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Adding baseboard to steam boiler

Hey all,

I'm in the middle of a basement renovation and was thinking about the heating system for the basement. I have stumbled across alot of threads on adding baseboard heat to my burnham independence but they are old and none of the pictures/links seem to be working, sorry to ask all over again.

So i'm trying to wrap my head around this. Exactly what parts would I need to purchase to add a zone for baseboard heat to my boiler? One thing i'm trying to figure out, if the baseboard zone requires heat and that kicks on the boiler to heat the water, wouldn't that cause steam to be generated and heat the rest of the house?
EzzyT

Comments

  • JohnNY
    JohnNY Member Posts: 3,226
    A break-on-rise aquastat set in tapping "P" will limit the temperature of the boiler water.
    Contact John "JohnNY" Cataneo, NYC Master Plumber, Lic 1784
    Consulting & Troubleshooting
    Heating in NYC or NJ.
    Classes
  • Danny Scully
    Danny Scully Member Posts: 1,416
    You might want to consider installing a wall hung steam radiator. It's a lot less complicated. Then again, if it's baseboard you want, I'm not suggesting it's too complicated. I just always try to avoid a condensate heating zone.
  • adambnyc
    adambnyc Member Posts: 260
    Hey Danny, I'm looking at the prices to add baseboard and the pump alone is pretty costly. I will check out wall hung steam. The basement has the height. We dug the basement down from 6 foot ceilings to 9 foot. Pretty dramatic difference. It's gonna be wall hung or electric baseboard.
    Danny ScullyEzzyT
  • JohnNY
    JohnNY Member Posts: 3,226
    You'd rather go with electric heat than reclaim some of what might be otherwise lost heat after a steam cycle?
    I thought you said you were doing research for this?
    Contact John "JohnNY" Cataneo, NYC Master Plumber, Lic 1784
    Consulting & Troubleshooting
    Heating in NYC or NJ.
    Classes
  • adambnyc
    adambnyc Member Posts: 260
    150 bucks in electric baseboard heat vs 1300.00 bucks or more for adding a loop. How long would it take to recoup the extra 1150.00? I'm guessing over 5 years.
  • adambnyc
    adambnyc Member Posts: 260
    Alrightly, taking a second look at the pricing. I think the pump costs threw me when looking at that bronze circ pump. I know a lot of guys on here say don't go with the Taco pump but it's 100 bucks vs 600. Gonna hit the books on this some more.

    Could I use pex between the rads and pipe copper near the boiler?
  • Did you see this?

    Also keep in mind that the basement, because it is mostly underground, is the warmest room in the house. It won't require a whole lot of radiation to heat. For that reason, I'd probably lean towards wall (or ceiling) hung steam, or electric and keep things simple.
    New England SteamWorks
    Service, Installation, & Restoration of Steam Heating Systems
    newenglandsteamworks.com
  • adambnyc
    adambnyc Member Posts: 260
    That explained just about everything :). Technically I could use Pex without issue and ensure that with an aquastat and the proper mix that I never get above 180 in the baseboard. It's all so clear now
  • adambnyc
    adambnyc Member Posts: 260
    anyone have some kind of wiring diagram for all of this including the thermostat?
  • EzzyT
    EzzyT Member Posts: 1,294
    This is what I got
    E-Travis Mechanical LLC
    Etravismechanical@gmail.com
    201-887-8856
  • Danny Scully
    Danny Scully Member Posts: 1,416
    edited October 2016
    For what it's worth @adambnyc, I would NOT use pex without a heat exchanger.
  • adambnyc
    adambnyc Member Posts: 260
    Follow up questions as I look at this project. I'm trying to keep my costs low so I don't want to use a manifold.

    I'd thinking about using a single pipe system with monoflow valves to feed each rad and a single zone. I want to heat rads in both the basement and on the first floor. There is no heat in the basement. First floor has steam, but not enough radiation.

    So when first floor calls for heat, steam will kick on and pump for hot water loop.

    For the basement, I was thinking about using TRVs to control the heat. Basement is pretty warm already. Do they make TRVs that connect to a thermostat?

    The downside to using just TRVs is that if the basement is cold, it will have to wait for the first floor to call for heat. I don't think this is a big problem as the first floor/second will need heat much more often than the basement.

    Given this config, do I even need an aquastat? Figured I could just mix enough to keep water around 180 in the loop as normal.

  • Danny Scully
    Danny Scully Member Posts: 1,416
    edited October 2016
    Just re-read my post and had to edit. To reinterate, I would NOT use pex without a heat exchanger.
  • adambnyc
    adambnyc Member Posts: 260
    Which heat exchanger would you recommend? I can't find that everhot anywhere.
  • EzzyT
    EzzyT Member Posts: 1,294
    Sid Harvey's sells Everhot heat exchangers
    E-Travis Mechanical LLC
    Etravismechanical@gmail.com
    201-887-8856
  • adambnyc
    adambnyc Member Posts: 260
    Thanks Ezzy, Trying to price it. Do you know the ballpark?
  • EzzyT
    EzzyT Member Posts: 1,294
    All depending on what model you need
    E-Travis Mechanical LLC
    Etravismechanical@gmail.com
    201-887-8856
  • adambnyc
    adambnyc Member Posts: 260
    Looking at the RH 8
  • EzzyT
    EzzyT Member Posts: 1,294
    We don't discuss pricing here
    E-Travis Mechanical LLC
    Etravismechanical@gmail.com
    201-887-8856
  • Danny Scully
    Danny Scully Member Posts: 1,416
    The everhot it nice, especially the vertical one. Also, B & G makes a compact one that grainger sells. Pricing can be found on their website.
  • adambnyc
    adambnyc Member Posts: 260
    EzzyT said:

    We don't discuss pricing here

    Pricing of services I understand. Ball park on a part eh, not so much. No big deal. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction
  • adambnyc
    adambnyc Member Posts: 260
    How efficient are heat exchangers typically? If the water entering is 200 degrees, what do you think the expected temp of the output water for the loop be?
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,165
    adambnyc said:

    How efficient are heat exchangers typically? If the water entering is 200 degrees, what do you think the expected temp of the output water for the loop be?

    That depends entirely on the flow rates on the two sides, how big the exchanger is, and how it is piped. There is no "expected" temperature.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England