primary/secondary or heat exchanger

pat_3

when doing a small radiant system that will be tied into an existing hot water {high temp} heating system,do most radiant contractors repipe the boiler primary/secondary or use some sort of heat exchanger to protect the boiler from low temp return water from radiant side of system?

kevin coppinger_4

What I do...

is pretty simple...I pipe a another zone as a supply and return w/ a circulator or ZV, this is my "primary"loop. Then take off two tees, close spaced as my secondary loop to usu. a sparco mixing valveand another circulator. This gives boiler protection and negates the boiler repipe.kpc

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

pat_3

kevin

thanks for your input...i cant believe i never realized such an easy way to protect the boiler.....

hr

sometimes with a small

load radiant add on, suspended tube running the same temperatures as the baseboard is not a bad system.

Plates are great, but there are times when simple is sufficient

Here are some other ideas

http://www.pmmag.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,2379,62497,00.html

hot rod

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

jerry scharf_2

Taco RMB

Pat,

You could also look at a taco RMB, it was designed just for the job you have. It's a slick package with 2 pumps and 4 connections. The one pump and controls work as a variable speed injection pump and the other is the radiant zone circulator. The controls do outdoor reset on the temperature delivered to the radiant slab (better than a static temp IMO.)

You hook the supply side up as standard P/S plumbing. The secondary side goes right to the radiant loops, zone valves, etc. People who have installed them love them.

jerry