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Author Topic: No heat exchanger  (Read 7018 times)

murph

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No heat exchanger
« on: November 17, 2009, 03:26:38 AM »

Does anyone else not use a heat exchanger and have their boiler plumbed directly to there indoor furnace? I own a Central E- classic and have plumbed mine this way. I have forced hot water baseboard, heating appx. 3200 sq. ft. house.Central boiler does list this as an option in their install guide. It seems like everyone is using heat exchangers. Perhaps most people have forced hot air systems. Just curious if anyone else is doing this, and if not , why spend hundreds of extra dollars on heat exchangers.


Murph
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willieG

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Re: No heat exchanger
« Reply #1 on: November 17, 2009, 03:48:05 AM »

Does anyone else not use a heat exchanger and have their boiler plumbed directly to there indoor furnace? I own a Central E- classic and have plumbed mine this way. I have forced hot water baseboard, heating appx. 3200 sq. ft. house.Central boiler does list this as an option in their install guide. It seems like everyone is using heat exchangers. Perhaps most people have forced hot air systems. Just curious if anyone else is doing this, and if not , why spend hundreds of extra dollars on heat exchangers.


Murph

I would guess Murph that most folks allready had forced air heat when they bought their OWB, to add a heat exchanger in the plenum of the heat system was likely the easiest way to heat their home.

i have three heating systems in my home now (all supplied by my OWB)..i have a heat exchanger in my hot air furnace...rads in my basement and infloor heat in a new addition...hot water from an OWB is quite adaptable.
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Jason

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Re: No heat exchanger
« Reply #2 on: November 21, 2009, 06:36:21 AM »

Murph-sounds like you system is set up just like mine.  I do have a HX for my domestic hot water but it isn't set up yet.  My system is set up so that the water comes from outside right into the pre existing oil furnace.  From there is is pumped throughout the baseboard heaters in the house and back up the hill to the OWB.  The water pumps on the OWB and the oil furnace are wired to operate in unison.  I've run like that since New Year's day 2007 and never had trouble.
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maine owb

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Re: No heat exchanger
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2009, 05:23:22 PM »

Whatever works is great but i work in the plumbing and heating industry and one reason to use a heat exchanger is that if you
don't and you tie an exsiting system with 20-30 lbs of pressure on it into an OWB that is an OPEN loop system with almost no pressure on it you are making your indoor system an OPEN loop system which introduces air into the system and can do damage. It could also make some pumps not be able to pump up multiple levels if it needs the system to be pressurized.

But more important to me i want to be able to leave for days on end or vacation and not have my oil backup heat my wood boiler to 180 degrees. A heat exchanger makes it easy to isolate the two systems and manage them more. This does add another $800$1400 dollars to the system. It is not for everyone but I like it.
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woodywoodchucker

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Re: No heat exchanger
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2009, 07:44:46 PM »

Where are you in maine? West baldwin here
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maine owb

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Re: No heat exchanger
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2010, 04:08:50 PM »

hebron,me
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willieG

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Re: No heat exchanger
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2010, 05:25:11 PM »

i am not sure i understand how you have yor two hot water systems (closed and open) hooked together

if you are using a "plate heat exchanger" where your two systems remain seperated  and only heat is transferred from one to the other i am having a hard time understanding how one sytem could effect the other system's pressure?

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willieG

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Re: No heat exchanger
« Reply #7 on: January 03, 2010, 08:27:05 PM »

if i am reading you right..when you are using your OWB and your indoor (pressuized boiler) they are in fact working as one and the water from you OWB is mixing with your )pressurized water?

if this in fact true...your plumber has mad a grave mistake in hooking yoru system up...your  indoor boiler and your outside boiler MUST remain seperate to work properly and safely. you should google plate heat exchangers and see how they work (they do work similar to your side arm water heater...the OWB and the domestic water never mix and this is the way your two boilers should work as well

if i have misinturpreted your set up..forgive me

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willieG

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Re: No heat exchanger
« Reply #8 on: January 03, 2010, 08:52:26 PM »

You are reading correct. Both systems are operating with the same water. C.B.has this setup listed in the Instructions for one of the many types of connections for this boiler. I believe it is on the website for C.B.   
i find this ahrd to believe..it must be a misprint..your indoor boiler requires something like (don't quote me) 8 to 12 pounds pressure to work properly and it needs to be closed to keep air from the system. if you get air in teh system you will no doubt get air locks somewhere and lose all heat to the register where the air lock is

your outdoor stove runs at 0 to a few pounds pressure depending on the stove

what you are now doing is asking for trouble in the very near future (in my opinion)

call a real boiler shop and verify or disqualify the setup you now have

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willieG

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Re: No heat exchanger
« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2010, 09:02:04 PM »

You are reading correct. Both systems are operating with the same water. C.B.has this setup listed in the Instructions for one of the many types of connections for this boiler. I believe it is on the website for C.B.   
i went to the site and found what you are talking about...if you look close you will see that the setup you are using (direct plumbed) is for use with a non pressureized system

if you keep looking you will find a set up for a PRESSURIZED system that required a hest exchanger so your non pressuized OWB and you in house pressurized boiler are never really tied together. the heat exchanger transfers heat form one sytstem to the other without the water ever mixing.
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willieG

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Re: No heat exchanger
« Reply #10 on: January 03, 2010, 09:29:02 PM »

you should be able to look up your pump on the net and find it's operating pressures ..on another note...if you continue to mix your boiler water i sure hope you have a filter for catching any crud and that you are using the proper chemical treatments for yoru water.  I think CB is way off line here recomending anyone plumb two stoves together but i am not the expert. happy burning
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