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Radiant heat source

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ALH_4
ALH_4 Member Posts: 1,790
in THE MAIN WALL
I designed a system for a 2-story home that used two <a href="http://www.laing.de/file/7"target="_blank">Laing EPR</a> heaters with Laing's AR-10 outdoor reset controls with Thinfin extruded plates. It works well.

With intermittent use, outdoor reset might not be as valuable as if it was continuously occupied. Use extruded aluminum plates or a thin pour of concrete for the 2nd floor to maximize the heating output and keep a one-temperature system.

Control-wise, it depends on what you want to do. Running an electric heater on a setpoint is fine. With electric heating, reset is a comfort issue more than an efficiency issue.

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  • Chip_9
    Chip_9 Member Posts: 1
    radiant Heat Source

    Looking for some insight from the professionals –
    We are in Connecticut and have a small building (2 floors, 600sf total), very well insulated with a heat loss calculated at 22,000btu. Use is intermittently. When occupied, maybe 65F, and 55F when unoccupied. When constructed, Pex tubing was placed in the slab and stapled to the underside of the 2nd floor, so we have a 2-zone closed system. Now its time for the heat source. Would love to go propane or oil (no Nat gas available), but load is so small and used so intermittently, that I am thinking – don’t laugh now…. an electric water heater. So here go the questions:

    * Completely wrong application?

    * The system will have some glycol – any issues in combination with a water heater?

    * Anyone ever do outdoor air reset with an electric water heater?
  • Scott Gregg
    Scott Gregg Member Posts: 187
    My $.02


    * Completely wrong application?

    Not really and it will work fine but...
    Why not go with a gas tank heater? Cheaper fuel usually and much faster heat up times.

    * The system will have some glycol – any issues in combination with a water heater?

    No, as long as you do not try to use it for domestic hot water also, in which case you can use a small heat exchanger to separate the two waters.

    * Anyone ever do outdoor air reset with an electric water heater?

    If you use is "Intermittent", why bother? I have hard time believing there would be any benefit.

  • Rich Kontny_3
    Rich Kontny_3 Member Posts: 561
    Heating Box

    You could go with a Rinnai or other gas fired on demand water heater with the new add-on "Heating Box" by Navien America.Here you would have a system with priority for domestic water.

    The "Heating Box" is a great cost effective way to use your on demand water heater as your heat source for up to 2000 sq. ft. Also you would qualify for a tax credit of $300.00 if you use this system.

    I have installed one in my own home and just today fired up my second system.It is the ultimate low mass heating system that is very cost effective to both install and operate.

    Contact me at: kontnyrichard@yahoo.com
  • Timco
    Timco Member Posts: 3,040


    When designing the system, PLEASE consult a pro. It sounds simple and easy, but you need a few safety devices such as pressure relief valves as well as backflow prevention with glycol. You may even need to disconnect the water fill from the system. You can also get good tips for setting up manifolds, pruge stations, and air elimination / near heater piping.

    Tim
    Just a guy running some pipes.
  • Rich Kontny_3
    Rich Kontny_3 Member Posts: 561
    Pro

    Timco is right you should bring in a professional! I have been in the field for over 38 years. My advice comes from the practical side with experience.I think an informed consumer keeps their options open.

    There are options and they should be explored!

    MP1969

  • Dave_4
    Dave_4 Member Posts: 1,404
    Thanks for the input!

    Thank you Andrew, Scott, Rich & Timco for your input.

    I did take a look at the Laing and Rinnai systems and am leaning towards the Laing. Appears to have all the features in one simple package. I plan on contacting the US rep on Monday for a distributor and pricing and if readily available and reasonable in cost, will probably go in that direction.

    Andrew, if you would care to share the rep you have used, my email is coolmudhead@yahoo.com
  • Ragu_5
    Ragu_5 Member Posts: 315
    Hey Chip....

    Yeah, just in case, call in a local Pro. I think of Bill Nye first.

    The thing with doing electric water heaters with glycol on small radiant jobs is the build up of hydrogen gas build up. Clayton Cole wrote about it years ago on the RPA website, and I also think that Hot Rod has written about it here. Good luck. Jack



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  • kevin coppinger_4
    kevin coppinger_4 Member Posts: 2,124
    if you are doing....

    radiant you should not be doing set backs on the temperature/t-stat. set it at the desired temp and forget it...kpc

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  • hr
    hr Member Posts: 6,106
    I'll show some Laing

    systems in my January PHC News column. Laing has some u nique small load heater/ pump products.

    Really neat stuff at their Euro site www.laing.de

    I waiting for a sample EHR2 with the two zones, maniflods and cabinet. Laing indicated they would stock these stateside if there is enough interest. I build my own zone package now with the EHR as Andrew does.

    hot rod

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