This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

1

Electronics / bad thermostat, or bad wiring????

« on: October 19, 2015, 04:57:49 AM »

Finally after 2 years I have in slab heat in my garage.....sorta...

I have a Tekmar 519 with slab sensor going to a Taco SR501,  Problem is,  that the wiring pics from tekmar doesn't jive with the switching relay...help?? 

Thanks

Mike

2

Plumbing / radient in slab install

« on: May 20, 2014, 06:01:24 AM »

Im having a hard time wrapping my head around what is all going to be needed for a (hopeful) in floor radient install in half of my pole barn.  The insulation, wire mesh, and radient barrier are easy.  I have 900sqft so a 4 loop manifold will be what i should need.  Not sure on the size of the pex and the plumbing for the mixing valve and that stuff. I have a pressurized system, so either Pex-al-Pex or OB pex is what i need to use.

Pictures would be a HUGE help.

Thanks

Mike

3

General Outdoor Furnace Discussion / energy consumption

« on: February 12, 2014, 04:29:34 AM »

Well I have enough evidence now to say without a doubt that my electric bill is half of what it usually was before this heating season.  All I did was turn OFF my electric hot water heater.  My HWH is a newer(3yr old) unit so I believe that it is efficient.  I am still shocked to see that much of a difference.

These last 4 months my usage and payout have been cut in half!!!

Oh happy days!!!

Now to decide to whether or not to purchase a tankless electric hwh?

Mike

4

Electronics / different type of thermostat

« on: November 21, 2013, 05:08:52 AM »

I just got everything hooked up and pumping water to the HX for my Burnham oil boiler.  In reading info here I "broke" the B1 line and ran it to a thermostat that I attached to the HX.  That way if/when my wood/coal boiler would ever have issues and the temp drops below my set points it will complete the circuit and allow the oil boiler to kick on.

Now, the thermostat that i used for this (some say I'm cheap) was a $9 electric hot water tank lower thermostat vs $60-80 strap on aquastat.  It is adjustable from 90-150, as of right now i have it set at 125, so if my HX ever hits 125 oil kicks on and i'll have less to worry about.  As a test I placed the tstat on the HX and had my son crank up the wall thermostat the oild furnace pump kicked on but the burner did not, then I took it off the HX and placed it on the cement flool and the burner ignighted.

I have used a thermocouple on my multimeter to measure the temp of the pex to and from the furnace and under load it was loosing 15 deg, so I bumped my pump the the second speed and now the delta is roughly half now.


Mike

5

Plumbing / water to water HX confusion

« on: November 11, 2013, 05:53:54 AM »

Ok, little history first.

I built a room onto my pole barn that I put a pressurized Royall 6150 wood/coal boiler into( it has a 35 gal capacity and is rated at 150k BTU).  I ran 1" PexalPex with a gundfos 26-99 3 speed pump pushing the water 120' basically level to where it enters the basement.  The electric HW heater is located first then the oil boiler second. 

I have a 50 plate to hook into my existing oil boiler and a 20 plate for my domestic HW.  The HX are 1" MPT.

Ive read and read and read.  I like WillieG's idea of a header system for the 2 exchangers, but since I only have 2
"appliances" (and no need to have any more) would it be worth that? 

If i go series why would I want the DHW to be first, other than that it is located before the oil boiler?   

Thanks for the help.

Getting cold in west central Pa

Mike

6

Plumbing / Fittings........confusion????

« on: July 08, 2013, 11:40:32 AM »

Im getting ready to order all my stuff to FINALLY get my furnace in my room that I'm building on the ousdide of my polebarn. I will be going about 125ft underground and I am going with the 3 wrap in the tile PLUS i scored some 6" black HEAVY wall ABS that I will then put it in.

It is a pressurized system and i will be using a 50plate HX to heat my existing oil boiler and then a 20 to heat my DHW.  I am using Pex-al-Pex for my run into the house. I am leaning towards making up some copper connections to the HX's along with y-strainers and full port valves. 

Now the 100 million $$$ question: What fittings will go from Pex-al-Pex to copper, is there one? Am i going to have a cluster of adapters to go to/from pipe and then go to compression fittings?

Thanks for the help........my head is starting to hurt(or am i just over analyzing this???)

Mike

7

Pools & Hot Tubs / lines to the pool

« on: June 28, 2012, 04:57:43 AM »

I'm going to be working with my buddy in hooking up his inground pool to a HX from his furnace.  What does everybody else use for the water lines from the pool to the HX and back to the pool?  I was looking at the black 1 1/2 inch plastic water line(like what you would use for a well), but he is not sure it will thake the temperature from the HX very well.

 I don't forsee him heating to beyond 180, but.....  His heat source is a National 200 cast iron wood/coal boiler in his garage, his run will be 100 ft.  We are planning on having the HX close to the boiler as option 1.  Option 2 would be to run the pex out to the HX in the pool house where the pool pump is then plumb into there.

Other options or opinins would be appreciated

Thanks

Mike

8

Fire Wood / Pulling trees down

« on: May 08, 2012, 09:31:24 AM »

Well, it looks like I'm going to be busy for quite some time this summer.  A local fella payed my father a visit yesterday and asked if we would be interested in clearing an old field of his.  I think that it is around 9 acres currently.  He had asked if we could pull the coulple of large ones out of the center and then clean up around the perimeter of the field.  The trees are all locust.  The ones in the middle of the field are at least 24 inches in diameter and branch out about 8ft up and are going to be a pain, but the ones around the perimeter are mostly trunk with little top.  This band around the perimeter of the field is at least 60 feet wide and can be wider at times, so there is going to be a boatload of work, but a large amount of wood.  The great thing about locust is that it doesn't rot even if left on the ground for long periods of time(for those that didn't know).

The gentleman wants the trees pulled because he wants us to plow and plant this field then.

Opinions about the best way to pull them out?  We DON'T have a dozer or hoe, but we have 2 130hp International(14,000lbs) farm tractors, a large New Holland skid steer(6000lbs) and a couople of smaller tractors, and lots of heavy cable and chains.

I'm thinking that choking the trees about 10ft up and this should allow the weight of the top of the tree to help get them over.  The trees range anywhere from a 6 inches in diameter to the larger ones being in the 12-18 inch range.  The thought is that the process will go something like this:  choke them, pull them down then away, cut the stump off, then top them, pile them, and finally load them out in 20ft lengths.

Questions, comments?

Thanks Mike

9

Plumbing / DIY Pex insulation opinion

« on: May 01, 2012, 05:11:14 AM »

I just found this on Ebay and was curious as to opinions.   Item number: 360066868785

It is 5 3/4 OD which would fit into 6" pipe.  You get 40 feet for $115.  I have not contacted them to see what kind of R value it would have, but I'm thinking no more than R8 at the outer edge of the OD to where the edge of the PEX will be.

My plans are to place my boiler in a room on the side of my pole barn and then run it about 120ft to the house and then eventually pour a slab in the pole barn for in slab heat.

This is an additional option that I may be looking at.  I can do this for cheaper than my first option by $150-200.

The first option I have is to get the "cheaper" wrapped insulated stuff in the 4" tile at $774 for 150ft and then put that into a second pipe(I scored some 1" thick walled NG pipe REAL cheap).

Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Anyway this is an GREAT sight with a ton of information.

Thanks

Mike

[attachment deleted by admin for space issues]