Heating Help

circ location

@ January 22, 2011 8:12 PM in ques about Pri sec radiant piping

The actuator and outdoor reset make sense. But with this setup if the demand called for hotter water temp the actuator would open and pull water from the primary loop but will it just dump back into the primary loop on the other side of the circulator. seems to me that you would what two closely spaced tees on the low pressure side of the circulator.

constant circulation

@ January 22, 2011 5:07 PM in ques about Pri sec radiant piping

I see Joe is a fan of constant circulation. That being said the layout makes a little more sense. Just outside of the picture there was a thermostat and a temperature  differential control. I don't think he would be a fan of all the exposed copper in a cold uninsulated basement.

low aquastat

@ January 22, 2011 1:50 PM in ques about Pri sec radiant piping

I was there for an energy audit. The home owner says he has been having a problem with it, a couple of zone that won't go above 68. I noticed that the boiler aquastat was was cutting off at 100. I  don't generally mess with customers equipment so I suggested he have his heating contractor look into why it's shutting down at 100.  The primary loop should not go below 140 right? 
When I looked at the second boiler in the home, an oil fired hot water system. the aquastat was set to 240. I'm thinking he may need a new heating contractor.

viega

@ January 22, 2011 11:40 AM in ques about Pri sec radiant piping

I am told it was designed by Viega. That the company your thinking of?

ques about Pri sec radiant piping

@ January 22, 2011 9:11 AM in ques about Pri sec radiant piping

I've attached a couple of pictures of a piping setup that looks odd to me. I have not seen a setup with a circulator in between the the tees and it seems that the primary loop should be flowing in the opposite direction. Will this work?

Bupkes meters are sold in the Amish store

@ October 6, 2010 2:20 PM in best way to find GPM of existing system

If those Amish would just get a store on Ebay, just think how many Bupkes meters they could sell

You quadruple the flow and get a measly 30 BTUH per LF benefit for over 11 times the pressure drop

@ October 6, 2010 2:16 PM in best way to find GPM of existing system

from Brad
"You quadruple the flow and get a measly 30 BTUH per LF benefit for over 11 times the pressure drop"
That makes sense, so there is really no reason to look for a more precise number.

I don't have an issue now but I have in the past.
I do energy auditing and in order to get a detailed picture of whats going on I like to know what the output of a heating system,zone or section of baseboard is.
It doesn't happen as often but the cause of a cold area may be the lack of proper heating distribution as opposed too excess conductive loss or infiltration.

Thanks again for your input guys

?

@ October 5, 2010 7:05 PM in best way to find GPM of existing system

Unless I misunderstand you Chris, that not what I'm after.
If there is an existing system and I what to find what the btu output of a zone or section of baseboard is. To use the standard hydronic formula I need deltaT and GPM to get BTUH. Unless there is another way?

best way to find GPM of existing system

@ October 5, 2010 1:38 PM in best way to find GPM of existing system

What is the best way to find GPM flow of an existing system, excluding cutting in a flow meter.
I'm trying to find out if there is an accurate way of determining the output of a section of baseboard. With the delta T and GPM you should have the BTUH output.
I've been looking at calculating head pressure and using pump curves but it seems that there would be a lot of room for error with this method.
Looking at a pump with a flat curve, if you miss the total head calculation by just a little the GPM could be way off.
Is there another way?

Thanks

@ September 18, 2010 8:05 PM in approx age of american standard steamer?

Thanks Steamhead, that was fast

approx age of american standard steamer?

@ September 18, 2010 7:35 PM in approx age of american standard steamer?

Could any body give me a ballpark idea of the age of this American Standard Steam boiler?
Also what was the rated efficiency of something like this when it was new?

Thanks