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[ST98]

The garage plumbing is mostly done and I'll fire up the boiler next week to see what bugs I have in the garage system.  Thanks for all the advice

Now I'm working on the wraparound for the oil furnace in the basement.  The furnace is a wiel mclain gold series.  I'm not sure how to wraparound the furnace.  Im gonna do the heat exchanger etc. but don't know where to run it into the furnace and out.  A plumber told me to goto the top of the manifold and push down through the oil burner circualator with another circulator and then tie into the copper. 

I've attached a couple of photos so I'm interested in any advice.

Thanks

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[Trint]

If your going to use a circulator between the plate and the furnace that runs all the time, mine goes in the pressure relief port(top left) and out the drain (bottom right).  May not be the best but that is how I have it set up.  Although I run it depressurized.

EDIT: to clarify the picture the white line (supply from boiler or in your case heat exchanger) tees into pressure relief port,  pipe teed into drain valve is return(or in your case back to exchanger) would require a pump on one of the lines.

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[RSI]

Ok, here is what I am thinking but it is late so will have to look at it again tomorrow.

What if you put the heat exchanger after the existing pump near the floor?
Then put a 3 way zone valve before the pump with the 3rd connection teed into the supply pipe at the top of the boiler.

The wire the existing pump to run all the time and the zone valve to divert flow when the pump used to come on.

[RSI]

Do those two pipes on the return before the pump have zone valves on them already? If they do, you could just use a regular 2 way zone valve and connect it where the plug is on the top. Then set it up so it is open when the others are both closed.

[yoderheating]

 The only problem with zone valves is I find they cost more than pumps, at least the ones that don't give me any problems. I've always done it the way Trint suggested with a tee at the pop off valve and a tee at the drain. Works well and you can do it with a 007 for about $70.

[ST98]

I'll be using a 50 plate HE. the boiler has one, black, Taco 007 on it. The house is only 1300 feet. Would I use the same size pump or smaller?  The other pumps in the garage are grundfos 15-85 three speeds. Could I use one of those instead to try and keep most of my pumps the same? 

The two pipes up top have zone valves on them.  I haven't hooked one of them up, scared, so the house has been on one zone for years.

Ill do what needs to be done but concerned about disaabling the manifold.

When you said the he after the pump is that a 90 after the pump run a line to the he and then come back from the he and put a 90 below the one i out on the manifold?

In the above photo then I would go in this photo on the bottom and then come out the second photo?  So I push water from the bottom to the top?

In that scenario I mount the pump between the he and the bottom drain pushing water to the top?

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[Trint]

I think what rsi is saying is put he where blue valve is currently below pump and let current pump push water through, then work out some sort of bypass to let water constantly circulate when house doesn't call for heat.  An alternative to this approach would be to skip the bypass and lock your burner out, the furnace will not always be warm (may have a slower response time) and you would have to manually switch it for backup, but the pump wouldn't run constantly and no extra zone valve or pump.  You might need a bigger pump though.

I added a description for my picture above as well.

[RSI]

I think what rsi is saying is put he where blue valve is currently below pump and let current pump push water through, then work out some sort of bypass to let water constantly circulate when house doesn't call for heat.  An alternative to this approach would be to skip the bypass and lock your burner out, the furnace will not always be warm (may have a slower response time) and you would have to manually switch it for backup, but the pump wouldn't run constantly and no extra zone valve or pump.  You might need a bigger pump though.

I added a description for my picture above as well.

I still haven't had any time to look at this any more and Yoder is probably right about staying with a pump instead of a zone valve.

If the boiler doesn't have to stay hot then just put a tee before the existing pump and a tee on the supply pipe. Then put a pump and heat exchanger between them. You probably will need to add a check valve on the supply under the tee also.

Then just use a strap on aquastat to shut off the oil boiler completely and switch to the new pump. You will either need an aquastat with DPDT contacts or use a separate relay to control both pump and boiler.

[ST98]

If I run my hot water through the boiler in a continuous loop and ran my pump all the time that would keep my water in the boiler hot the time?  If the boiler water was kept hot all the time the boiler shouldn't fire when my thermostat calls for heat?  When the thermostat asked for heat the other circulator would come on and the zone valve would open? 

My oil heater would only kick on when the water temp in the boiler went under a certain number?

Sorry for all the questions I'm just trying to understand the whole wrap around thing and keep from screwing up my furnace

Thanks

[yoderheating]

 A lot of boilers don't run zone valves and either have one zone or one pump per zone. The problem with them is if you keep the boiler hot 24/7 you can get some natural heat rise. With your system it shouldn't happen so it would most likely work to keep it hot 24/7. The one downside is a pump running 24/7 which will cost you a bit over time.

[Trint]

If I run my hot water through the boiler in a continuous loop and ran my pump all the time that would keep my water in the boiler hot the time?  If the boiler water was kept hot all the time the boiler shouldn't fire when my thermostat calls for heat?  When the thermostat asked for heat the other circulator would come on and the zone valve would open? 

My oil heater would only kick on when the water temp in the boiler went under a certain number?

Sorry for all the questions I'm just trying to understand the whole wrap around thing and keep from screwing up my furnace

Thanks

Yes you are correct, but mine some times get a cold shock when it first starts to circulate which would sometimes fire the burner, so I normally lock the burner out unless I want it to help.

[ST98]

What's involved in locking out the furnace?  I assume you mean the firing mechanism gets locked out but the rest stays on?

Thanks

[Trint]

I have a switch between the burner and control box(top right) it is actually mounted on the box.  But tripping the reset would work too, more than likely the little black lever by the red button on the burner.

[ST98]

Pump size?  The circulator is a taco oo7. Should it be the same size or could it be smaller since its running all the time? I wouldn't think there work be much head, the he will be within 5' from the furnace. Not sure how much head is in the furnace.

Thanks

[yoderheating]

 I have been using 007's and they work great. Don't know why you would need a bigger pump.