Quick survey on Taco IFCs

Unknown

my higher-ups into using the Taco IFC circulators . Their main concern is heat bypassing through , and with a few thousand installed by us a year , they want to be sure these circulators will perform . We use the Taco line exclusively for just about every external water and electronic part to the boiler , and with their track record the IFC should be an excellent addition . Just looking for real world feedback with the Taco IFC in particular . Thanks in advance .

Tony_8

Taco IFC

We use them. Only problem is they tend to airlock at the check because it's in the inlet, leaving the impeller dry and cavitating. Not as much of a problem with Spirovent equipped systems after the initial bleed.

Robert O'Connor_7

Tuperware pumps...

If you don't BURP EM, they'll go bad. Try the B&G, less problems..Robert O'Connor/NJ

Joe Mattiello

Taco IFC

Taco IFc, is an excellent design, with the spring check located in the casing on the suction side at the impeller inlet. This unique, patented design saves contractors time, cost, and simplifies installations, while improving system preformance due to the low pressure drop through the IFC. Additionally, it is easily accessable for service, or replacement.Joe Mattiello
Technical Service Technician

Unknown

built in checks

I love the IFC's. No problem at all except we need to stock three times the inventory. The 007, 007IFC, ball valves.... and then add all the other 00's.

We have now started to stock the new B&G copper sweat isolation checks with the ball valves built in. Saves time, money and possible leaks. Priced right too.

3/4 copper sweat p/n 101236, 1" copper sweat p/n 101237

I love these things!

wheels

Kal Row

when the Danish Grundfos corp

moved a lot to their manufacturing to the USA, there was a huge price drop over here, since the cost of cast-iron and other raw materials to them, is only a fraction of what it was in Europe

so you can practically buy the 15-58FC, at or just slightly more than the 007ifc

so now you have :
the traditional Grundfos reliability, (at least my personal experience)

three speeds, like having 005 to 010 pumps, in one,

the spring check, on the output side, where it can not affect the NetPositiveSuctionHead and is easy to service

taco on the other hand recently had a price increase – since the were always here, and to them, the cost of raw materials went up

Jed_2

Joe, so why...

do I have so many contractors calling me asking how to purge this zone when the IFC is positioned on the return side of the boiler?

Jed

hr

So the

manufactures and dealers say they are great, and the contractors find them problematic. Hmmm

I've always thought it was bad practice to put flow reducing devices on the inlet side of pumps?

http://www.pmmag.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,2379,4270,00.html

Find at least 8 mistakes in this picture (Siegenthaler 1998)

hot rod

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

J.C.A._3

Jed,

Because when they're mounted on the return side of a system, the water doesn't flow through the return.(hence....the check valve!) If they are mounted on a return, they need to be "burped" from below, or there will be an airlock.Think like air.(just for a minute!) If you got yourself on the return side of a "check valve", how can the water get through? Letting the air out from the bottom is the ONLY way to make this work. Hope this makes sense. Chris

Jed_2

Chris

I know that. I was trying to probe Joe as to why the installation instructions DON'T address this issue. Actually, I haven't read any installation instructions latel, so, I don't know if they have. But, I do know that Taco, through "word of mouth" have instructed to put a purge valve between the circ and the boiler return. I can only assume this means purge "up" through the circ to clear
the volute. Am I wrong? I have heard it said that the IFC is a "supply" side pump only. I sell many IFC's, and most are "pumping away". But, there still are those who place the pump on the return, hence the problem if they don't understand the flaw in design.

Jed

J.C.A._3

It isn't \"written\",

But if you "think like water opposing air",they work as advertised, what other conclusion can be drawn? If there is air in the return side of the pump, can water get through? (answer: not without removing it.)
Really, it does work. The instruction sheet may not provide all the answers, but "knowledge" does. Just gotta go back to the basics.(don't mean to sound smarmy, but we all learned this, didn't we?)


