Heating Help

Setpoint Controller

@ May 4, 2013 9:52 AM in T-Stat

I have also used this in car wash "ice prevention" projects. Its not for snowmelt (you wouldn't get your car washed when snowing!!) But the water dripping off the cars can freeze the entrance ramp.

Dave H.

Setpoint Controller

@ May 3, 2013 4:34 PM in T-Stat

You can use the tekmar 150 setpoint controller. Use the slab sensor not in the slab, but in a wall box or such. Setpoint Operation: -40 to 239+F

Dave H.

Pumping away?

@ March 26, 2013 8:29 AM in Sandy still haunts my home!

Is the system Pumping Away?
Pressure maybe a little low.
Air Separator may help (if its an air problem)

Good Time

@ March 4, 2013 5:01 PM in 2013 Long Island BIG UGLY....who's in?????

It was about time I got there, been wanting to make it for a couple of years, but it always seems like duty calls at the last minute.
It's great putting faces to the names that I see over the years here!

Enjoy all

Dave H.

Excellent.......

@ February 27, 2013 3:48 PM in 2013 Long Island BIG UGLY....who's in?????

Looks like I'm in. Had to wait till we got closer to see what the schedule would bear. I may be a little late but may also bring Tim D with me.

Dave H.

Online classes

@ February 12, 2013 10:24 AM in Need advice!

You can take a look at alot of online classes where you can learn at your free time.

Here's one to consider at no charge http://flopro.taco-hvac.com/flopro_u.html
There are 10 different classes on a variety of topics

Dave H.

Heated tub

@ February 5, 2013 1:46 PM in Considering hydronically heating tub walls

I would just put the tube in the area itself under the tub deck. Lay it on the floor, it will heat up the air pocket around the tub. Not worth the extra effort to get it on the tub walls. Its a trapped air cavity.
Now I do know if you were to quik-trak the deck, that would be nice, don't insulate below and that will also heat the walls of the tub

Dave H.

Circ connection

@ February 5, 2013 9:24 AM in Taco FuelMizer

The FuelMizer is meant to be a circ relay for a new system. If you already have a circ setup, then you can use the FuelMizer as a boiler reset. Use it to just interrupt the boiler TT contacts. Setup is fairly straightforward, choose what temp outside you want the boiler to fire up to 180F, also with the dip switches, let it know what type of boiler is installed by choosing either min temp of 140 (non-condensing) or 70 (condensing).

If you need to see the target temp and the actual temps on a digital readout, then you can use the Taco PC-700. It costs more but gives you more.

Dave H.

Heat Exchanger

@ January 23, 2013 3:07 PM in AquaPex in closed loop

It may be a heck of alot easier to isolate with a heat exchanger and isolate the non-barrier side from the boiler side. It will also mean other circulators (bronze or stainless), potable expansion tank.....rather than replacing all of the tubing.

Dave H.

0013 Circ

@ January 20, 2013 5:45 PM in 0013 taco circulator

So what was in before? You say the heat worked before the 0013 was put in. So where there any other changes to the system?

Dave H

2 boilers

@ January 18, 2013 2:57 PM in Large heating bills - where to go from here

2 boilers is a way to go, but I would not separate per floor. 2 smaller boilers on a staging control with weather responsiveness would be better

When milder outside temperatures are around, one boiler may be able to do the whole thing, where then two separate boilers would start to short-cycle like you see now with one big boiler.

Dave H.

The pipe size

@ January 14, 2013 10:34 AM in gpm

Is also going to be dependent upon the head loss, then size your circ on that. 3/4" will give you a much higher head loss than 1", but if that fits in the realm of the circ, rock on.
Otherwise, 1" may be the answer

Dave H

Don't replace, reprogram maybe

@ January 10, 2013 11:10 AM in Eliminating taco mixing blocks?

