controlling radiant system

neuro

I am looking for a control module for radiant floor heating for the following: three zones with the same temperature, each zone controlled by a thermostate and its own 110 volt pump, the loops on each manifold will be controlled with 24 volt actuators and balancing valves.

Will I need floor sensors or outdoor reset?
Can anyone out there help me?

don_42

It depends

on if its a highmass or lowmass emitter.If the tubing is bury in a slab then I would use a floor sensor.If it a dry
installed then I would skip the floor sensor.

I think outdoor reset it a plus on any boiler personally.
Dont forget the pressure differental valve if you have lots of zones coming off those manifolds.

Honeywell,Burnham,slantfin almost any company that sells
boiler have zone panels and outdoor reset control.

neuro

Radiant Setup

thanks Don
Do I need a pressure differential pressure valve on each manifold, or can I pipe the three zones off the same valve?

Also does anyone know what control panel I would need for this job? I know Teckmar have many different panels, which one would I need for this job?

Al Letellier

TEKMAR

Get in touch with TEKMAR or your local rep. We deal with FIA in Mass and they are great with the tech support...that's what they are there for...use them!!!

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

Ted_9

Danfoss makes a nice panel that sounds like it will fit your application.

http://www.danfoss.ca/products/hydronic/ZCP.htm

PATRIOT HEATING & COOLING, INC.

Unknown

are these very small zones? If not, you might be better off with a seperate manifold and pump per zone rather than putting in a bunch of actuators. Actuators fail far more often than pumps as well.

you might want to consider a Tekmar with indoor feedback and outdoor reset as well, but how much sense that makes depends on the size of your system, your building's heating requirements, your heat plant, your installation method, etc etc etc.

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

jerry scharf_2

Could you give some more information

Hi,

I read through the description and am not getting it. You have three thermostats that do call for heat to three separate circulators. With that, a simple simple Taco ZCP or similar will do all that you need.

But then you go on to say that you have actuators on the loops as well as balancing valves. This is what I don't get. What is controlling the actuators and based on what inputs? What are the control goals of these actuators? Partly I'm confused because you say you have three zones, and I think of zones as the smallest unit of control.

You also asked if you need a bypass per pump or 1 can do. Certainly 1 can not do, each pump has it's own pressure head and might need a bypass. Again it's about not undertanding the actuators so I can't say whether it's needed.

Outdoor reset adjusts the water temperature to approximate the heatling load based by measuing the outside temperature. This is independent of the controls mentioned avove. I like outdoor reset as a useful addition to improve comfort and efficiency, but it would not be required. Outdoor reset does not replace thermostats, TRVs or the like.

Floor sensors have uses, but they don't tell you what's going on in the room. Are there a few extra people in the room, is it a windy day with one person reading or is it the regular load? The floor sensors won't make the room comfortable in either extreme.

jerry