Chris

Tony_8

addendum

To my previous post. I like Taco products in general, almost to exclusivity.(is that a word ?) But... pumping into a check is better than pumping out (or trying to). I'm inclined to think I'll stock the same 00's I already do and use B&G's check equipped iso-flanges. I tried it the other day and haven't had any symptoms of organ rejection yet

Jed_2

so, are you saying

that by purging from the discharge side of the pump(pump on return) through the pump inlet, or purge through the supply side through the pump to the boiler drain on the discharge? Breaking the flange seal, I'm told, doesn't work.

Jed

Kal Row

also when a forgien company

comes to the usa and gives us jobs - we ought to reward them with the business - who knows - maybe next vie$$mann will make it here - we are now fighting for economic survival with china - we need to get as much manufacturing back here as possible -

the Maytag brands moved their production to mexico and the quality went to hell (first hand and 3 close friend's experiance all in one year - ouch)

a vie$$mann vidodens 200 does NOT have a better track record than the WM ULTRA - nor is it signifigantly cheaper to run - so why buy it over the much much less expensive USA made ULTRA??

on the other hand the grundfos 15-58fc is made in the USA and is giving me more bank for the buck - it's a no brain-er

Rich Corcoran_17

Thanks for your comments.....

we are really proud of the products we manufacture in Fresno, CA. All manufacturers have (and are) experiencing raw material cost increases. We are fighting everyday to continue to deliver the best value to our contractors.

Your observations regarding the check valve location are correct. Our design (3-speed and nearly zero performance loss) has the best combination of performance, features and reliability available on the market today.

Check out the SuperBrute (UPS 15-58FC) information that I've attached. Compare the performance vs. the others and you will see what I mean.

steve carlson

taco

I'll go back to Taco when they stop selling to Home Depot.
For now it's Grunfoss.

steve

Kal Row

i dont think they are worried about your boycott...

they are more worried about the Chinese,
the HOME-DEsPOST sells nibco at 42% of list on their site,
that what smaller supply houses pay for it – why – cause if they don’t,
then HD and LOWES will get it from the Chinese who are giving it away –

eg: at HD – a brass hose vacuum breaker is - $12 from watts, $2 from the Chinese
looks and acts exactly the same – I have both!!!! – the Chinese are not making junk – and yes while they run sweat-shops – at least the little girl that works in the sweat-shop – gets to eat – without the sweat shop – who is going to feed her? – the bleeding heart liberals – that exposed Nike for using a sweat shop – yeah right!!!
Maybe i too should feed the worlds hungry via-sweat-shops,
But for my customer – I don’t have that luxury – my conscience dictates, that I provide what I feel is the best quality, – so for now it’s Grundfos

use Grundfos because it’s made here, or is better, – but just to boycott TACO because you have a chip against HD will only hasten the Chinese influx into the American marketplace – this is not a game – step back and look at the big picture – TACO is a great company and makes a lots of great stuff - I just happen to like the Grundfos pumps better – even though most of the taco deaths I’ve seen, has be due to miss-application – like a 007 on a steam boiler basement loop – when simple common sense dictates a high-torque 3 piece bronze pump – a water cooled and lubricated pump, needs water – not sludge – like duuuuh-uuh!!!


also taco has listened – a little mouse from taco says – that they will put the spring check on the outlet soon (I guess as soon as they use up the old castings) – and they are ahead with shipping the new stuff like the hi-tech voltage controlled pumps, Grundfos still has to get their alpha and magna series UL approved first, they did not expect such a large interest over here, – their booth at IHS and ASREE was overwhelmed with people wanting to see the USA alphas and magnas – especially the dual auto backup variants of those

hi-tech hydronics use in the usa, has caught many a vendor by surprise!!!

Kal Row

i was looking for my pdf to post - thanks

ps - the serviceability - is real important - recently i had a 15-58 that was chattering - and i pride myself on installing silent systems- people on the wall were saying it was a peice of tefflon or a soder ball - turned out to be a bit of dirt on the spring check
- now, how would i have gotten to that on the taco - no thanks - the choice seems like a no brainer to me