Print

[american-pacemaker]

On the boiler side should the pumps be stainless or bronze and not just cast iron ?

[slimjim]

I use cast Iron, the cost of stainless is expensive and they can be damaged as easily by slag or sediment as a cast iron circulator, I normally leave a spare circ on the shelf and show the homeowner how to change it out themselves!

[Sprinter]

Me being me, I only use CI on closed systems, bronze or SS for anything open, I don't get the build up in and around the impeller nearly as much. And depending on your distributor, they won't or are not supposed to warrant any CI circs on open systems. 3yrs for circs used in their proper application.

[slimjim]

But what is the cost incurred? Cast Iron tends to last well as long as there is treatment in the system, they are far cheaper ( my cost is about 1/3 the cost of stainless ) and I would be willing to bet that right here on the forum most guys are getting at least the 3 years that the warranty is good for, Mine happens to be 10 years old and still works just fine.

[mlappin]

But what is the cost incurred? Cast Iron tends to last well as long as there is treatment in the system, they are far cheaper ( my cost is about 1/3 the cost of stainless ) and I would be willing to bet that right here on the forum most guys are getting at least the 3 years that the warranty is good for, Mine happens to be 10 years old and still works just fine.

I was still running the original cast iron on mine, 14 years old this last winter. Changed it out out for a Delta T.

[Sprinter]

The cost, well I usually get $480-$670 to install a new circ. I have NEVER  replaced a circ on one of my installs going back to 96' was the first open system I did.  I warrant my systems for 10 years when I design. So yes it does cost more, but I bet in the month of November on just this site there were 25 plus circ failures and several that ate 3 in one season.
I am expensive, and sometimes stupid expensive, but I want a heating system that a family or business depends on to be trouble free and reliable. It ain't no joke when your $10,000-$30,000 system just went down because of a $100-$350 part.

I still install what the owner wants to pay for when they choose.

[LittleJohn]

I have used SS Grundfos Alpha pumps, and $$$-wise they are about even with a 3-speed SS 15-58.  That being said to go from CI to SS in MOST Grundfos pumps is about $100; assuming you are not required to use a commercial monster