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[MO_Hunter]

I bought a house with a Heatmaster 4000 SS and have used it for one year.  Last winter it kept the house temp very nice. ( a couple times to hot since we where getting use to it)

This year is has not been as good to us.  We have baseboard radiators with 3 zones and the system runs through hot water heater.  If the outside temp is above 30 the house heats up to 74 (temp wife like) but if temp drops below that for several days we can not get it passed 64 -69 in any of our zones.

We have check to make sure the zones are calling for heat and inside pump is running at 12 psi.  Copper pipe though out house with pex to and from OWB.

We have made sure no air was in line.

I bumped up the settings to 185 with 10 degree drop but still can not get house temp up.  I have check to make sure water was indeed getting heated to 185+- at the stove.

After shutting down last year I really did not do anything to the OWB.  Is there some cleaning I should of done?  I know this unit is discontinued but not sure what is going on.

Any thoughts?

[slimjim]

No water to water plate exchanger? could be air in the upstairs heat loops, air will severely slow the flow of hot water within the loop.

[MO_Hunter]

Is there are way to check the water plate exchanger?  I will re-bleed every radiator to make sure they do not have air in them.

[slimjim]

Can you describe your system one more time, do you have a plate exchanger on the pressurized side of the system, any temp guages at the heat exchager?

[MO_Hunter]

The lines come into house and goes into a heat sink ( aic brazed plate heat exchanger ) 

System appears to be hooked up in line with the existing LP gas boiler the house had and runs though hot water heater.  All lines out seem hot to the touch.

[MO_Hunter]

Pic of heat exchanger

[slimjim]

All circulators on the loops or zone vaves, are all circs operating, check them by closing off a ball valve on that loop about 3/4 way and listen for a change in tone of the circ and water rushing by the valve.

[MO_Hunter]

Though hot water heater

[slimjim]

Appears to be considerable resistance in the lines with elbows, no ball valves on each port makes it difficult to clean or check the heat exchanger

[MO_Hunter]

I really do not have the knowledge on these types of systems I guess.  We had two zone valves replaced because they where not turning on pump when the called for heat.

I do not know how to do what you are asking so I guess I am stuck paying someone to come out again but not to many repair people have even seen these things and I have had a couple say well maybe it just can not keep up.

Since it is discontinued model I may be stuck until spring with it.

[yoderheating]

 Can you not call the dealer who installed the system? My guess is either there is scale build up in the flat plate or there is air blocking the system somewhere. Or I guess you could have a pump impeller broken. Are the radiators getting good and hot? Do you have any way to check the water temp anywhere in the system other than the furnace?

[MO_Hunter]

Not sure who installed the unit since it was here when I bought the home.  There are only 2 dealers in MO and neither are real close by.  I contacted the closes one when the blower went out on front door.  He said he never seen this model but did get me the part.

Radiators are warm to touch and hot if you leave hand on them awhile.

I will contact dealer.

[hondaracer2oo4]

Temperature is everything. We need to know what the temperature is before and after it goes through the plate heat exchanger on both the owb side and on the lp gas heater side. We also need to know what temperature the water is when it heads into a zone and what the temp is when it returns from that zone. Best way to check these is with a infrared thermometer that you can pick up at any big box store for around $40 bucks. They are worth their weight in gold. Anybody that tells you that ' well maybe it can't keep up' should never be asked to look at any heating system you have again. That plainly shows their lack of knowledge in heating systems.  Report back with what temps you get and we can go from there. A tip about reading temp on pex, you should really cover the area that you plan to read the temp of with a piece of pipe insulation. When you take the temp, peel back the insulation and take the reading. Also put the gun right on the pipe when you take the reading keeping it parallel with the pipe. If you go perpendicular it seems to not read as well and if you aren't right against the pipe you will have the sensor reading other things as well leaving you with an inaccurate number. 

[yoderheating]

 I've been building in a temp gauge on new installs of radiant heat lately because I think it could answer questions like these down the road. It sounds as if you may no longer be getting a good exchange at the plate heater. Depending on your water quality there may be some scale build up that is greatly reducing the ability to heat your system. If you are running the furnace at 185 you should be able to get at least 160 coming out of the heat exchange if it is sized correctly. This would mean there is no way you would be able to lay your hand on the copper pipe coming out of it. Try feeling the pipe going into the heat exchange and comparing it to the pipe exiting. This will not be an exact reading but it should give you a good idea of how well it is working. If there is no noticeable difference then you have most likely found the problem.

[truecountry]

Can you not call the dealer who installed the system? My guess is either there is scale build up in the flat plate or there is air blocking the system somewhere. Or I guess you could have a pump impeller broken. Are the radiators getting good and hot? Do you have any way to check the water temp anywhere in the system other than the furnace?

If the flat plate is stopped up on well water side no heat no hot water period ..stopped up on heater side cant pump or circulate no heat risk pump failure?