A great job working with a DIY homeowner

Darin Cook_3

This was one of those jobs that was a pleasure from the start. The home is a post and beam. The homeowner is to be applauded for his fine craftmanship and knowledge of all of the trades. He really did his homework and I felt like I was talking to a fellow tradesman. I did the heating and the plumbing. The shell of the home is basically foam block and the breezeway area is dense-pack cellulose. This made for great numbers on our heat calculations. The basement and garage slab areas are pex. The first floor is staple-up onix. The homeowner installed both the pex and the onix. We just loaned him our staple gun. He did great by the way. The second floor is Buderus steel panel radiators with thermostatic heads. A sweet set-up.

The heart of the system is a Munchkin 140mlp with a Buderus horizontal indirect tank. I have been using white tile board to build my pump panels on. I have a vision control on the Munchie to reset to the needs of the panel rads, those being the highest temp user. Then I am using variable speed injection for the staple-up zones. I bring the last two lowest temp zones off using a thermostatic mixing valve which in turn will reset as the Munchkin resets its temperature off outside temp. It was a real treat to have all the space I wanted to work with.

Mark Hunt

HEY!!!!!


You stole Scott Milne's idea!!!!!!!!

Looks great bud!

Mark H

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

J.C.A._3

Mark,

See how things go when you take a vacation? Enjoy! Chris

Rudy

munchkin

Just a question, why munchkin boiler with buderus equipment? Why not stick with one brand system. I hear about munchkins only on this site and don't know much about them. Just want to know the reason for the change and how the units work for you? thanks

Darin Cook_3

Stackable

The owner liked the idea of stacking the units. I didn't have a problem with it , Buderus makes one of the best tanks on the market. We do use alot of Phase III tanks, which are a great tank. I guess the bottom line is I work for my customer, and not for anyone else. If that is what they want and I know the equipment is good, that is what they get. Thanks for the question.

marc

nice

one question, how are you regulating the flow thru the inj. loop, shouldnt you have a thermal trap downward about 18 in. or more. also with no check valves on the 3 pumps in the inj. loop how do you stop the pump from pulling backwards thru other pumps, we have entertained the thought of thermostatic mixing for 2nd reset. but the mix valve will target set point, the only time it will be lower than set point is when the boiler is reseting lower. why use condensing boiler on a high temp. system, just curious?? what is your design temp on high temp. marc

Mark Hunt

15-42fc

Those pumps have integral flow checks.

Also, we sized the panels to satisfy the demand at lower temps. The boiler will be below condensing temps a majority of the time.


Mark H

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

ScottMP

Nice work Darin

YOU did a really nice job.

I like the YOU layed out the panel.

It looks like YOU really did some nice work.

LOLOLOLOL O.K. enough busting Mark.

I do have a question about the thermostatic mixing valve. Will it see enough cold temp. with the close tees to mix down ? It seems as if it would have the same temp. on both sides, no ?

Agin very neat, we can see who did this work

Scott

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

Mark Hunt

I'll let


DARIN answer YOU!



Mark H

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

Kal Row

really really nice

love the Munchkin on the Buderus - way cool

"white tile board" - darn, why didn't i think of that

good move on the Grundfos with built-in spring checks - takes care of gravity heat migration problems - (ps - they will chatter if they get a drop of dirt stuck in them - happened to me – drove me nuts till I figured it out – sounded a little, like cavitation)

see that you used power cords on some of the pumps - i do that to all of mine, though i use switch outlets - with the switch connected to continuous power for “pump on” override, and for “pump off” override, you simply pull the plug.
I do recommend those "cord grip" connectors with the rubber insert and a dab of silicone, keeps it waterproof, also, your local electric code might require the plug pumps to be powered from a ground fault interrupter (something about it being an attached appliance in a wet env)

recommend an inline GFI outlet preceding the main boiler switch, this way everything's protected, and you wont have to run to the breaker panel if you short something – the GFI usually pops first

ScottMP

I still love you Mark

Can I have your bud light ?

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

Darin Cook_3

Good Idea



Thanks for the tip, Kal. I will have to incorporate that into my pump panels. I have not had a problem with the Grundfos pumps, but have had issues with the Taco IFC's.
I appreciate your comments. Darin

Mark Hunt

I know


Ya big galoot!!!!

But he did steal YOUR idea.



Mark H

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

Wayco Wayne_2

Very nice

I like the white tile board also. Where do you get it. I have also used the horizontal Buderus with a Munchkin on top. I stole the idea from Scott Milne for sure. If I ever had an original thought I might fall down from shock and surprise. Triangle tube has a horizontal indirect now as does Superstore. I think it is hard to get good recovery numbers with the horizontals though.

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

ScottMP

If I had to

mention all the ideas I took of the Wall we'd be here all night. Thats why we're here to learn. I am glad to have someone use an idea of mine.

Scott

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

Darin Cook_3

Worth the effort

Thanks, HD has the tile board. It is only $ 10.00 a sheet. It really makes the whole project look clean and neat. I will paint the unistrut to match. It is a great feeling when the homeowner comes down and is blown away by it. I have not checked out the other horizontal tanks. I am excited about the new Buderus wall-hung condensing boiler coming out in september. We just did a install for a new motorcycle shop. It is all in-slab radiant, 3 zones. We used a T-80 wall-hung Munckin. That is a sweet little boiler. I have to post some pics, that came out nice.

Thanks for your comments, Darin

Kal Row

One little caveat with the tile board

to mount stuff on it, you need to use some soort of anchors - i like those metal self-tapping spiral anchors OR have 1/2" rough plywood behind it, so you can put a course drywall screw anywhere

Mark Hunt

Yep


We always mount the tile board to 3/4" plywood.

Thanks Kal!

Mark H

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

mp1969

Very Professional

Great looking job with great workmanship!

MP 1969