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[heat550]

The one house only .
Ok I have 2 zones I want to add air exchangers . one upstairs one down stairs . Baseboards don't give off enough heat . 
I have 6 zones total I'm heating  . question is would 2-  12x18 air exchanges cause alot of drag on my water pump ?
I have a 011 taco pump .  and next question whats the best control to use to kick fans on when zone is hot and calling for heat .
I have to drain lines so I need to install everything I need at once . ( trying to think of everything ) problem I have is when its
colder say below 15f  waters nice and hot But Im not getting enough heat off the water its going back to the stove only
4-6 degrees cooler . after install 2 more air heat exchangers  I will have one 18x20 ( garage )  qnd 2- 12x18  air exchangers in system
and the 6 zones total .  for house 26x42  split entry finished upstair and down stairs and garage .

Heat550

all my zones are 3/4 pipe also . 1 inch pex al pex coming in from stove split in to 2 before going to all zone valves .




 

[slimjim]

First, before you go to all the trouble, it might be a good idea to remove the covers on the baseboard and clean the fins, they have a tendency to attract dust and pet hair and should be cleaned every few years!
 Can you try to draw us a sketch of what you are currently doing?

[willieG]

also baseboards are designed to have room below them for the cool air to be drawn in and over the fins, some times people have added carpet or a layer of new flooring without raising the baseboards and there is not sufficient air movement allowed  for them to work properly

[heat550]

First, before you go to all the trouble, it might be a good idea to remove the covers on the baseboard and clean the fins, they have a tendency to attract dust and pet hair and should be cleaned every few years!
 Can you try to draw us a sketch of what you are currently doing?

I cleaned them last year . There was a bit of a collection   but heres how I been doing it last 19 years . I only have baseboards in this house . it would always keep it 60-65 in living room dinning room same downstairs on really cold nights Im in Minnesota . so if i wanted it warmer say 72f  I use the off peak electric heat to compensate this when winds blasting and super cold . But now it all changes because our electric rates are up 14 cent kw off peak is about half .  and I have heatmor 400css I'm installing also . twice as big as last wood stove .  I want the setup so I dont need any electric heat. air exchangers would give me more instant heat and more heat on cold windy days .  My house is 1976 2x4 walls but i have newer windows and attic at about R50. I will make a drawing tomorrow . 

Heat550

Side note baseboards in bedrooms keep it nice and warm bathroom ect .

[heat550]

also baseboards are designed to have room below them for the cool air to be drawn in and over the fins, some times people have added carpet or a layer of new flooring without raising the baseboards and there is not sufficient air movement allowed  for them to work properly

All mine over 3-4 inches above floors some even on top of electric baseboards very custom want to hear my cleaning process
big shop vac and air hose  Did them last year again and same heat output .  It seems air ex changers are the only fix . In other house im heating same outdoor stove it has 1- 12x18 exchanger and it heats whole house 28x48 no basement 75f last year and year before 1000 cfm  fan on it . this what made me think hey I need to add some air ex changers in the other house

Heat550

[slimjim]

Ok, a diagram will certainly help, could more baseboard be added to the cold areas on the same heat loops? I personally am not a fan of the hot air units as they are noisy and consume power to run the fan!
They also are typically installed in a constantly flowing loop that keeps the rad hot all the time, this tends to overheat in the shoulder months. When I do use them, I try to set them up on an aqua stat off the return side of the rad that controls the fan and the circ is controlled off the thermostat, this eliminates the over heat situation.

[heat550]

Here is  just a ruff scratch what Im up to . I will make a better drawing later more details .
It should give you a bit of a idea . The water in is split in to 2 so I could plumb  all zone valves .
in House 1 . 

Heat550

[heat550]

Just so you understand above drawings everything is done in 1996  I just want to add 2 air ex changers. one upstairs and one downstairs . Inside the upstairs and downstairs zones run fans off a aqua stat. zone valve would still be run by thermostat.
I was running water temp at 160f last 19 years . do to old 200css that was max .  the new 400css I might be able to hit the 180f and that might wake up the baseboards a bit more .

