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[cethomas]

Hello everyone, I  have owf setup for the first floor and it is working great. the hot water is good and so is the heat. I had a B & G 100 series pump on hand and it is working well for this. I am ready to hook up the second floor Heater coil and want to make sure I get it right. Looking at a grundfos 26-99 with a check valve to replace the B & G 100 series. And tap into the supply line ahead of the 1st floor unit( it is just where it was easiest to get to second floor). I may have messed up with my plumbing as I tied the HW tank and the 1st floor to the supply and return instead of in and out of the supply( as I have seen here). Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[LittleJohn]

Just be careful when you try to push water to the 2nd floor, because typically that kind of height puts you above the top of the boiler and cause problems such as vapor lock.   

However if you have a closed loop (pressurized) system, you should be ok.  What kind of application do you have on the 2nd floor; radiators, staple up, etc.

[mlappin]

So any advice for those who may have to run heat to a second story but have an open system? Is there anyway around this?

I'm thinking when I remodel the upstairs either pulling the floors up and placing radiant under them or before I get the downstairs completely finished pulling the ceilings and installing the radiant, upstairs never seems to have enough heat, of course doing so doesn't solve my problem of the upstairs not having enough AC in the summer.

[LittleJohn]

In my case, I brought pipes in from OWB then ran them thru a FPHE and then all the pipes in the house are closed-loop (pressurized); I have both staple up and in-slab (so mixing valves where required)
*My system is a bit more complex than most, because of a certain ENGINEER family member who works for a radiant company.  First time anything breaks or don't work right I know who to call HIM*

Sorry back to your 2nd floor heat issue, what about placing a fan coil in your furnace (assuming you have duct work for AC ??  )  May be a cheaper alternative than going FPHE, mixing device and closed-loop system

[cethomas]

Thank you, I have a heater coil installed in the second floor air handler. Once I get the air out of the system,My concern is water trying to run out of the boiler below. How do I control that? I currently have the B & G on the return side, but was thinking I should place the grundfos pump on the supply side when I replace the B & G.

[slimjim]

You will more than likely need to install a water to water plate exchanger in order to pressurize the inside, upstairs loops

[cethomas]

I see, thank you. Was hoping not to have to do that. What size plate exchange would be reccomended

[cethomas]

The second floor is around 400 Sf

[LittleJohn]

The second floor is around 400 Sf

Do you know the heat loss ?   But my first guess would be not very large, unless the house is constructed as so  the wind happens to blow thru the walls 

[cethomas]

1950 Solid brick/block Cape Cod. Knee walls on both sides of the second floor. Have the air handler in one section of them. Insulation in the small attic space.

[LittleJohn]

OK, another DUMB question I have!  What size in the air handler you have, are they not rated to a BTU/hr??  If so find a FPHE with the same or slightly higher rating and you shodul be good to go.

Also note that by oversizing a FPHE; you gain two things, less head pressure drop across the unit and a lighter pocket book

**I personally have no experience with sizing air coils or air handler, as my enter system is in-slab and under-floor panels.  Hired an HVAC guy to install A/C unit and gas furnace as a back up, or if I get lazy and want to burn some $$$