2 Stage Boiler? Worth considering?

Cyclist77

I was at the local supply house this morning and they ran a heat loss analysis for me. Told them I am interested in a CI Weil-McClain, but they are not a distributor. They carry Locinvar. I see that Lochinvar has a 2 stage boiler. How much of an advantage/disadvantage would this be?

ThThis would be in a radiant heat system.

Thanks!

Jamie Hall

Nowhere near enough information there to tell. What is the heat load of the building? Is this to be zoned? Is it radiant floors, or baseboard, or radiators? What is the climate like?

Grallert

And remind us, is this gas or oil? Judging by the question I'm guessing gas and in that case wouldn't a modulating boiler be the answer?

hot_rod

Must be a copper tube boiler. Those are low mass boilers, with a micro zoned system they need a buffer tank, and possibly return protection for low temperature radiant.

It's a great boiler for single zone applications like snowmelts

I thought you were sold on cast iron?.

Cyclist77

Bob,I am. Just educating myself! After reading about the Lochinvar I saw it was a copper fin unit.

Weil-McClain will be my choice

jesmed1

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1843802#Comment_1843802

From previous threads I think he's in NE Ohio, with 2000 sf with a calculated heat load of 30,000 BTU/hr.

@Cyclist77 , curious what heat loss number your supply house came up with.

Cyclist77

Had 2 heat loss calculation done. Both came up within 1000btu. So 52,000btu is what I need.

LRCCBJ

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1844127#Comment_1844127

Have a better location or do you know the design temperature where you are at? 52K does seem a bit much for 2000 square feet unless it is uninsulated, or unless the design temperature is a bit below zero.

jesmed1

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1844127#Comment_1844127

If I recall, you did a heat loss yourself with the BuildItSolar online calculator and got under 30,000 BTU/hr. I looked at your numbers and they were good assuming your input R values were correct. What changed?

I'm guessing someone later added too much heat loss for your basement to be conservative.

Cyclist77

I don't have it here but I added exterior basement walls to the Build itSolar and it bumped it to to 52k.

jesmed1

I think that's overkill. Don't add more margin or you'll be 2x oversized. You're approaching that already.

Cyclist77

I just thought of something. The new calculation might take into account ,an area the on the original plan of the house, that was for a potential 4 bedroom. It is over our master bedroom.

I will look at it again tomorrow.

hot_rod

of course with a mod con it really wouldn’t matter if the load is 30 or 52k 😉