Heat550

[hondaracer2oo4]

You are going to be putting out at least another 100 btu per foot of baseboard if you go from 160-180. You can go to the slant fin website and look at the chart. Are you actually getting 160 to the baseboard if you are running that as a high number out at the owb, likely you are only getting 145-155 at the baseboard which means you are really putting out close to half the btu rating of the slant fin. I think this is your issue right there. While I don't have baseboard I do run my owb at 185 off and 175 on. Mine is a 24 year old hardy. I don't know why you wouldn't be able to run 180 even with your 200? I would put your temp up to 185 on your new boiler and wait to see how that does before you do all of this plumbing. Another good suggestion was to make sure that you have good air flow through the fin and that it has been cleaned. I think your going to be tipped over when you see how much heat the baseboard puts out if it gets 180 degree water.

[RSI]

How much pipe are you planning to add to get to the heat exchangers? What size and kind of pipe is it?
How many feet of of baseboard in in the zone? Is there just a single pump on the system with zone valves or is there a pump on each zone?

[heat550]

How much pipe are you planning to add to get to the heat exchangers? What size and kind of pipe is it?
How many feet of of baseboard in in the zone? Is there just a single pump on the system with zone valves or is there a pump on each zone?

There's only 1 pump for all zones. The upstairs baseboard about 20 feet long. That's where I want one air exchanger . downstairs about 25 feet of baseboard in that zone where I want to add air exchanger. Now it's all copper 3/4 inch . I would use pex oxygen barrier  to hook up exchangers . was my thinking. I'm only going add
Enough pipe to hook up air exchangers under 10 foot pipe each. Maybe less. Thinking 12x18 exchangers. As far as length to get to baseboards length of house upstairs 40feet to get there 40 feet back. another big deal with my system I put pump at the lowest point.
If you checked it pump in basement would be about 2-3 feet below the outside boiler .  in shop its about ground level and second house would be about 3 feet off the ground . my thought there was force water throw pumps . air back to the boiler . The pump in the house 1 with baseboards is a taco 011 pretty big one . rest are taco 007.


Heat550

[heat550]

You are going to be putting out at least another 100 btu per foot of baseboard if you go from 160-180. You can go to the slant fin website and look at the chart. Are you actually getting 160 to the baseboard if you are running that as a high number out at the owb, likely you are only getting 145-155 at the baseboard which means you are really putting out close to half the btu rating of the slant fin. I think this is your issue right there. While I don't have baseboard I do run my owb at 185 off and 175 on. Mine is a 24 year old hardy. I don't know why you wouldn't be able to run 180 even with your 200? I would put your temp up to 185 on your new boiler and wait to see how that does before you do all of this plumbing. Another good suggestion was to make sure that you have good air flow through the fin and that it has been cleaned. I think your going to be tipped over when you see how much heat the baseboard puts out if it gets 180 degree water.

Interesting my total baseboards is 69 feet  that's only 450 btu per foot 31,050 btus at 160f even if I push it to 180f its only going to get to 40,000 btus  so I do need air ex changers .  most houses around here have 60,000btu furnaces some have 80,000 btu furnaces . yes I was getting 160f to house stove ran 175f to 180  at top of the tank 190f at -20f   fan on at 155f off at 175f  my switch has about 5 degree swing . I held these temps because below 0 f the 200css  stove was pretty nuts on dry oak  My 4 foot extension is still blue from winter 2013-2014  my extension  the old school super thick steel one (vortex scaring ). Thanks for this great info . pretty hard to believe 31,050btus was heating my house . still wrapping my head around it . Im sure theres btus coming off the copper pipe also . getting excited now to fix it up with my new 400 css double dragon hope its not to hard on my wood pile. 

Heat550

[RSI]

From what you said, it sounds like you won't have any trouble adding the heat exchangers. Use 1" pex though. 3/4" will add a lot more restriction.

[heat550]

From what you said, it sounds like you won't have any trouble adding the heat exchangers. Use 1" pex though. 3/4" will add a lot more restriction.

Should I get 1 inch air exchanger also ?  I can get 12x18 with 1 inch inlet and output?

Heat550

[RSI]

Most heat exchangers will have 1" but 3/4" wouldn't be a problem. The pex is smaller than copper which is why I suggested going with 1"