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[Ridgekid]

Here's the taco installed. Grundfos pics tomorrow.

http://outdoorwoodfurnaceinfo.com/forum/index.php?action=media;sa=media;in=31;preview

[MTJAG]

I have two Grundfos Alphas installed upside down.   However, they are still running after two years so I guess I will leave them that way.

RidgeKid, looking forward to the report tomorrow after the install.

[MattyNH]

Cant complain about the taco pump on my part..5 yrs  going on 6 this yr....Original pump (007) with the OWB..

[Ridgekid]

You understand I was in the market for a spare pump and decided it was a good opportunity to put the Grundfos to the test?  I also have no complaints with the taco.  (009)

[MattyNH]

Oh totally agree with having a spare pump..Def need one on hand..I have a friend that works in the oil boiler field..Funny tonight he was talking about the Grundfos pumps and how the save power or something like that...

[Ridgekid]

We will soon see!!

[MattyNH]

good luck!.. lets us know you you make out!

[Ridgekid]

It's Installed!!
It took about 20 minutes.
Thank goodness for universal slip flanges.
I left the pump rotated away from the OWF for easy view of monitor.
The Pump is about 1/4" longer than the TACO (Flange to Flange) Recommend replacing when PEX is hot!

Pics in the Gallery!

During the first furnace run I saw no change in heat load vs the TACO. I always pulled 15* when the furnace fan kicked on. I still pull the same with the new pump.

I'll keep my eye on it during the day and see what it settles out at. Right now (within 30 minutes of install) the adapt control is 29W/5GPM.

[RSI]

Did you try it with the kill a watt to see if the watt reading match? I never tried that.

[Ridgekid]

Why did I know you were going to ask me that?  You'll be happy ( at least I am) to know that it matches watt for watt!!!

[Ridgekid]

First Four Hour Observation!!
We are putting it to the test!! Wife did laundry, I washed vehicles. The pump has dropped to 22 watts/4 gpm.

Has it effected the Dragons performance? It does not appear so. During the last burn, it came on right at 174*. By the time the wood ignited it dropped to 171* but quickly recovered.

Is this pump pumping less than Taco?  Yes. I've been watching my x300 and temps are dropping lower on the return trip to the Dragon then they did before. Up to 5* lower.  So it seems to take longer for the water to get back to the dragon.

But is this a bad thing? 
1. I'm taking more heat out of the water
2. More burn times on dragon=less creosote?
3. Not longer burn times, just more burns.

Anything else you suggest I should look out for?

So far I don't see any problems. I guess time and lower outside temps will tell. Wood consumption could be another factor too.

[pwdiver]

My pump is a taco 007 checked today with my killwatt meter  volts 121.9 HZ 59.9 VA 86.0 watt's 85.3 amp .70 PF .98 my killawatt meter is grey and has a p3 number on the front. Im looking at my newest light bill and cant find what the charge is per kilo watt.

[MTJAG]

Ridgekid,  that makes sense regarding the slower return of water to the boiler at 5gpm.  With the Taco, it was probably 7-8 gpm.  The trade off is using less electricity to using more wood?  If performance is equitable, then I would vote for burning more wood.  Question is how much more wood with more burn time?

[Ridgekid]

Mtjag-  I think that will be the real test. As long as the pump can handle the heat load, I don't have a problem putting more wood in the Green Dragon if that's the case.  Wood is a free commodity around here.

[RSI]

Why would it use more wood? You are using the same number of BTU's regardless of how fast the pump is running.
If the lower return temperature is making the boiler run more then I would set the differential higher because it would be caused by a false reading from return water near the sensor.