Print

[mw10737]

WOW... really.  I can get 18hrs burn time when it 30+ degrees out.  When its 10 degrees and under it will burn easily 12 hrs on a fill.  How big is your firebox? 

[tbone]

WOW... really.  I can get 18hrs burn time when it 30+ degrees out.  When its 10 degrees and under it will burn easily 12 hrs on a fill.  How big is your firebox?

I can go 16hrs when its in the 30s with a full firebox...when its mild during the day I usually just add a few pieces in the morning which carries me through until nightfall.  That is if me pump isn't running continuously.

[tbone]

I figured out my average temp lose is about 12 degrees with the pump running, I agree I could probably shave a couple of degrees off this by running 24/7...however I would consume more fuel.

[tbone]

WOW... really.  I can get 18hrs burn time when it 30+ degrees out.  When its 10 degrees and under it will burn easily 12 hrs on a fill.  How big is your firebox?

firebox is 3'X28"....I can go 24 hours if I add coal to the mix.

[RSI]

Have you moved the thermometer to both ends of the pipe to make sure you are getting accurate readings? Also you should do the same on the return because some of the heat is probably going back into the return instead of the ground. If you have the pex touching together all the way then you could get a few degree temp drop just from that.

[Scott7m]

Yup better listen to RSI on this one.  Based on what I'm reading there still hasn't been an accurate way of testing the temps.  There are a lot of variables

[willieG]

i do agree that if your pipes are wet there will  be a heat gain in the return line but even so if you were losing only half of 30 or 40,000 btu per hour you are losing enough heat to heat your home on many winter days...you are losing too much

[tbone]

Have you moved the thermometer to both ends of the pipe to make sure you are getting accurate readings? Also you should do the same on the return because some of the heat is probably going back into the return instead of the ground. If you have the pex touching together all the way then you could get a few degree temp drop just from that.


RSI,

I have, I measured an 8 degree difference on average at the back of my stove (pex supply line before entering the ground).  This gave me an average temp drop of 12 degrees.  I will check my return temps..the pex are touching inside the pvc.

[Hydronix]

If your using good piping , you should see less than 5* loss over 150-200' run.  I have seen 3 degree loss in 300' runs, with velocity at 3 feet per second. Speed it up to 4.5 fps and it is less. If your using good pipe there will be virtually no heat transfer between the 2 headers as they will be isolated, not touching.  If you have less than 15* differential on boiler side (S&R) of plate then velocity is too high, more than 25* and its too slow