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[d-man]

Hello, I am new to this forum and the world of outdoor furnaces. I just bought a empire pro 200 after much research. The question I have is how to plumb the heat exchanger into my existing boiler. Is it best to just "T" into the return side of the boiler or run a loop type system from the supply, through the heat exchanger, to the boiler return with another circulator? 
If I "T" into the return the boiler will need to use some oil to get it up to temp. when the heat has not been on for a while. The loop system will keep the boiler a temp. all the time but I'm not sure if it will keep up with demand.  Any information you guys may have would be a big help. Thanks.

[d-man]

Maybe I asked his question the wrong way.  If you have an outdoor furnace, a boiler and baseboard heat, how is your system plumbed.  Please help a guy out.

[abarton]

are you saying that you have a oil fired boiler that you use for heat and you bought a wood boiler and want to add it to your system as a primary source of heat and oil boiler for backup? if so your oil boiler is going to be a closed loop system that operates under pressure and the wood boiler may not. you could tee into your supply and returns on the oil boiler. you will however need to install valves to isolate the oil boiler from the wood boiler and valves to isolate the wood boiler from the oil boiler. hope this helps

[RSI]

Do you have any extra unused ports on the indoor boiler? If so, use them so it is just circulating through the indoor boiler and always keeps it hot.

If not, probably best to put tees on the supple and return to the indoor boiler so it circulates. If you are using a heat exchanger to isolate it from the outdoor boiler it would require an extra pump. You may be able to do it a little different to keep from needing the extra pump but that would depend on how it is setup.

[SOHIO]

I'm also wondering the same as to how you hook up to an existing boiler with a heat exchanger!
Please explain in detail if you can.

I have been looking at the central boiler How To's but it's not to specific.
http://www.centralboiler.com/Tech/C220.pdf




Hey, my first post.

[RSI]

That Central Boiler diagram just added a tee at the supply and return and pump water from the return through the heat exchanger then back into the supply tee.

That is as good a way as any to do it.

[d-man]

Thanks a lot guys. I guess I will plumb it like the Central Boiler diagram says. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Red_Nek]

d-man,
I'd be extremely interested in your progress and lessons learned, as I am in the same type of situation. If you use a HX for the heat transfer to your indoor unit, what size unit did you go with? Any info would be great.

Thanks,
Dave

[d-man]

I haven't hooked mine up yet but from my reading to heat about 3000 sqft it would require a 50 plate hx. It should be good to about 100,000 btu's. when I get it in and running I'll let you know how it works.

[SOHIO]

Would like to know how you guys would hook this up?
I have a Taco 007 f4 pump that is on the return side of the oil boiler that circulates the 4 zones.
I also have a Boilermate for my DHW that has its own pump and is tied into the return below the Taco pump.

My plans were to tie into the return below the Taco pump and tee into the supply side on top of the boiler and run the Taco 24/7 to circulate thru the HX. Would this work? How would you wire the pump to do this and still have oil backup?

I know everybody's hookup is different but for some reason I cannot figure this one out, either that or I'm too cheap and don't want to buy and run another pump! But if it means a more efficient system than so be it.

Was talking to Willie about this in PM's.

Sorry about the hijacked thread D-man!

[RSI]

Does the pump to the boilermate run 24/7? If so, you could try putting the plate HX in series with it. Otherwise you could try putting the plate in series with the return into the boiler. I would put a strap on aquastat on the OWB line to shut off the oil boiler if doing it this way so it never runs when the OWB is hot.

[SOHIO]

Boilermate runs off its own T-stat, not 24/7.
So you think just tapping the return and running it thru the HX and back into the boiler would work?
Do you think that Taco pump is ok to circulate and run all zones? I have a 2000sqft ranch.

[RSI]

It depends on how often the pump runs if it will work. If it goes a long time between running and the oil boiler cools down then it will have to reheat it before the house gets much heat. I don't think that would be a big deal though.
Also if you do it this way, make sure the boilermate loop goes through the plate and doesn't bypass it.

[d-man]

Well I got the owf installed but I'm having a problem getting my existing furnace up to temperature. I know the owf is working as it should because its making my dhw.  I have a similar set up SOHIO with regards to the existing circurlator location.
I came off the boiler drain and through a new circurlator to the heat exchanger. Then from the other side of the heat exchanger to the supply side of the furnace. It does get the furnace hot just extremely slowly, the oil burner runs every time there is a call for heat.
My only guess is that where I taped into the supply line is wrong. There was a "T"  already there with the expansion tank on it. I extended the line put another "T" in it for the expansion tank and then ran the line from the heat exchanger. Could that be the reason? Is the expansion tank restricting the flow?

[d-man]

Got it all figured out. The boiler controller on the existing boiler was the problem, it was not low limit adjustable enough.  It had a adjustable high limit with a 15 deg. differential. Changed it out with on that had a adjustable high and low limit and its all working just fine. 
My furnace and water heater have not turned on in 3 weeks! I could not be happier. Thank you guys for all the help.   
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
Dennis