This is all very interesting. Keep us updated. MarkS if you interested in selling 2 of the therm-o-discs let me know. Years ago I performed some tests on how long it would take to get steam from the header to the end of main after the boiler had sat for certain amounts of time. With the boiler offf for 15 minutes i was able to get steam from the header to vents in 45 seconds. The I tried 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours. In each of those instances it took 3 minutes give or take a few seconds. what changed was how long to generate steam.

Mark N

Ok understood. I only use setback if we're going to be away for a couple of days. When I get back I only recover the system 2 degrees at a time to allow the rads to do their thing.

Mark N

Chris, maybe you should of went for the 2 stage gas valve when recently you had to get a new gas valve. You could of had the Eco-Steam drop you into low fire when the preheat was over. No need for the pick up when the steam is at the end of the mains. Also, if it is exceptionally cold out keep the system in high fire. It would have been interesting.

ChrisJ

Mark N said:

Chris, maybe you should of went for the 2 stage gas valve when recently you had to get a new gas valve. You could of had the Eco-Steam drop you into low fire when the preheat was over. No need for the pick up when the steam is at the end of the mains. Also, if it is exceptionally cold out keep the system in high fire. It would have been interesting.

@Mark N‌,

A 2 stage valve isn't necessary on my system. As I said previously, I run at around 0.5"WC typically.

Also, I don't believe in a pickup factor.

Steamhead

Chris, do you have any idea when this will go into production? I could probably sell these things right off the truck.

Mark N

Chris just because you don't believe in the pick-up factor, doesn't mean it's not there. Did you down fire when you replaced the gas valve? My though was you would down fire to the connected load after the mains are heated.

Steamhead only MarkS can let us know if this will ever be available.

ChrisJ

Hi Steamhead‌

As Mark N said this is MarkS‌'s baby I'm just lucky to beta tester.