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best pump for hot water loop

Dave8699
Dave8699 Member Posts: 53
edited September 2019 in Strictly Steam
So I'm curious what circulator pumps are guys using on a hot water loop on a steam boiler? I have always used a bronze or stainless pump,

Comments

  • Dave8699
    Dave8699 Member Posts: 53
    Any suggestions?
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,338
    Nothing wrong with an iron pump on a hydronic zone off a steam boiler. As long as its sized for the load. Dont forget the wye strainer.
  • EzzyT
    EzzyT Member Posts: 1,344
    We use the B&G or Armstrong bronze oil lubricated 3 piece pumps.
    E-Travis Mechanical LLC
    Etravismechanical@gmail.com
    201-887-8856
    Danny ScullyethicalpaulNewjersey_Scotdelcrossv
  • Danny Scully
    Danny Scully Member Posts: 1,440
    Only pump to use is a 3-piece OIL lubricated bronze pump, B & G or Armstrong as @EzzyT suggested.
    ethicalpaul
  • Dave8699
    Dave8699 Member Posts: 53
    What's the reason behind using the 3 peice pump instead of using a stainless 007.
  • EzzyT
    EzzyT Member Posts: 1,344
    You don’t want a pump that’s water lubricated since youll be moving muddy and sluggish water.
    The impeller on small water lubricated pumps are really small and will be torn up with the muddy and sluggish water and you’ll end up burning out that pump due to the nasty water that you’ll be moving.
    E-Travis Mechanical LLC
    Etravismechanical@gmail.com
    201-887-8856
    Double DSuperJZman
  • mikeg2015
    mikeg2015 Member Posts: 1,194
    edited October 2019
    I put in a Grundfos Alpha stainless steel in mine. Nice to have the GPM display and low power use. But this is DHW. On a hot water zone that runs a lot longer. I agree the oil lubricated is a good idea. Last I checked those wee crazy expensive. But they seem to last forever.

    Time will tell on durability. Have a strainer and pulled 3” off the bottom opposite the condensate return. Will need to see what the water looks like when it’s steaming full bore this winter. The other 7 months it’s pretty clean.
    ethicalpaul
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,502
    Try using Steamaster tablets to treat the water. I've been using it since 2013 and my water is CLEAN. You may have to run a couple of cleanout cycles (3-4 tablets) to get most of the gunk out. Run the boiler for a cycle (dont mind the crazy water levels) and then flush the boiler good. Do it once more and flush the boiler again, after that drain the boiler completely and add one tablet as you fill the boiler to it's normal level.

    Test the water with PH strips to see what the PH level is, it sb in the 8 or 9 range, if it's low add another half a tablet. If you keep the water in that range you should have clean boiler water and that should treat that pump with kid gloves
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
    ethicalpaul
  • mikeg2015
    mikeg2015 Member Posts: 1,194
    My concern was with 1 pipe steam and high velocity of a vapor system I will always get fine rust particles in the water. That being said I use a bunch of TSP when I first started in the boiler. Sight glass stays clear when I steam for 15 minutes. Longest I’ve run it. Will get some cool mornings soon really test it out.

    Have a bottle of Scout that I plan to use now that my indirect is all piped up and running well. Oils from all the copper really has it surging. Ounce gauge is bouncing all over. Normally it rock steady within 0.1oz.

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