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Master of the Obvious....(hb)

hot_rod
hot_rod Member Posts: 23,185
It’s things like this that will never let me get too full of myself! Remember my “Uh-oh” thread from last week? I have resolved the issue with the building cooling off over night during extreme weather. Yesterday, I spent 90 minutes going through every aspect of Viessmann’s Vitotronic 200 control system. Heating slopes & Shifts, timer settings, sensor readings and error logs. This is one very cool control. Naturally, with Viessmann’s commitment to quality, there seemed to be nothing wrong. I was at wit’s end. The home would catch back up in temperature in the morning by 11:00AM, proving my boiler & system are not undersized. The system acted like it was going into night setback even though every piece of hardware told me it wasn’t. Then it hit me square in the face. So obvious I feel stupid. The issue revolves around the lower level, which is a walk-out basement with 80 of exposed walls a many square feet of glass. Since they haven’t finished it off yet, they have the thermostat set back to 62°. Well, since it has all of that exposure, in the middle of the night during extreme conditions the slab radiant calls for heat. Remember, the slab is virtually cold with the thermostat set to 62°. You guessed it. The slab soaked up every BTU the Vitola could generate before it started to warm the slab, dropping boiler temps down to less than 115° for hours. Let’s see………. 2° outside with the radiant designed for 140° (ThermoFin joist bay) and the baseboard for 160° at 10° outside. Wonder why the building goes cold? I’m an idiot, that’s why!

Warm Regards,

heatboy

"Expert in Silent Warmth" ™

<A HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=103&Step=30">To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"</A>
Bob "hot rod" Rohr
trainer for Caleffi NA
Living the hydronic dream

Comments

  • Duncan_3
    Duncan_3 Member Posts: 2
    Hey!

    Don't give yourself such a hard time, heatboy.

    That's our job!
  • Bill N.
    Bill N. Member Posts: 18
    That's funny, your reason that is

    I actually laughed out loud at the end of your message. I think I'm going to steal that answer for when I make mistakes (happens all the time, it is life). Next time the boss asks why something is wrong, I'm going to answer, "I'm an idiot, that's why."

    Don't feel bad, we all miss the obvious, fundamental things.

    bN
  • Jamie Pompetti
    Jamie Pompetti Member Posts: 82
    Thanks !



    Hey HB! Thanks for learning a lesson for all of us........
    That one is definitely getting stored in the memory bank.

    Jamie
  • Boilerpro
    Boilerpro Member Posts: 410
    Say Heatboy, Theres a way to help prevent this

    I suspect that you are using a standard fixed temp mixing valve on the slab. Not familiar with the Vitrotonic, but I'm guessing it is a full reset setup. If you install a fixed three way valve to meter the amount of hot water mixed with the cold water returning from the slab, it will limit how much heat the slab system can draw from the boiler. Will have a picture of a home set up with this concept soon, but not now. Probably the fixed water volume three way valve is a better setup with reset than the standard fixed temperature mixing valve just for this reason.

    Boilerpro
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,185
    Sometimes it pays....

    to get out of the boiler room (I think Dan Holohan said that somewhere)and wander around.

    Sometimes you have to do that just to get the cob webs outa your head. I know I do!!

    Warm Regards, heatboy

    Your associate in "Expert in Silent Warmth" ™

    (Have you figured out how it is that I can do that yet???)

    I think Yatesey knows...

    ME


    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • Art Pittaway_2
    Art Pittaway_2 Member Posts: 80
    One big difference...

    ...an Idiot wouldn't take the time or energy to figure it out. Your no idiot...your a large cut above the average.
    Ignorance can be cured...stupid lasts forever.!
    Good job,
    Art
This discussion has been closed.