Sizing Panel Rads

[Deleted User]

We are in the process of changing old CI rads. for Buedrus Panel rads. threw out the house. I have ran the Slant Fin heat loss for the entire house. Do I size the rad for excactly what the software says or do I over size them a bit and let the TRV throttle them back. I don't want to get into a position of installing an undersize rad.

Ted_9

Whats your control strategy?
What are you using for equipment and controls?

If your doing high temp just size each rad to the heat loss of the room. But you wont have an exact match so go with one thats slightly bigger.

Now if you have a differant control and water management strategy, sizing may be different.


PATRIOT HEATING & COOLING, INC.

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

[Deleted User]

Ted, What I have is a WM HE-5,nat. gas. I had a contractor come in and move and repipe the boiler. I have 5 zones Honeywell ZV's, only 4 are useed now, all controled with the round Honeywell thermosats, on a 2 pipe supply/return. Presently front porch is fin tube, Z#1. Upstairs bedrooms CI raditors, Z#2. Basement fintube, Z#3. And the area I am working on now is the main floor, LR-DR-Kitchen, all pretty much open area. We are presently heating this area with only 1 raditor and as you get into the kitchen it's colder. Been this way for 3yrs. Promised DW this is the year to correct. Plan on a TRV on the kitchen Panel Rad. to throttle down when cooking ect....the thermostat for this zone is located it the living room. The kitchen Panel rad. location is on the intieor wall across from the extieor door, only location, cabinets..... In the very near future is an outdoor reset . Looking at the tekmar 265. We are not making domestic hot water off the boiler and would like to do some floor warming in bathrooms in the future. Can you steer me in the correct direction?? Thanks

Ted_9

I would stick to what I said previously and go all high temp with the outdoor reset. So size the rads for 180 degree water. When matching up the rads, go with the one thats slightly bigger.

BTW, Fred, it would be great if you could fine an installer that is familiar with this type of set up. Not sure if you do or not.

PATRIOT HEATING & COOLING, INC.

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

Mike T., Swampeast MO

What else is/will be on the zone with the new panel rad?

[Deleted User]

panel rad's

This zone with be all panel rad's. Living room, dining room, kitchen, and forgot to mention a small(guest) bedroom off the living room. the guest bedroom to have a TRV. Will not mix panels, CI, and fintube.

Ted_9

Fred that good. I would pipe them all direct return and use the thermostatic heads for each rad. Then run that loop on constant circulation. You dont have to do constant circ, but then you'll be relying on a thermostat to be calling to get heat.

Whats the status of your heating contractor? Are you doing this yourself? Its ok if you are as long as you only do the radiator piping. But someone should design the system and controls for you. And do the boiler work.

Good luck with your project.

PATRIOT HEATING & COOLING, INC.

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

[Deleted User]

panel rad zone

Ted, I hired a plumber to come in and move boiler and repipe near boiler piping, I was to pipe in the changing of the radatiors. At that time I was not sure of what type of radatiors I wanted. After reading here on the wall I have determined that panel rad's are what I want, and constant cir. is desirable. Also a outdoor reset would be good too! Hope I am not making to many changes after the fact. So the orginal plumber has completed his work. I would need to bring him back to install the outdoor reset. Is making the panel rad zone constant cir. a rewiring of the controls or a repiping job? Could I have constant cir. in 1 zone but not the others? Or would it be wise to have constant cir. on all zones? All I was planning on doing was to pipe the radatiors in. Attached is a photo of what the plumber's work looks like.

Paul Pollets

Constant circ and PBD

I agree with Ted. Pipe the wall panel rads on constant circulation and install a TRV on each radiator. Install a pressure bypass differential (PBD) valve at the pump outlet to prevent the pump from deadheading, when the TRV's are closed.

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

Ted_9

Fred, I think your at the point were you should hire a consultant or someone to engineer all of this so that everything will jive. The plumbers work looks nice, but since I cant zoom in on the pic, I cant see whats going on. You need someone to find the right equipment to do the job.

And I also agree with Paul, use the pressure bypass differential.


PATRIOT HEATING & COOLING, INC.

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

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Ted Gave Good Advice

You need someone to engineer everything (to include your future bathroom floor warming) into a well-functioning system. Depending on the budget, things may well have to be instituted in stages as your piping and control strategies may well have to change considerably to do everything you want. What you DON'T want to happen is making piping modifications and adding controls that will no longer be suitable when everything is complete!

To answer your original question regarding "how to size the panels", all I can say from here is that "it will depend". Your iron radiators likely have a wildly different temperature requirement than the fin baseboard. The panels may be better off designed to work at a temp nearer that of the standing iron with the floor warming designed for operation in the range of the new panels.