1 year old boiler, now realize I need a hydronic loop

bvaughn76

I just replaced a boiler last year and you guys were a load of help getting it working right(er). I have a challenge with a section of my heating system that I posted about last year. http://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/152739/old-man-sleeping-by-the-ocean#latest

There was an addition put on 10 years ago before I bought this place. They added to baseboard radiators and fed them with steam. The piping job is crap and one of the radiators is on the interior wall that separates the two halves of the addition. Our plan is to remove that wall so the in-law suite goes away and we have a nice big family room. I have to move the radiators to make our plan work. I don't think there is a way to pipe the job in steam, at least half way correctly. Too far from boiler to maintain any pitch. I was going to run a hot water loop and heat the addition that way.

My local steam expert said I can't do it with my boiler. I think he is correct. I have a Slant/Fin GXHA-160 EDPZ. There is only one tap on the boiler, tech support said there is one other tap below the LWCO, but the LWCO is in the way for any piping access.

Anyone have any ideas?

KC_Jones

Have you read this article yet? Pass the information along to your contractor, your exact question has been asked and there is even a diagram. Scroll down about 2/3 and you will see this question: "Q: Suppose there's no way I can tap directly into the boiler. Does that mean I can't zone with condensate?"

https://heatinghelp.com/systems-help-center/how-to-run-a-hot-water-zone-off-a-steam-boiler/

Paul48

Use a steam to water heat exchanger, and run the hydronic off it.

bvaughn76

Paul, I am in the commercial building automation space....I have definitely seen the large Steam HX, but I am struggling on where they have small ones. Need to do a heat load calc for the space.

bvaughn76

KC_Jones, I read the article before and I wasn't clear if that article assumed I had two taps available on the boiler. In my case I only have one tap. The Slant/Fin tech said I should only return to that tap not supply. The article is suggesting that the wet return to the boiler may be used for my hydronic loop return? So, one contractor said there is no way to do this properly. I have two others that I am trying to work with. I will go over this with them.

Where would I tap in to this? https://us.v-cdn.net/5021738/uploads/FileUpload/04/975004a662b087f9903c03b61bde76.jpg

KC_Jones

bvaughn76 said:

KC_Jones, I read the article before and I wasn't clear if that article assumed I had two taps available on the boiler.

If you look to the section I referenced it shows a way to pipe it using existing taps in the boiler, specifically the one you just sent a picture of. Change that elbow to a tee. Look at the diagram, it shows it much better than I can explain it.

edit: link to diagram
https://heatinghelp.com/assets/Uploads/_resampled/ResizedImage409405-heating-p170-300x297.gif

Paul48

Try contacting Taco regarding a heat exchanger.

SWEI

Is there an unused tankless coil in the boiler by any chance?

wcs5050

TFI Everhot has some low gallon units...basically a bucket with a coil. Website is pretty low tech.

bvaughn76

Thank you for the feedback. I take it that TFI Everhot suggestion was for a Steam to HW heat exchanger? I have a tap on my mains that is no longer used that might be an interesting spot for that. I will have to keep that in mind along with the diagram to get a loop of HW. I do think I found a solution to properly pipe the addition in Steam. Need to extend the main a bit further into the addition before taping off to the radiators. Found a routing that I couldn't see before that would allow me to get the radiators in the right spot and keep pitch, etc.