You've got a lot going here with electronics and they are trying to make your home as comfortable as possible and also energy efficient.
You boiler is operating on a reset curve, it may need to be adjusted to get hotter water to the RMB's.
So the RMB is also modulating temperature based upon outside conditions and a target supply water temperature. If the boiler is not putting out a high enough water temp, then the RMB is starved and won't heat adequately.
The idea behind the RMB's is to modulate water temperature and to prevent major swings in air temperature. If they are removed and a very high temperature is sent to your floors, here is the scenario that take place;
Room is 69 degrees, setpoint is 70. Zone has not called for hours. Slab is cool, water in the slab is cool.
Call for heat occurs and the slab starts to heat up, you have 140 degrees slamming into the slab. Radiant is a slow and gentle beast, and it will take a while to change the air temp in the space. The first thing to heat will be the concrete, once that is warmed, then the air starts to warm up. Air temp now reaches 71 and the stats stops calling for heat. However the energy in the slab needs to go somewhere and it was slammed with a heck of alot of BTU's. The air temp in the space will only have to go up. It can reach 74-75 degrees very easily. This happens again over a long period of time say over a couple of hours.
Now the air temp starts to drop because the slab is cooling down. The air temp hits 69 and the stat calls for heat again, however the air temp continues to drop while the cold slab absorbs heat, before the air temp starts to climb again, it may be around 66 degrees. So now you are looking at easily a 9 degree temperature differential in the space.
I know there is lot here but to get to harsh and replace, it won't improve the situation.
There are a couple of things that need to be done,
1. A heat loss of the house on a room by room basis
2. Calculate the target water temperature needed for the RMB's
3. Adjust the boiler temp to be higher than the highest temp.
4. Make sure that the RMB circs are large enough to handle the load
5. Reprogram RMB if needed

I hope this helps

Dave H

Green Item

@ January 7, 2013 4:06 PM in Hot water boiler sizing..

That would be a Low Water Cut-Off here is the link http://www.taco-hvac.com/uploads/FileLibrary/100-8.1.pdf

Dave H.

Another drawing

@ January 7, 2013 9:31 AM in Hot water boiler sizing..

Using theFloPro Designer software.
Once the heat loss is done, based upon the little info I have right now, your supply pipe may be smaller than 1-1/4"

Dave H.

In my Backyard

@ January 5, 2013 8:49 AM in 2013 Long Island BIG UGLY....who's in?????

Just around the corner, all the years seeing this get put together and I was always somewhere else in the country

Dave H.

3112

@ December 27, 2012 3:51 PM in Barely heating

What I can see on my own boiler, On the prestige, the first number 3 is telling you that it is firing (call for heat)
The next set of numbers is the actual temperature of the boiler water. If this is a new install, this could be a result of the reset curve, depending upon the type of heat you have, 112 degrees may be too low to accommodate the heat loss. You would need to raise the "bottom" end of the reset curve

2400-50

@ December 21, 2012 10:35 AM in HIGH HEAD CIRCULATOR

What didn't work with the Taco 2400-50. The flange set is what you needed and the flow/GPM match?

Radiant water temps

@ December 21, 2012 10:22 AM in In floor radiant max temp?

In a slab, max water temp is 140-150 depending upon the mix, however, with that temp get ready for undershooting and overshooting of the room temp as the slab flywheels with temp.
In order to figure it out, a heat loss needs to be done.....to size the pump and the water temp needed.
Floor coverings, tube spacing in the slab, room size, total length of the tubing are also things needed.
What control strategy is used to control the water temp for the slab and is the zone pump after the mix device?

FuelMizer

@ December 18, 2012 5:18 PM in taco fuel mizer

Paul,
I have one on my desk and setup some variable temperature simulators to change numbers instead of cups of hot and cold water and I cannot repeat what you are experiencing with the control. There is some delay when changing settings to eliminate short cycling I'm sure

Test a Wirsbo Zone Valve

@ December 10, 2012 1:43 PM in Wirsbo zone valve

Exactly that, and yes the endswitch contacts do get a little goofy when it starts to fail.
I would replace with the thermal style, less moving parts......

Dave H.

ZVC thermostat terminals

@ December 7, 2012 5:24 PM in taco zvc405-3 zone control

You probably have the Wirsbo 4-wire thermostats like the 501. Two of the wires are for 24volt power and two are for the endswitch.

In order to make this work on the ZVC controller, there should be a terminal on the top left of the ZVC board labeled 24 volt and common. Use this terminal to power up all of the thermostats, and the endswitch wires will go to the corresponding stat location.
Enjoy
Dave H.