Control options

Chris_44

My wife and I recently moved into a 2-story home built in 1925 with an updated boiler. The system has 4 zones - each with it's own thermostat:

1) Main floor/second floor (CI radiators)
2) Basment (copper fin baseboard - added during 1997 basement remodel)
3) Copper fin baseboard heat in Dining Room above tuckunder garage (main floor).
4)Indirect domestic water heater.

It's winter now, so I won't have any changes made this year.

I would like to educate myself and would like to know what sort of control(s) are out there to make the system more efficient. Right now, the system has 1 pump and is servicing zones with different temp requirements. I'd like to have this changed to a more efficient system, whether it's injection pump or a mixing valve or ??? with the appropriate control(s) (tekmar? or ???). I would also like the option of adding a zone (or more) in the future since we will probably have our kitchen remodeled, which would include a radiant floor.

Constantin

Here is what I would do...

... educate yourself as much as possible! You're in the right place here... So buy a book or two from Dan's extensive list to learn more about hydronic heating systems, what makes sense, and why.

If I were you, I'd look into outdoor reset control and 4-way mixing valves. IMHO, that combination is pretty unbeatable at offering boiler protection and supply temp modulation... all resulting in some of the most energy-efficient and comfortable heating solutions.

The control for your boiler should put the IDWH on a priority zone, which speed the recovery rate. Then, I would arrange your zones in order of the decreasing supply temp requirements, i.e. put the BB zones ahead of the CI rad on the manifold.

Whether you feed those zones with 4-way valves of their own is up to you and your pocketbook... However, many installations that "cascade" from one temp to the next seem to work fine. However, with your radiant kitchen addition, I would install (at the very least) a 3-way thermostatic mixing valve to prevent the floor from being turned into a broiler.

Lastly, I would ensure that good installation practices are followed. For example, is the pump pumping away from the expansion tank/air scrubber (and the boiler) or is it mounted on the return?

Jay_14

tekmar

The control selection is dependent on how much piping changes you are willing to undertake.

Basically, a tekmar 260 can operate the system you currently have. The 260 has outdoor reset and DHW operation (plus other features).

If you want to add radiant zones with mixing, a tekmar 363 may be the best way to go.

For more info check out the tekmar website.

Jay www.tekmarcontrols.com 250-545-7749